Phylomemetics of boardgames and tabletop role-playing games

Phylomemetics is the historical study of the evolution of relations between cultural objects or concepts. Like with memetics, there is a lot of problems due to numerous (and dubious) horizontal transfers and spontaneous generations. For the living beings and phylogenetics, its mostly vertical transfers and few mutations.

Phylomemetic trees

Hidden level of the exhibition Donjons & Données probantes :
a phylomemetic tree of TTRPG from 1974 to 2018

Some outcomes of this studies take the shape of beautiful trees. Here, a phylomemetic tree of batik patterns.

With my project On the shoulders of cloud giants, I started to design 2 trees that I layed down on a timeline: one for boardgames, one for TTRPG. They are coded in DOT language. When they will be mature, I will share them.

Phylomemetic relations 

It is difficult to track and certify a reliable link between two games. For the living beings, we can assess the genes. For the human languages we can assess the words and structure of sentences. But for games, we have very few evidences.

Primary sources

• The game as object: mobile and fixed items, patterns, trade dress, materials.
• Text of the rules: mechanics and specific vocabulary.
• Metadata of the game: author, publisher, publication date, version.
• Metatext: acknowledgements, credits, epigraphs, bibliography and.... the very rare and precious pearl: the ludographic references citing other games.
• Interviews and autobiography of the author of the game.

Secondary sources

• Comments, reviews or critics of a game.
• Article (academics, biographies) on a game or a family of games.

Tertiary sources 

• Encyclopedia or dictionary entries on a game or a family of games. 
• Game directories with indexation of the game mechanics.

Problems to investigate in future posts

• Only the author of a gameB, citing explicitely the inspiration of a gameA, can prove the link between gameA and gameB [vertical link].
• Maybe for intellectual propriety, few authors cite their inspirations.
• Some cultures or motivations can foster citation practices.
• Recently, acknowledgment of authors and game citations in TTRPG are changing game citations practices.

• Anteriority and originality of a game mechanics is a sign of possible kinship with a more recent game with similar game mechanics [horizontal link].