Last week I read a piece by Costikyan and here are a few of my notes (I'm still getting used to note taking but in the interest of transparency ill put what I've written down without modifying it):-
He first heard the term 'Game play' in 1982, he then goes on to state that "The term game play is nebulous, its like saying 'A good book'"
"The Game is Plastic" the term is used to explain that games can be used with any medium and fit any age etc.
"Interaction"
Games = Not Static, they change with players actions.
Puzzles = Static, stable logic structure to be solved with the help of clues.
Some games however are just a sequence of puzzles. Zork is "A game with strong puzzle elements"
"If its not interactive, its not a game!"
Snakes and ladders has no meaningful decisions, just dice rolls which = pure luck
Every game is an interactive game, otherwise its just a puzzle...
"Goals"
Interaction is a choice - Decision making is interaction with purpose.
At any point the game state is assessed, possible outcomes weighed up and a decision is made.
Willwright called Sim City a "Software Toy"
The game is not intrinsic in the toy. It is a set of player defined objectives overlay'd on the toy itself.
Sim City = Success because it had lots of goals
Sim Earth = Fail because it only had one goal
In games such as RPG's a goal is to get better and improve your character.
"Struggle"
Competition = Struggle, Without struggle the game gets boring fast.
"Plucky Lil England"
Ur-Story = Protagonist has a goal, Faces obstacles A, B, C, D. He struggles to overcome them in turn, growing as a person as he does so. These struggles do not need to be a villain.
"Structure"
E, Zimmerman "Games are structures of desire" "Makes games sound like a whore house"
Children often make up games, e.g. Cops and Robbers
Modern pen and paper RPG's and children's make believe are very similar, only major difference is that an RPG has more structure with the inclusion of a Game Master.
Rules are voluntary agreements you enter into willingly.
Small Changes (Iterations) can have a massive affect on player behaviour.
Hi Darren, Good to see you blogging your notes. As with the set above, you should always add a paragraph or two at the end of your thoughts. This helps to clarify your thinking on the article. What was the most important thing that struck you in what you read. How did it make you think about a game you know well, something you disagree with, that sort of thing. That way you join the debate and we get to hear your voice.
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