From Rolling to Reading: An Analysis of the Adaptation of Narrative Between Role-Playing Games and Novels

Abstract: Narratives are present throughout media, ranging from its traditional point of study, literature, to newer media such as films, graphic novels and video games. While these narratives have always transcended barriers to some degree today we find that the concept of transmedial narratives has become more relevant via the interconnected storyworlds established throughout popular culture. This increased transmediality has also lead to a larger variance in adaptations than the traditional novel to film adaptation. This thesis seeks to further explore how narratives can transcend barriers by examining the adaptation of narratives between the traditional novel and a largely unexplored form of media, namely role-playing games. By analyzing how role-playing games and novels have been adapted between one another we can begin to glean new insights into narrative studies as well as aspects of reader-author relationships, agency and performativity. As such this thesis analyzes how narratives are adapted between role-playing games and novels through four comparative analyses, each which highlights a unique aspect of the role-playing game medium.