Pause to Reflect: Ruminating on Interactive Methodology in Ethnography Writing

Tabletop role-playing game communities in the American Midwest underwent a significant transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting from physical gatherings to digital environments amidst broader social and political instability. This ethnographic study posits that conventional academic writing fails to adequately capture the visceral, collective trauma experienced by these groups during that period. By integrating the mechanics of play, storytelling, and character creation into the research process, the work seeks to bridge the divide between formal academic analysis and the lived realities of gamers, ultimately serving as a multi-modal archive of a volatile historical moment.

To address the limitations of traditional scholarship, the research adopts an interactive methodology that reimagines the dissertation as a participatory playground. This approach utilizes interruptions, multiple narrators, and reader-driven annotations to challenge standard notions of authorship and knowledge dissemination. By incorporating diverse theoretical frameworks from Black, Latinx, and queer scholars, the study creates an inclusive space that prioritizes the voices of marginalized participants. This structure allows the text to function as an evolving, collaborative project rather than a static record.

Ultimately, the study demonstrates that TTRPG tools provide a unique lens for exploring identity and community resilience. By centering decolonial academic frameworks, the research provides a mechanism for collective healing and reflection. This methodology effectively transforms the act of writing into an immersive experience, ensuring that the nuances of community interaction during the pandemic are preserved through a format that mirrors the collaborative, creative nature of the gaming culture it examines.