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Document Type

Article

Abstract

What makes Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) unique among games is the way it merges storytelling with game mechanics. Before the invention of D&D, both acting/narrative-based games and strategy-based war games that made use of fantasy-genre elements existed, but the way D&D integrates both elements invented a whole new category of game, one in which the immersive draw of a plot proves just as important as good tactics or luck of the dice. This chapter explores the relationship between the qualitative and quantitative aspects of D&D. Specifically, it argues that the rules of the game provide quantitative corollaries to aspects of storytelling that we traditionally think of as qualitative: character, morality, personal development, etc. These quantitative components, however, serve a far greater function than merely providing a measurable foundation on which to base dice rolls: More than the fantastic creatures and the magic spells in the game, quantification is perhaps the D&D's greatest fantasy. Through such quantification, the game is able to provide its players with an unshakeable moral order, a numerical measure of normally intangible personal attributes (such as intelligence), and a running total of a character's growth and success as a "person." The purpose of all of this accountancy is to satisfy the very deep desire for a world of known quantities and calculable success, which in turn allows for a sense of achievement that is difficult to match in a complex, qualitative world. With such foci, the author of this chapter raises questions about the influence of Dungeons and Dragons on its successors while also providing insight into its continued popularity. With online games' (Asheron's Call, EverQuest) obvious debt to Dungeons and Dragons, such a study is especially timely.

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