Reading Notes Week 2 - James Newman - What is a video game?

James Newman - What is a video game? Rules Puzzles and Simulations

Aarseth and Frasia - "There is much to be gained by situating video games within the broader critical context of game and play"

"The game is a voluntary activity" the conclusion and hot to get to it are not 100% voluntary, you have to follow pre made paths but make the choice of what path to take and then the end result of that path is already chosen for you by the creators.

"Play is considered free and unfettered; the game is characterized by the constraints of the rule systems"

Rules are sometimes a part of play for example when children are playing fighter pilots they have to pretend to be planes and not cars, otherwise the play isn't working.

 "Games and rules can differentiated according to their outcome"

"The result of a game is victory or success" i.e. winning/losing

"The goal of the activity rather than the structure or constraints imposed upon players is key."

Paidea - Physical or mental activity which has no defined objective and is based on pleasure

Ludus - "Activity organized under a system of rules that defines a victory or defeat"

"Ludus, therefore, requires reference to an external suite of rules where Paidea is understood determined by the player"

Sim City = Paidea - The player determines their own Ludus (Rules for victory)

Paidea + Ludus can work together and the user chooses between the two i.e. a flight simulator, when aimlessly flying around has no goal.

"Consider video games as worlds"

"Players that decide which activities will be performed"

In most games the solution or objective is shown but not how to do it and the player making the decision incorporates Ludus + Paidea

"Games provide environments for learning postmodernist approaches to communication and knowledge: navigating constructive problem - solving, dynamic goal - construction"

Four forms of fame types:
Agon - competition is dominant

Alea - chance + randomness

Ilinx - pleasure is derived from movement.

Mimicry - games orientated around simulation

These qualities are not video game exclusive i.e. poker includes agon + alea

Consider video games as a puzzle.

Single victory state i.e. crosswords - only one correct end state

Games like Tetris are unsustainable as there is no solution or definite end state.

"These are implications for the ways in which we tackle not only the issue of the audience but also the representational system of the game world."

"The definition of video game is orientated around the act of play and "the player" is potentially problematic".