ROOT, Woodland Ideologies in a Fantasy Game
First author: ThibaultYear: 2022
Abstract
In this paper I reconstruct and outline some realisations of different forest ideologies, through the analysis of the digital adaptation of the boardgame ROOT - A Game of Woodland Might and Right. In particular, I use a semiotic square to map the different semantic fields and core strategies of the four different factions of the game, each featuring a different way to engage with forests. The analysis allows me to identify some key ideologies that, embedded in the game, reflect larger conceptualisations of the relationship between humans and woodlands. In the conclusion, the paper highlights how games, encompassing both a rule structure and a narrative layer, can offer a vantage point for the analysis of ideological constructions. Future research could apply similar methods to other games in an attempt to map the many ways in which forestry spaces, and our relations with them, are constructed.Details
Language: EnglishCountry of affiliation: Finland
Published in: FDG '22: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games
Publication type: Conference proceeding
Source: https://doi.org/10.1145/3555858.3555950
Games
No Results
Franchises
No Records
Studies
Description: Semiotic square to map different approaches to engage with forests
Research type: Non-experimental
Data type: Qualitative
Comparator: none
Control group: no
Pilot study: no
Pre/post measures used: no
Follow-up: no
Sample type: Game(s)
Sample size: 1
Power analysis: no
Sample countries: null
Games studied: ROOT - A Game of Woodland Might and Right
Franchises studied: null
Study outcomes: Ingame interactions