Gameness of Games

Video games, board games, card games, roll-playing games, play-ground games and so on. There are countless numbers of games to be played and a large variety of consoles and devices to be played on. Bernard Suits states, 'Playing a game is the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles!' (McGonigal, 2011, P.22) When we play games we are coming to do voluntary hard work, work we enjoy doing, unlike work in real-life.

There are four defining traits of games; a goal, rules, a feedback system and voluntary participation. The ability to win is not a necessary trait of games. (McGonigal, 2011) Tetris, one of the most popular computer games of all time is the perfect example of a game in which you cannot win. If you play tetris you are always guaranteed to loose, so why it is so addictive? Many gamers do not wish to win the games they play, 'in high feedback games, such as Tetris, 'the value of being intensely engaged may ultimately be more pleasurable than even the satisfaction of winning.' (McGonigal, 2011, P.25) Gamers would rather work at playing a game rather than be entertained. This is why gamers spend less time watching television and more time playing games. (McGonigal, 2011)

'There are two different kinds of games: finite games, which we play to win, and infinite games, which we play in order to keep playing as long as possible.' (McGonigal, 2011, P.25) 'Jack-Change-It' is an example of a finite card game, once a player has gotten rid of all their cards they are the winner and the game is over. 'The Sims' is an example of an infinite computer game, the game has no end so the player keeps on playing because they enjoy the game.

Games have the ability to make us feel happier. 'A game is an opportunity to focus our energy, with relentless optimism, at something we're good at and enjoy.' (McGonigal, 2011, P.28) Games today are addictive and mood-boosting, which make them extremely popular. We feel more satisfaction with ourselves from doing hard work in games than doing work in real life.

Finally, 'the most primal emotional rush we can experience is called 'fiero." (McGonigal, 2011, P. 33) The Italian word for 'Pride', fiero is the emotion we feel after we triumph. It is extremely powerful in producing motivation for hard work. The bigger and harder the obstacle is to overcome, the more powerful and intense the fiero. (McGonigal, 2011) 

Bibliography
McGonigal, J., (2011), 'Reality is Broken, Why games make us better and how they can change the world, Penguin Press HC

McGonigal: Gameness of games

McGonigal states that we have taken games into our culture and use it in our language.  She mentions that we use the words 'game' and 'player' in our everyday language. Other terms such as "Don't play games with me" and  "This isn't a game" are all things that I along with friend, family and other people that share in the same culture as me have used. (McGonigal 2011, pg: 19 & 20)  "This admonishment implies that games encourage and train people to act in ways that aren’t appropriate for real life." I think that McGonigal is making a valid point here, when we think about it we are actually aware of what we may become due to playing games. Even though these metaphors so not 'reflect' what it means to play a well-designed game, they are just reminders of our 'worst fears' about games. (McGonigal 2011, pg 20)


Gaming is becoming more and more popular year on year. "Games today come in more forms, platforms, and genres than at any other time in human history." (McGonigal 2011, pg: 20) There are many forms of games and gaming platforms in the 21^st century. There are many forms of gaming around like video games, board games, internet games, arcade games and much more, too much to mention really. This just shows the sheer size of the market for gaming. A game invites the ‘gamer’ to come up against needless hurdles which involve hard work and optimistic engagement. McGonigal believes there are four defining traits of games. They are the goal, the rules, feedback system and voluntary participation. (McGonigal 2011, pg: 21)

McGonigal points out to us that ‘winning’ and ‘competition’ are features which enhance the gaming experience. However, they are not considered as defining traits of gaming. The defining traits are broken down;

The Goal: The end achievement, the purpose of starting the game there must be a triumph

The Rules: The restrictions that the gamer must obey to get to ‘The Goal’

Feedback system:  A personal/unique reflection of the gamers performance which include levels and scores, unlocked items etc.

Voluntary participation: The gamers ability to follow the above traits in order to play the game correctly

Games have lots of benefits like being a form of physiotherapy, improve hand-eye co-ordination, induce decision making, team building and communicating, enhance creativity and can teach you problem solving, motivation and cognitive skills. I agree with gaming for all the above benefits but not all is so positive. Gaming can encourage violence, crime, alcohol and drug misuse as well as that it can effect academic studies and can even lead to addiction.

 

 

The Gameness of Games..

McGonigal firstly talks about what a game is and how they can be attached to certain types of behaviours, such as 'players' and there ability to manipulate others into getting what they want. (McGonigal,2001,PG.20)

I also understand that the word 'game' can used in other references completely unrelated to video games. Such as people using certain metaphors such as 'Don't play games with me'. although these metaphors are widely used everyday, the fact that they are unrelated to actual gaming activity raises the suspicious that a lot more people know and accept gaming as more widely used within society.

'Games these days come in more forms, platforms and genres than in any other time in human history' (McGonigal,2001,PG.20)

This statement is true, simply for the fact that gaming and the ability that game designers have nowadays is unbelievably more advanced than at any other time and they will only continue to become more advanced with better traits such as graphics and online game play. Also for the fact that we can play games on so many different platforms which gives us almost 100% of the time access to gaming. For example, gaming in the house would be easily done on the XBOX, PS3, laptops and personal computers. And gaming on the 'go' can happen on iPads and mobile phones. All this ability and connectivity to games gives it a huge advantage to prospective game designers and software companies. 

Games share four defining traits which are Goals, rules, feedback system and voluntary participation.(McGonigal,2001,PG.21). Goals which the player hopes to achieve, rules which place limitations on how the achieve that goal. A Feedback system which tells players how close they are and voluntary participation which need the participation of all players regarding the first three traits. 

McGonigal states that when we are playing a good game, we are placing ourselves at the positive side of the emotional spectrum. (PG.28). I think this is very important when it comes to gaming, as we all have things that play 'games' with our emotions and the fact that games developers can make something as to affect your very emotion with simple touches of a button is something to be amazed at. 

Bibliography - Reality is Broken, Jane McGonigal, 2011 - The Penguin Press