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Journals / Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 27 Sayı: 2

WORLD-BUILDING AND SUB-CREATION IN DIGITAL GAMES: “MYTHOPOEIA”

DİJİTAL OYUNLARDA DÜNYA OLUŞTURMA VE ALT-YARATIM “MİTOPYA”

Engin Deniz Erbaş(İSTANBUL GEDİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-5288-2867
Pages
875–913
Publication Date
2025-06-15
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

In this research, sub-creation is considered a method of world-building, and its overall structure is outlined.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The concept of sub-creation was introduced by British author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien in his 1939 lecture titled On Fairy-Stories and later elaborated in the essay of the same name, which was based on this lecture.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The research supports the idea that the gameplay experience is a significant determinant in video games.
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Conclusion & Impact:In this research, sub-creation is considered a method of world-building, and its overall structure is outlined.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Alt-yaratım · Mitopya · Dijital Oyun

Abstract

The concept of sub-creation was introduced by British author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien in his 1939 lecture titled On Fairy-Stories and later elaborated in the essay of the same name, which was based on this lecture. Tolkien directly or indirectly referred to this concept in his works such as Leaf by Niggle, and The Silmarillion, written at different periods. These works can be considered as forming the fundamental structure of sub-creation. Drawing from established cultural elements such as epics, folk tales, and mythologies, Tolkien created a contemporary myth, or mythopoeia. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit novels were built upon these foundations. Tolkien’s works have had a profound impact on the literary world, and this influence later extended to cinema and the video game industry. This article examines the concept of sub-creation as a fundamental method of world-building in video game design and identifies its components. The research supports the idea that the gameplay experience is a significant determinant in video games. In this context, the impact of sub-creation on the gaming experience is analyzed within the framework of the sub-creation concept. The article aims to discuss a sub-creation model for video game designers. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Legendarium, a literary selection based on the sub-creation concept and referred to as such by researchers, forms the general framework of this study. In this research, sub-creation is considered a method of world-building, and its overall structure is outlined. This concept is analyzed using an intertextual approach and examined through qualitative and comparative methods. As a result, a world-building model for game designers is proposed.

Özet

Alt-yaratım kavramı, Britanyalı yazar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien tarafından 1939 yılında “Peri Masalları Üzerine” başlıklı konferansında ve bu konferansa dayanarak yazdığı aynı isimli makalede ortaya atılmıştır. Tolkien, farklı dönemlerde kaleme aldığı Niggle’ın Yaprağı, Silmarillion gibi eserlerinde bu kavrama doğrudan ya da dolaylı olarak değinmiştir. Bu çalışmaların, alt-yaratımın temel yapısını oluşturduğu söylenebilir. Tolkien, destanlar, halk hikayeleri, mitolojiler gibi yerleşik kültürel varlıklardan hareket ederek çağdaş bir mit yani mitopya oluşturmuştur. Yüzüklerin Efendisi ve Hobbit romanları, bu temeller üzerine inşa edilmiştir. Tolkien’in eserleri, edebiyat dünyasını güçlü bir şekilde etkilemiş ve bu etkiler önce sinema sonra oyun dünyasına yansımıştır. Bu makalede, dijital oyun tasarımında dünya inşa etmenin temel bir yöntemi olarak alt-yaratım kavramı incelenmiş ve bileşenleri belirlenmiştir. Araştırma, dijital oyunlarda oynama deneyiminin önemli bir belirleyici olduğu düşüncesini desteklemektedir. Bu bağlamda, dijital oyunlarda alt-yaratımın oyun deneyimi üzerine etkisi alt-yaratım kavramı çerçevesinde ele alınmıştır. Makale, dijital oyun tasarımcıları için bir alt-yaratım modelini tartışmayı amaçlamaktadır. J.R.R. Tolkien’in alt-yaratım kavramına dayanarak oluşturduğu ve araştırmacılar tarafından “Legendarium” olarak adlandırılan Orta Dünya edebi seçkisi, makalenin genel çerçevesini oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada, alt-yaratım kavramı bir dünya oluşturma yöntemi olarak kabul edilmiş ve bu kavramın genel yapısı ortaya konmuştur. Metinlerarası bir yaklaşımla ele alınan bu kavram, nitel ve karşılaştırmalı bir yöntemle çözümlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, oyun tasarımcıları için bir dünya oluşturma modeli önerilmiştir.

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Cite This Article

Erbaş, E. D. (2025). WORLD-BUILDING AND SUB-CREATION IN DIGITAL GAMES: “MYTHOPOEIA”. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, Cilt: 27 Sayı: 2, 875–913. https://doi.org/10.16953/deusosbil.1616581

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