by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Game Philosophy, Games Analysis, Playstates
I am re-calibrating my definitions as I evolve in my understanding of Play and Video Games. I am introducing the definition of Play Motifs as a replacement for the Playstates term. For the past four plus years I’ve worked on elaborating on my Playstates theory and as it evolved out of Gamestories I have found the need to evolve out of Playstates. Because it is really a continuation and renaming, I am carrying on the Version Numbering to Version 3.0 from previous Versions 2.0 and 1.0. I was originally going to produce a number of free guides called Playstates and analyze the different aspects of making a video game. My plan is still do that but do it in a new project that I plan to launch next year. I will be writing down my thoughts in a diary-themed analysis that will look at Video Game graphics, animation, music, and alchemy (the changeable nature of video games). It was during this rethinking that I realized that Playstates is too narrow when it comes to discussing video games. So Playstates will be redefined to be all aspects about video game development while the five specific Playstates that I’ve identified will now […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory0 commentstags: Blog Response, Game History, Games Analysis, Playstates
I posted a response to The Digital Antiquarian blog post: Ludic Narrative née Storygame These kind of thought experiments can be allot of fun. Humans love to categorize things and there are a few of us that obsess over them (sheepishly raises own hand). I’ve spend the past few years working on a theory that points to a layer of play that cuts across genres, themes, and motifs. It is called Playstates and sees there being five distinct motifs of play found in Video Games and in all other aspects of play. They are more like an chemical compound than like a border. Some products will have more toy-play and some will have more narrative-play and some will have game/sports-play. We see these eventually congeal into the popular genres that have captured our imagination. We would see RPGs being x parts game-play, x parts playground-play, x parts narrative-play, and so on while IFs would be mostly narrative-play, puzzle-play, and some parts playground-play. One thing that old Adventure and IF video games used allot of is puzzle-play. The puzzles were there to delay the narrative reveals. This became frustrating for many who wanted to see the story mostly or wanted to […]
by Chris Billowsin Playstates Theory, Republic of Bloggers0 commentstags: Change of Mind, Games Analysis, Playstates
An open letter to Chris Bateman responding to his blog-serial on Game Dissonance at Only A Game as part of the Republic of Bloggers. Feel welcome to provide your own input via the Comments. Dear Chris, First of all, thank you for your kind reference to me. It gives me joy to know that my enthusiasm for your work has helped you. Your work to me has been invaluable as it helped evolve my understand of philosophy and video games. We have been able to create a digital pen-pal relationship that honours the Republic of Bloggers. Thank you for doing what you do. Now onto my response. As you have consistently stated, stories exist in more than books and films and prove this by successfully operating a consultancy that offers narrative design showing how stories can be told via video games. These stories sometimes are not knitted well to game-play and your article explained how dissonance occurs in those situations. This made me think further on the ideas that I’ve been teasing through a few recent posts that video games do not need to be Art or Literature to be meaningful. Video games are their own medium and thus need […]
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 humans and other species. I am not embarrassed to love 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 you find […]
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 – […]
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