I like your new eyes: representations of extended reality technologies in tabletop roleplaying games

Sezen, Tonguc and Sezen, Digdem (2025) I like your new eyes: representations of extended reality technologies in tabletop roleplaying games. In: Extended realities, virtual environments, and interactive experiences. CRC Press, pp. 298-316. (In Press)

Creators:
Sezen, Tonguc and Sezen, Digdem
Description/Abstract:

This chapter investigates how extended reality technologies are represented in the worldbuilding of tabletop role-playing games and how the experiences of seeing or perceiving the world through machine vision are integrated into gameplay. Due to their flexibility and openness in creating imaginary speculative futures, tabletop role-playing games will be used as a reference point. Due to its uninterrupted release history and publication policy of reflecting on and responding to contemporary technological developments, the Shadowrun (1989-2024) series is selected as the focus of the chapter. The chapter first discusses how science fiction has shaped the public perception of extended reality technologies and how tabletop roleplaying games can be used to approach technology critically. The chapter then presents how the Shadowrun series integrates emerging technologies into its world-building and continues with an investigation of how extended realities are represented. Two distinct periods are identified in this survey. In the first period, emerging cyberpunk tropes are used to speculate on extended reality technologies as a novelty with little social commentary. Inspired by the growing availability of online services, the second period envisions a future society where extended realities have become ubiquitous. The chapter concludes with a discussion on how tabletop role-playing games can be utilized to explore perceptions, expectations, and design possibilities regarding developing extended realities by providing a space for exploration and speculation.

Item Type:
Book Section
Date:
2025
Uncontrolled Keywords or tags :
extended reality, machine vision, tabletop roleplaying games, worldbuilding, cyberpunk, shadowrun
Schools:
School of Games & Creative Technology
Research Centres:
Creative Technologies Research Centre
Depositing User:
Dr Tonguc Sezen
Date Deposited:
07 Mar 2025 11:11
Last Modified:
07 Mar 2025 14:58
Sezen, Tonguc:
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7196-6716
Sezen, Digdem:
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9892-7274
URI:
https://research.uca.ac.uk/id/eprint/6653

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