Navigating Imaginary Worlds

Mark J. P. Wolf is a professor in the Department of Digital Media and Design at Concordia University Wisconsin, USA. His books include The Video Game Theory Reader 1 and 2 (2003; 2008), The Video Game Explosion (2007), Before the Crash (2012), Encyclopedia of Video Games (two-volume 1st edition, 2012; three-volume 2nd edition, 2021), Building Imaginary Worlds (2012), LEGO Studies (2014), The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies (1st edition, 2014; 2nd edition, 2023), Video Games Around the World (2015), Video Games and Gaming Culture (2016), Video Games FAQ (2017), Revisiting Imaginary Worlds (2017), The Routledge Companion to Imaginary Worlds (2017), The Routledge Companion to Media Technology and Obsolescence (2018), 101 Enigmatic Puzzles: Fractal Mazes, Quantum Chess, Anagram Sudoku, and More (2020), World-Builders on World-Building (2020), Exploring Imaginary Worlds (2020), The Seven Stones (2024), Zoophemera (2024), and Calculated Imagery: A History of Computer Graphics in Hollywood Cinema (2025).

• About the ContributorsAcknowledgmentsForewordKevin ConranIntroductionMark J. P. WolfFINDING ONE’S WAY AROUNDWorld-Building, Emplotment, and Disorientation in Gangs of New YorkHenry JenkinsComic Book Encyclopedias: The What, When, Where, Why and How of DC’s Who’s Who and The Official Handbook of the Marvel UniverseBlair DavisNavigating Ludotopia, Exploring Allotopia: Natural and Unnatural Exploration of Open Worlds in Video GamesKrzysztof M. MajThe Importance of Afterstory and Tolkien’s Fourth AgeMark J. P. WolfWAYFINDING IN INTERACTIVE WORLDSPinball Playfields: Mapping Heavy MetalRyan BanfiToys-to-Guide: Nintendo amiibo as Transmedial WaypointsMatthew Thomas PayneThe Warhammer Product and Service Portfolio: Wayfinding as Competitive AdvantageNeal BakerWhere Be Witches? The Role of Adventure Maps in Building a Game WorldStefan EkmanThe Soundscape of the Metaverse: Aural Navigation in Meta’s Horizon WorldsHarry BursonTranscendent Travels: Wayfinding in Extended RealitiesGundolf S. FreyermuthCONCEPTUAL WAYFINDINGMiniature WorldsMark J. P. WolfJourney Loops and Vicious Circles: Lessons of Unfortunate Adventures in Romantic TalesLily AlexanderArtificial Intelligence and the Possibility of Sub-SubcreationMark J. P. WolfResearch as a Navigating ToolNathali H. S. PilegaardAPPENDIXThe Cartographers of VasterraMark J. P. WolfIndex