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Learning Journal:
discussion
Finetuning our work on brief 1 - refining topic and areas of research
examined some historical definitions of what a game is - Huizinga, Caillois, Costikyan, Schell
came up with our own definitions prior to the activity
there are lots of definitions
it is important to have definitions because it influences how we approach problems
informs how we design games
It is important to keep in mind all the different ways in which games can be defined when designing, especially since play has evolved over the course of human history
It was really interesting to learn about some of the different ways that games are defined; I learned that it's actually pretty difficult to come up with a comprehensive definition that's specific enough to be useful but not so specific that it doesn't encompass non-digital games.
NOTES:
Brief 1 - Subnautica; Soviet Womble DAYZ; what makes a survival game (what is it?)
Johan Huizinga - Dutch historian, wrote Homo Ludens: A study of the play-element in culture (translated by Richard Hull) 1949
Roger Caillois - French intellectual whose work brought together literary criticism, sociology, and philosophy by focusing on diverse subjects such as games, play as well as the sacred - Man, Play and Games (1961)
Greg Costikyan - American game designer and sci-fi writer; "a game is a form of art" - Costikyan, G. (1994). I have no words and I must design.
Jesse Schell - American game designer, author, CEO of Schell Games - "a game is a problem-solving activity, approached with a playful attitude" - The Art of Game Design (2008)
A game is an interactive piece of media that curates some kind of experience for the player.
proves: the Witcher
disproves: poker; any card game
Salen & Zimmerman, 2003 - "a game is a system in which players engage in artificial conflict, defined by rules that result in a quantifiable outcome."
prove: any multi-player game; COD; any game with a combat system
disprove: Dear Esther; The Sims; Epic Citadel
Costikyan, G. (1994). I have no words and I must design. interactivedramas.info. https://www.academia.edu/1270811/I_have_no_words_and_I_must_design
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