Playing the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages have provided rich source material for physical and digital games from <i>Dungeons and Dragons</i> to <i>Assassin's Creed</i>. This volume addresses the many ways in which different formats and genre of games represent the period. It considers the restrictions placed on these representations by the mechanical and gameplay requirements of the medium and by audience expectations of these products and the period highlighting innovative attempts to overcome these limitations through game design and play.<br/> <br/><i>Playing the Middle Ages</i> considers a number of important and timely issues within the field including: one the connection between medieval games and political nationalistic rhetoric; two trends in the presentation of religion warfare and other aspects of medieval society and their connection to modern culture; three the problematic representations of race; and four the place of gender and sexuality within these games and the broader gaming community. <br/><br/>The book draws on the experience of a wide-ranging and international group of academics across disciplines and from games designers. Through this combination of expertise it provides a unique perspective on the representation of the Middle Ages in modern games and drives key discussions in the fields of history and game design.