The Complexity of Dialogues in Interactive Role-Playing Videogames

Ellen Bielema

Discourse analysis provides a longstanding and thoroughly researched tool to analyze gaming discourse. By utilizing a pragmatic analytical approach from discourse analysis, gaming dialogues reveal the complexity of discourse positioning and word play, offering insight into the co-construction of context and language within the gaming environment.

Gaming research has shown that gaming environments such as those found on online role-playing games like World of Warcraft, facilitate creativity and exploration among game players (Shaffer, 2005). The gaming environment is complex and socially constructed. Virtual worlds found in many role-playing videogames provide opportunities for gamers to develop specialized identities, shared values and social practices. To develop and utilize these gaming environments for education, we “must understand how the epistemic frames of those communities are developed, sustained and changed” (Shaffer & Gee, 2005; Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, & Gee, 2005). Players often come together to form communities in order to increase skills and understanding of the game environment which are necessary to become an expert. In this way, gamers develop shared values, as game environments promote situated understanding (Shaffer, Squire, Halverson, & Gee, 2005).

Discourse analysis offers a tool to evaluate communication in the gaming environment. By utilizing Gricean Analysis to analyze transcripts of players’ dialogue, the complexity of the discourse can be realized. With each iteration, identity comes into clarity.

References

Shaffer, D. (2005). Multisubculturalism: Computers and the end of progressive education (WCER Working Paper No. 2005-5). Madison: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

Shaffer, D. W., & Gee, J. P. (2005). Before every child is left behind: How epistemic games can solve the coming crisis in education (WCER Working Paper No. 2005-7): University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

Shaffer, D. W., Squire, K. D., Halverson, R., & Gee, J. P. (2005). Videogames and the future of learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(2), 104–111.