About this episode

This episode explores how Homer's The Odyssey has influenced role-playing games and immersive storytelling.

Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey is part of a long line of film adaptations, but Homer’s epic poem has quietly shaped another medium: role-playing games. The structure of The Odyssey is practically a blueprint for tabletop and video game RPGs from the ‘boss fights’ with fantasy creatures to the way Odysseus levels up through the tale. Professor Roger Travis explains how ancient bards engaged in a similar type of immersive storytelling as game masters today. Laura Jenkinson-Brown argues that Odysseus’s choices are like a dialogue tree in a choose-your-own-adventure book. That’s why she wrote one called “You Are Odysseus. Plus, John Haygood and Jonathan Drake tell me how they’ve created tabletop role-playing games that tap into Greek myths and reward players for embracing the values of the Homeric world. To support the show, you can donate on Patreon where you get access to the ad-free version and our companion show Between Imaginary Worlds.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Eric Molinsky

Guests: Professor Roger Travis, Laura Jenkinson-Brown, John Haygood, Jonathan Drake

Topics covered

• role-playing games
• The Odyssey
• immersive storytelling
• Greek myths
• tabletop games

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Odyssey

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