What are games?
Community Forums/Technical Discourse/What are games?
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| This is more a philosophical question. What is a game as such? Or rather, what are the key features of an electronic game at their most basic level? I'm wondering and exploring the idea as I play a bunch of different mobile games, of varying quality and game play loops that they are something like this: A feedback loop where the user provides input to the application and is rewarded with meaningful responses that relate to a theme suitable for 'entertainment', typically with aesthetically pleasing visuals and audio as a reward. So if we take some basic games from years gone by: Pacman: At its heart it is a feedback loop as the player provides input (key presses/joystick presses) in a meaningful manner that provides feedback (noise of gobbling dots, score increase, killed by ghost, eaten ghost, noise of 'power pack', level completion) Space Invaders A feedback loop of providing input (left/right/fire) that results in (kill alien, killed by alien, kill ufo, score increase, level cleared) If we take a slightly more complex game: Civilisation n A feedback loop of providing inputs (lots of inputs) which result in (lots of meaningful consequences with aesthetically pleasing visuals and audio). ? |
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| A game is something that distract you, enjoy yourself, allow participation/collaboration/anagonism (any sport with 2 or more person involved), stimulate your brain (speed, sound, colours, rithm) The game has not a 'final use' defined: it should played just to pass a little time, or to learn something, or to create something (like a sand castle or a game!) Even pets play to hunting. So, from these points, an electronic game could generate many possible solutions. Consider that the concept of 'game' is - quite often - individualistic: some people like soccer, other golf, other both, other chess, other play cards etc. Finding an unique solution is a non-sense. Today many people thing that a 'game' MUST have good graphics/story etc... but these are supporting elements to the game itself. Asteroids has elementary graphics, just some sounds but the 'engagement' level was surely higher than Crash Candy! |
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| One hypothesis: Games stimulate the same evolutionary need to overcome daily survival challenges but with 0 risk (except when you play so long you die from dehydration!). They provide the same psychological relief/joy as successfully finding food or out running a predator. It's interesting that many games closely resemble life, death and resource collecting scenarios. Sports seem to be simulating more towards survival of the fittest but still a similar thing. |
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| ..what is a game? I came to conclusion that, its one of the most original ways to waste tremendous amount of time, while feeling that you achieving something of importance, is present.. |
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| I would define a game as an arrangement that requires input from a "gamer" so that a result can be obtained that determines a success or failure and then the process is repeated, all to hopefully provide enjoyment for the gamer. |
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| Games: Fun time wasters. |
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| Eh...i would just say games are basically a form of activity that challenges you to accomplish something. |
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| I believe games are evolutionary maintenance mechanism for human brain to stay in peak condition. Bigger the brains, bigger the games. -Henri |
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