Date of Award

4-6-2026

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Professor Foss

Second Advisor

Professor Brown

Abstract

Roll Me a History Check explores the use of Role-Playing Games (RPGs)—a style of narrative game where players create and pilot distinct characters and play through a storyline run by a Game Master (GM)—in education. The primary goals of the project align with its three principal parts. First, a brief review of the existing literature on the benefits of both purely educational and purely entertaining RPGs, with Reacting to the Past and Pathfinder first edition serving as respective examples, will demonstrate the merits of a hybrid system. Next, the rules for the new system, Ludus, will be presented to bridge the gap between pure education and entertainment systems. Finally, the module itself will be built within Ludus, utilizing the benefits of RPGs to teach history in a compelling, immersive fashion. The general flow of an RPG sees the GM, who has the details of the module everyone is playing, describe a scene before players tell the GM what they want their characters to do. In Pathfinder, players create their own characters. They choose a race—more of a species (e.g. dwarf, elf, human, orc)—and a class (e.g. cleric, fighter, rogue, wizard) and develop a unique backstory and personality. When the outcome of an action is in question, dice are rolled to resolve that conflict. In Reacting to the Past, the professor often passes out characters based on existing historical figures or factions. Since Reacting to the Past focuses more on social aspects of play, whenever something needs to be decided players stand and give speeches to sway their peers. Once all voices have been heard, a vote is held, and things proceed in accordance with the result.

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