“Table Talk”: Defining Metadiscourse of Analog Games

• Published in: Acta Ludologica Vol. 4; no. 2; pp. 96 - 107
• Main Author: Dashiell, Steven
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of SS.Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Faculty of Mass Media Communication 2021; Univerzita sv. Cyrila a Metoda v Trnave, Fakulta masmediálnej komunikácie
• Subjects: Communication studies; Media studies; Philosophy; Social Philosophy; Social Sciences; Sociology; Sociology of Culture; Theory of Communication; tabletop roleplaying games; popular culture; sociology; game capital; discourse
• ISSN: 2585-8599

This paper discusses the communication in tabletop role-playing games that we call metadiscourse. Prior study of gaming and the act of play prove that the space is inherentlysocial. However, we speculate that, through metadiscourse, the social aspect of the tabletop role-playing game is central to group cohesion and perpetuation of the gaming subculture. Metadiscourse involves conversation not linked to the current game but could be cordial and relational, critical, or completely unrelated to the game. However, it is an informal conversation that would not occur if there was no game. In metadiscourse there are determinations of gaming capital, or elements of value. Participation in metadiscourse allows an individual to feel included in the game and gaming subculture. However, metadiscourse demonstrates a level of gaming capital through situatedness and affordances that can act as a gatekeeping function for individuals.