Gaming and Programming Affinities in Modding Communities

In this paper, I use JP Gee (2004)’s notion of affinity spaces to theorize the typology of divergent game modder identities. Studying varying routes for participation in modding observed within Civfanatics—an online Civilization based fan modding site, I investigate players’ motivations to mod and thus, how they learn to mod. In this paper, I present a typology of varying modding inclinations as observed within an online modding community.