The Magic Circle and The Primary Schemas

1. The Magic Circle andThe Primary Schemas Assigned readings: Chapters 9 and 10 (Rules of Play Book) Dr. Héctor Muñoz-Avila

2. Boundaries of a Game • When a game begins and ends? • Games create their own time and space • You are “glued” into the playing experience; time “flies” • Is it always clear when a non-digital game begins and ends? • and for digital games? • Magic circle: frame of game; separates (connects) “reality” of game and “real life” • Games create their own time and space • (Not to be confused with RTS games where times is an explicit concept in the game)

3. Boundaries • Boundaries of play versus non-digital game • Where does one ends and the other begins? • Same question but now for digital media. • Games have formal rules that define their boundaries • But these boundaries can be loose Nintendo warriors

4. Why “Magic” • Chess can be seen as a: • Decoration in a living room • In contrast to gaming experience • Pieces arrangement • In a game, objects and behaviors are well defined • Within the magic circle, rules have authority • We learn this since childhood

5. Open and Closed Systems • Games as open and closed systems • Dimensions of system: • Formal • Experiential • Cultural • Games as: • rules • play: example of both open and closed? • culture

6. Lusory Attitude • Captures what the magic circle represents for the player • Long monopoly game, WOW raid • Willingness to accept unnecessary obstacles: • In “real world” it is an irrational thing to do • In games we are willing to accept these obstacles • Examples? • Parody • Lusory attitude implies not just accepting the rules • Playing the game is an end by itself

7. A Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Games • How about by genre (RPG, RTS,…)? • Do you see any problems with this? • Instead we are going to use schemas • Schemas act as reduced descriptions of aspects of an object or event • Primary Schemas: • Rules (formal) • Play (experiential) • Culture (context) • Embedded (missioncampaing) • Knowledge (archerrange unit) • Variables (information – fog of war) • Abstract (small skirmish vs. large battle. Video 4:17)

8. Material • Motivation • Outcome • … Rules: Formal Schemas • Rules are a key characteristic of games • Rules are formal schemas • They constitute the inner organization of games • Discussion: Chess • Differences between two games of Chess • Commonalities?

9. Social • Narrative • Pride • … Play: Experiential Schema • We consider the relation rules-system • Delivers a particular experience of Play • What kinds of experiences? • In play experiences are made explicit

10. Cultural: Contextual Schema • Shared systems of value and meaning • Effects of culture in games • Example? • How games affect culture • Example? Social pyramid

11. Guidelines for Test on Monday • Covers all of Unit 1 (Preface and Chapters 1 to 10) plus all topics covered in class • Closed book, no notes and no calculator! • Questions will ascertain your understanding of the concepts covered (in class or book) so far • Most concepts have a straightforward interpretation which I expect you to know • For some situations our interpretations might be different (mine versus yours) • As long as you can sustained those interpretations in your write-up and demonstrate that you know the concepts, you are ok • Be as clear as possible; demonstrate your knowledge of the concepts