Realitycraft: An RPG Rulesmithing Game (2019) is an analog game that breaks down and explores the creation of diegetic code (Steele 2016a), applying the work of structuralist Gérard Genette to explore how intradiegetic objects (Steele 2018) are developed for codic Role Playing Games (RPGs). This piece highlights the way codic RPGs may offer a material intervention into the normalization of reified law, economy, gender, race, and other diegetic systems that, at times, find themselves congealed into material objects that lend them “reality” (Steele 2016b). This piece may be treated as a teaching tool for the ideas of theorists like Judith Bulter, J.K. Gibson-Graham and Simone Browne.

Steele’s performances of Realitycraft model an anti-charismatic facilitation style aims to draw participants’ emphasis towards aggregate contributions rather than authorial facilitators.

References:

• Steele, Samara Hayley. “Code as Diegetic Language in LARP.” Presented as part of the Annual Conference of the Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts (SLSA), Atlanta, Ga. 3-6 November 2016.
• Steele, Samara Hayley. “Game Design Methodologies for Gender Playability: A Case Study of Thermophiles in Love.” Presented as part of the Social Studies of Live Action Role-Playing Games at the European University at St. Petersburg, 8-9 December 2016.
• Steele, Samara Hayley. “Notes Towards Discussing Larp Literacy: Noise Filtering, Direct Diegesis, Extradiegetic Statement Exchange, Intradiegetic Objects, and Others.” Presented as part of the Roleplay and Simulation in Education Conference, Northeastern University, Boston, Mass. 16 May 2018.

This piece has been performed at:

• Performance Studies 200 Mini-Conference, Della Davidson Performance Studio, UC Davis, 22 Nov 2019. (video)

Images from video by Katelyn Stiles.