Gaming is Novel

I should start with what a novel is, according to my definition: a novel is a story experienced in isolation, yet shareable with other humans and long enough to allow the reader to delve into a new world, sometimes forgetting that they still belong to reality. The purposes of novels range from the individual--exploration through another mind, or as general to just go on an adventure and discover new places.

Discover new places!

Throughout my life I have read and enjoyed many novels, in particular those that have strong elements of what is unknown to me, or what is new. Adventure, fantasy, even fiction that is based upon history, I have consumed it and let it become a part of what makes me, a part of who I am. I love stories in all forms, and because of this I have enjoyed many video games as well for their stories. I have, over the years of my playing games, noticed that I enjoy most those games which include a good story. In fact, this is why I'm blogging again.

I want to explore how the video game, in particular the RPG (Role-Playing Game in case I have any non-gamers reading this blog) is a modern form of the novel. I'll repeat myself. The RPG is, in essence, a novel. Before any purists come after me with their pitchforks and torches ("video games aren't books!" they might say, sharpening their prongs), think about how the novel changes, and especially how the novel is now very electronic in form (thank you Kindle). Now I won't be discussing in-depth about e-readers and how the novel has been affected by them, but hopefully if such previously-mentioned, pitchfork-wielding purists or what have you exist, this little idea will at least keep you interested.

"one thing must not be made fun of, the magic itself. That must in that story be taken seriously,
neither laughed at nor explained away." -J.R.R. Tolkien, "On Fairy Stories"

Check out any of the topics that interest you; even better, check out all of the pages to the side here to see why I think what I do about this genre of video game--it's not far fetched in my opinion, and I have some convincing points. The only sad point about this all is that I'm not really going to focus on the non-electronic types of RPGs which deserve more than just slight mention. I will focus on what justifies the RPG to be considered as a novel, both in the realm of video games and in general. Also, I will talk about a similarity between novels and RPGs--both are social activities despite being done in isolation--by looking at the reception of both and how the traditional novel and RPG have forms of fan fiction. Finally, as novel writing is considered a form of art, I find that the RPG should also be looked at similarly, as art. I like how David Masson puts it. In his work British Novelists and Their Styles, concerning the future of the novel he writes:

The Novel, we have found, has been becoming more real and determinate, in so far as it can convey matter of fact, more earnest, in so far as it can be made a vehicle for matter of speculation, and more conscious, at the same time, of its ability in all matter of phantasy.

The RPG does all of the above, and I hope to see it continue to become more refined with time.