“On a scale of 1–5, what floor are you on?” Practising methodologies of fun and play with transformative communities: History, Paratexts, and Games

This chapter examines how playfulness emerges at science fiction and gaming con-ventions. It argues that attendees and organisers use playful techniques to avoidboredom, provide emergent solutions and overcome difficult situations. This is pos-sible because these people come from a position of experience which incorporatesan awareness of playful activities and direct experience of games and gaming cul-tures. They not only know how to game situations when they become difficult orchallenging but see playfulness as an everyday activity. In doing so, organisers cu-rate an event that feeds into a wider experiential narrative of experiences andforms a wider paratext of experience. In addition, these events are facilitated by ashifting pool of volunteers who are attendees themselves. Their paratextual experi-ence of these people (“conrunners”), of organisational practices, as well as theirjoint role as participants who want to enjoy the event, provides a background expe-rience that allows them to playfully rework solutions.Švelch writes that paratextscan be seen as transcendent artefacts which move beyond previous textual/mediafocussed readings.1The chapter case studies the Dublin 2019 Worldcon as a place inwhich several problems were diffused by playful behaviour and discusses ways inwhich this can be theorised. These behaviours do not reach the formalised extentor lasting impact of Gamification, but instead rely on an ethos and appreciation ofplayfulness which often disperses without lasting consequence when the event con-cludes. These practices have further implications for organisational fun and playacross a wider textual network.