Pen & Paper & Xerox: Early History of Tabletop RPGs in Czechoslovakia

• Authors: Kabát Michal , Kovalčík Juraj , Kukumbergová Alexandra , Richtr Radek
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The study presents preliminary research focused on the history of tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) in the former Czechoslovakia, especially Dungeons & Dragons (1974) and its local clone Dračí doupě (transl. Dragon’s Lair, 1990). Based on theoretical literature, period sources and semi-structured interviews with first-generation players, it gives an overview of the first contacts with RPG in the specific post-communist cultural and economic context, focusing on the distribution and reception of Dragon’s Lair, mainly in the Slovak part of the former common state. As a partial outcome of an ongoing research into the local gaming experience, the focus is not on the game itself or its commercial success, but rather on its players, their characteristics and initial experiences with tabletop RPGs in the early 1990s.

Keywords

EN

Dragon’s Lair; Dungeons & Dragons; fantasy; participatory culture; post-communist transformation tabletop role-playing games

• Publisher: Fakulta masmediálnej komunikácie Univerzita sv. Cyrila a Metoda
• Journal: Acta Ludologica
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 102-117
• Physical description: Media and Communication, Game studies, Theory of digital games
• Document type: Article

Contributors

author

Kabát Michal

• University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Faculty of Mass Media Communication

author

Kovalčík Juraj

• University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Faculty of Mass Media Communication

author

Kukumbergová Alexandra

• University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Faculty of Mass Media Communication

author

Richtr Radek

• Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Information Technology