by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
Video games are a young media, establishing a foothold in early 1970s and really taking off in the the 1980s. Video games were initially focused on games proper or as I like to say the play of measurement but evolved to include puzzles, sport, toys, and sign-play. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts I see video games as being the digital child of play and play is fundamental to human and other species. I am not embarrassed to love games and video games. Yet there are quite a few enthusiasts and creators are so desperate for legitimacy they need to equate video games with art or as I will discuss in the post, with literature. We see some of these suppositions below: ‘When is a game going to win a Pulitzer Prize? Are we ready and deserving of such an honor? Can we at least TRY to be worthy of that? Please.’ ~ Warren Spector ‘However, early NES titles were yet too primitive in scope to tackle political themes. Games were childish diversions rather than interactive art.’ ~ Ben Sailer Some are desperate for video games to possess the same qualities of literature as defined by Rick Gekoski: “Nevertheless, what […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
I came across this compelling Youtube by the Game Overanalyser that challenged my perspective about games and art. It is a well-done video that argues why video games are to be considered art. Why Games Are Art attempts to convince the viewer that (video) games are art. It is unfortunate that Game Overanalyser conflates all games to be video games but that’s another matter. The video is produced in a quick-fire method where he argues that video games are art for a multitude of reasons. These reasons are listed below are a confusing mess when evaluated. I respond to these points in the brackets: The Hero’s Path is a staple in most video games and exists in most art. (He confuses art with literature). Stories are art. (Stories and art are not the same thing). Emotions are art. (Life is full of emotion but that does not make life art). Art exists for its own state. (This is debatable whether this is true). Is Michael Jordan not a artist with his unique style of basketball? (He confuses player performance with game rules). Art is disinterested pleasure. (Some video games induce this but the vast majority of video games […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
I’ve updated and enhanced my Playstates Definition below. My plan is to continue to develop this theory and eventually establish a website dedicated to demonstrating how the theory works. Playstates is a theory that explains how different types of play coexist, combine together, and are recursive. The different types of play are each defined by a singular core trait that acts as a both a distinguishing and complementing characteristic. At present there are five different kinds or states of play. Toygrounds Sign-Plays Puzzles Games Sports Each of the five Playstates can be defined as “The Play of …” which represents the core characteristic of that Playstate. These are as follows: Sign-Plays – The Play of Meaning. Signals – signs that require constant encoding and decoding and interpretation Symbols – signs that are more static and require subtle interpretation Role-Plays – using our behavior to communicate and experience meaning Toygrounds – The Play of Exploration. Toys – objects that are played with freely and with transient rules Playgrounds – spaces that are played with freely and with transient rules Puzzles – The Play of Matching. Symbols – letters or numbers as basis for matches Shapes – […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
I recently finished reading Brian Upton’s book Aesthetics of Play and I found it containing many insights into Games Design which also can be applied into our understanding about theory of Play. Of particular interest for me was his description about the emotional state of anticipation being a form of mental play. This anticipatory plan he then applies to our interaction with media like books, film, theater, and music. Our delight in anticipating what will happen next in these linear medias is still an active form of play according to Upton and I can’t help but agree with him. This prompted me to consider updating my Playstates theory since I first wrote about it in May 2017 and established its first version in April 2018. When I wrote these posts I considered Play to be an overtly interactive activity. It was Upton’s explanation about how the media of books, theater, movies, and music are fundamentally practices of Play. While they don’t overtly possess agency and interactivity, Upton is brilliant in illustrating that it is the anticipation of what will happen next is where the Play takes place. This can happen in a chess match when you wait your turn to […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy
I am beginning to recognize Playstates not only being a sorting system for play, it has also become a lens by which to discern different cultural activities. After seeing the Playstates in Books I now see that Playstates can even be applied to the world of Visual Art. Marshall McLuhan said that the medium (the singular of media) is the message. His insight was revolutionary at the time, and I believe I found a new demonstration of this insight. It occurred when I apply the Playstates model as a lens to evaluate how we interact with media, and in this post’s focus, showing how the five different Playstates are found in the medium of visual art. Below I have listed examples of all five and this has forced me to rethink my stated position that books are inherently passive. It is quite possible that there is a continuum of activeness to passivity found in all media. I will need to take some time to explore that further! Let’s explore examples of Playstates in the Visual Arts: Toygrounds or the Play of Exploration – Museums with their artifacts to admire and Galleries with their pieces to purchase. Role-Plays or the Play […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis
I have been operating a part-time GameDev sideline since 2004. I started working with a local GameDev to bring to the internet a game inspired by Atari’s arcade game Warlords. Like most projects, it never came to be. Now I have been working on acquiring and designing/developing a series of online game IPs. You can see more through my business links. Because I enjoy the mental exercise of categorizing entities, I got thinking about how GameDev has its own ecology that is more nuanced than seeing just AAA and Indie Devs. I tweeted about it and got some responses that got me thinking more. Here is my summarized thoughts: ProDevs are those typically professionally trained programmers, artists, designers who work for a company. They are either Employees or Contractors. They belong to large companies that spends millions of dollars and take years to release. Then comes the IndieDevs, made up of three distinct groups: In-Market (released one or more games and is seeking continued profitability), Pre-Market (either working on their IP or trying to find their market); and Never-Market (these people take on a game product that they can’t realize and it never materializes). The difference between a Pre-Market […]
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