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One Hundred Years of Solitude - mapping of a temporary network

Publication at Faculty of Social Sciences |
2017

Abstract

Using the case of the LARP One Hundred Years of Solitude, based on the book by Gabriel García Márquez, this article presents the process of the game's formation by mapping interactions leading to the constitution and upkeep of the game reality. In the description of the game's development as a temporary autonomous network, special emphasis is put on the rise of the game's agency.

The process of LARP's evolution is presented as a chronological action, beginning in the moment when the game is too weak to be autonomous, and follows the process of recruiting mediators as a necessary precursor to the players' connection into the game's network. Furthermore, the process of the players taking over recruitment activity is presented, followed by the final stage, when the game and characters acquire an active role in steering the game themselves.

The article is inspired by actor-network theory, which offers multiple ways of analysing interactions, as well as the consolidation and subsequent dissolution of the game network. By creating a map of game interactions, the article tries to present an alternative perspective to the traditional concept of the magic circle.