Curry, J (2021) Hiding in plain sight: the influence of hobby wargaming on the development of the art and science of professional wargaming. PhD thesis, Bath Spa University.
Abstract
This submission for PhD by Publication argues that the interest in professional wargaming has varied over time, due to the lack of documentation of wargaming practise, methods and handbooks, and my work is contributing towards countering that omission. My work presented for this PhD represents the results of over a decade's work to document the development of wargaming practise, hobby and professional. This thesis focuses on the theme of how the hobby have influenced developments in professional gaming. My work is contributing to helping professional wargaming keep traction by sharing good practise for example through my articles, books, conference papers and practise. This thesis looks at my contribution to the research in early wargaming and the influence of the early amateur games on the professional. Highlighting that the hobby games introduced concepts such as tabletop landscape, miniatures and political gaming. I then outline where my work has discussed the influence of the wargaming evangelists who have influenced the direction of professional gaming, with the examples of HG Wells, Donald Featherstone, Colonel Dupuy, James Dunnigan and Paddy Griffith. It then demonstrates how my work on Matrix Games and Confrontational Analysis has spawned a whole series of professional wargames. My ongoing work on cyber wargames has contributed in some way to progressing beyond the initial methods used in professional cyber wargames. I conclude this submission with my analysis that professional gaming should openly acknowledge the need to borrow good practise from other disciplines, as well as the hobby sector. The world is facing critical threats and games are being played to help inform decision making and prepare leaders. If developments from hobby wargaming can improve the value of these professional games, this is of potential benefit to us all.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
|---|---|
| Note: | This is a PhD by Publication. Part of the overall thesis is a collection of works written by John Curry, published between 2010 and 2020. |
| Keywords: | PhD by publication, wargaming, professional gaming, amateur gaming, matrix games, confrontational analysis, cyber wargames |
| Divisions: | Bath School of Design |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Oct 2021 18:35 |
| Last Modified: | 05 Jan 2022 15:18 |
| URI / Page ID: | https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/14348 |
 |
Request a change to this item or report an issue |
 |
Update item (repository staff only) |
Tools
Tools
