Not Just Roleplay: How Rules Shape Identity Exploration and Community Creation in LARP and Tabletop Games

Earlier research has shown that players use roleplaying in a number of contexts to explore identity, identity performance, and to better understand their personal interactions. One place this comes into play is in games where players play the role of a character other than themselves. This thesis looks specifically at analog games and examines the way that game rules shape playersâ ability to explore identity and social interaction through the game. I argue that game rules in these games help determine what questions players ask themselves and what kinds of interaction they explore. To better understand these types of games I look at the rules of a specific LARP, Dystopia Rising, and a specific tabletop game, Shadowrun, in detail in order to better understand how these rules have the potential to shape players exploration of identity and interaction.M.I.S