The Dragon's Eye: A Quest for Tabletop Role-Playing's Visual Culture

The world of Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs) has always been defined and dominated by Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), the game that pioneered the industry in the 1970’s. Meanwhile during this time, independent games have consistently innovated new ways of utilizing this highly creative field both in contrast and in concert with D&D’s growth. As a decade-long player and developing creator of these games, I hold a vested interest in furthering our understanding of them. The visual aspects of these products are well-documented and celebrated, but in this essay I attempt to define the overall landscape of TRPG visual culture across its illustrations, graphic design, marketing, and other supplementary multi-media. This definition is built upon analyzing the underlying motivations behind each game and how this shapes the creative choices made in the visual sphere. I first establish a groundwork understanding of the prototypical structure of all Tabletop RPGs, from which each game uniquely adheres to or departs from. Then, I define Dungeons & Dragons from a historical angle, its visual choices deeply motivated by paying homage to its own history while evolving to suit the changing preferences of its incredibly wide audience. The market of independent and small-publisher games is much more vast and varied, instead being defined by the sheer diversity of approaches taken and new innovations being made. The sum of these explorations allows for a wider and deeper understanding of the place that visuals serve in the TRPG industry. With this landscape further defined, makers of the field can create with an educated sense of the conventions that they may choose to honor, innovate, or break away from. I also further affirm the crucial motivator that ties together all creative endeavors within this field: community.