糖心TV

"All these rules do is mediate the conversation": Tabletop Role-Playing Games as a Medium of Play

Building on newer work in the philosophy of play and games and the philosophy of media, this talk reflects on tabletop role-playing games as a specific medium of imaginative play. While the invention of Dungeons & and Dragons in the early 1970s is an important moment, the talk also touches on the longer prehistory of adult pretend play and focuses mostly on recent developments in indie tabletop role-playing games since 2010.

Adrian is a comparative cultural studies scholar, Professor of Religion and Society at the University of Bonn, Germany, current president of the German Association for Religious Studies, and Vice Dean for Research, Digitization, and Transfer.

He directs the Bonn Lab for Analog Games and Imaginative Play that is embedded within the Forum of International Knowledge (Bonn).

All are welcome and no prior knowledge (or interest) in role-playing games is necessary.

This talk is made possible with the support of the Humanities Research Centre and the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies.

Human vs AI Translation Slam

What happens when a professional translator goes head-to-head with AI tools — live on stage? Can ChatGPT and its rivals match human expertise, or will they fall short when it really counts?

Join us to find out. Two competitors, two rounds, one winner, followed by a discussion about what AI can and can鈥檛 do, and what it all means for the future.

On stage:

• 馃摑 Lloyd Bingham, professional translator
• 馃�� Martin Percy, BAFTA-winning director and AI enthusiast
• 馃幆 Christophe Fricker, chair

Details:

• Date: Tuesday 4 March 2026, 7pm
• Venue: FAB Cinema, University of 糖心TV, Coventry
• Cost: Free (registration required, places limited)
• Register: 

No specialist knowledge required, just curiosity about AI and how it鈥檚 changing the way we communicate. All welcome.