Gaming conventions such as hit points and lives have become so common
place in video games that it is becoming increasingly harder to find
game without them than with them. Likewise, elements such as winning,
losing, and score are automatically assumed to be a part of any
physical game played by children or adults. However, there is an
alternative to this model. The New Games movement, and its child, the
New New Games, are games that challenge these concepts that so many
people assume define game play. These movements question whether or
not you need to have winners and losers to experience a good game - and
prove that you don't.
One such example of a game that defies the normal assumptions about game play is Earthball, created by Stewart Brand (Lucida 2). In this game, a large canvas ball painted to look like the Earth is pushed around by the players to one side of the playing field or the other. The rules simply state that players may push the ball to one side or the other however, they do not stipulate that they have to remain on one "side." The result is that players often switch back and forth between either side, thus destroying the common game mechanic of teams. Ludica notes that "whenever a team neared a goal, it was noted that players from the winning team would defect to help the other side" (Ludica 2.) This game also has no concept of score, which results in a game that not only has no winners or losers but also no Us versus Them.
DeKoven suggests that players modify existing games in order to make a more meaningful experience, which he calls the well played game. He poses a theoretical situation where he is playing ping pong with the reader. This theoretical game is no fun because of the difference in skill levels; therefore,DeKoven modifies the game to make the goal to keep the volley going as long as possible. He argues that the normal rules of the game are getting in the way of having fun, and thus they should be discarded. This is a very interesting idea becauseHuizinga claims in contrast that it is the rules that make a game (Huizinga 106). According to DeKoven, the rules make the game only so long as they make the game fun for the players.
Stewart Brand also notices this tendency to modify game rules to fit the players in his paper on Spacewar, an early computer game that underwent modifications with every gaming society that got their hands on it. As the game spread across college campuses and research centers, many different permutations of the rules evolved as elements were added or subtracted from the game. As the computer hardware improved, so did the game, with such additions as gravity and hyper-drive. At the time, few people realized that the computer could be used as a medium for creativity and games. Most places that could afford a computer used them primarily as calculators. Spacewar challenged traditional notions of games by allowing users to play a game in a purely virtual environment that provided real-time feedback.
The New Games movement had a large impact on the way that we think about games and player interactions. Unfortunately, this impact has been mostly seen with children's games an is not as prevalent in games for older players. However, these games have seen a revival as they are now being used as team building exercises for adults. Hopefully the New New Games will have a similar impact and encourage a new era in video game design.
Brand, S. (1972). SPACEWAR: Fanatic Life and Symbolic Death Among the Computer Bums. Rolling Stone.
DeKoven, B. (2002). Talking about what we're looking for. The Well-Played Game. 1-9.
Fron, J., Fullerton, T., Morie, J. & Pearce, C. (2005). Sustainable Play: Towards A New Games Movement for the Digital Age. Digital Arts & Culture Conference Proceedings, Copenhagen. 1-6.
Huizinga, J. (1938). Nature and significance of play as a cultural phenomenon. The Game Design Reader, 96-119.
One such example of a game that defies the normal assumptions about game play is Earthball, created by Stewart Brand (Lucida 2). In this game, a large canvas ball painted to look like the Earth is pushed around by the players to one side of the playing field or the other. The rules simply state that players may push the ball to one side or the other however, they do not stipulate that they have to remain on one "side." The result is that players often switch back and forth between either side, thus destroying the common game mechanic of teams. Ludica notes that "whenever a team neared a goal, it was noted that players from the winning team would defect to help the other side" (Ludica 2.) This game also has no concept of score, which results in a game that not only has no winners or losers but also no Us versus Them.
DeKoven suggests that players modify existing games in order to make a more meaningful experience, which he calls the well played game. He poses a theoretical situation where he is playing ping pong with the reader. This theoretical game is no fun because of the difference in skill levels; therefore,DeKoven modifies the game to make the goal to keep the volley going as long as possible. He argues that the normal rules of the game are getting in the way of having fun, and thus they should be discarded. This is a very interesting idea becauseHuizinga claims in contrast that it is the rules that make a game (Huizinga 106). According to DeKoven, the rules make the game only so long as they make the game fun for the players.
Stewart Brand also notices this tendency to modify game rules to fit the players in his paper on Spacewar, an early computer game that underwent modifications with every gaming society that got their hands on it. As the game spread across college campuses and research centers, many different permutations of the rules evolved as elements were added or subtracted from the game. As the computer hardware improved, so did the game, with such additions as gravity and hyper-drive. At the time, few people realized that the computer could be used as a medium for creativity and games. Most places that could afford a computer used them primarily as calculators. Spacewar challenged traditional notions of games by allowing users to play a game in a purely virtual environment that provided real-time feedback.
The New Games movement had a large impact on the way that we think about games and player interactions. Unfortunately, this impact has been mostly seen with children's games an is not as prevalent in games for older players. However, these games have seen a revival as they are now being used as team building exercises for adults. Hopefully the New New Games will have a similar impact and encourage a new era in video game design.
Brand, S. (1972). SPACEWAR: Fanatic Life and Symbolic Death Among the Computer Bums. Rolling Stone.
DeKoven, B. (2002). Talking about what we're looking for. The Well-Played Game. 1-9.
Fron, J., Fullerton, T., Morie, J. & Pearce, C. (2005). Sustainable Play: Towards A New Games Movement for the Digital Age. Digital Arts & Culture Conference Proceedings, Copenhagen. 1-6.
Huizinga, J. (1938). Nature and significance of play as a cultural phenomenon. The Game Design Reader, 96-119.
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