No. 2 (2021): RPG at a Distance: Online and Remote Forms of Analog Role-Playing
The events of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic challenged TRPG and larp groups and players across the world with interruptions and emergency cancellations of their face-to-face role-play activities, impacting the social well-being of individual players as well as the situation of small RPG businesses. First evaluations paint a disastrous picture in some areas. But 2020 also showed the potential of adapting analog formats for digital game play in times when local social gatherings were restricted. During the course of the year, we have seen not only adaptations of planned RPG events from the offline to the online realm, but also a renewed interest in old forms of remote RPGs, such as classic letter larps, play-by-mail/play-by-post or the usage of online community platforms and social media tools. Innovative forms and experimental designs for laogs (live-action online games) were created and tested, mixing and mashing blended play styles from text to video, and from the challenges of home-based play with children to care for, to international, immersing online sessions. This issue features contributions from scholars and practitioners worldwide dealing with these challenges and innovations.
Published:
2021-12-20
