Discuss about the Relationship Between Games and Play.
In this essay, the relationship between play and games has been explored. Smart phone games and web based play are only considered in this assignment. The discussion of this essay will mainly revolve around one of the most popular smart phone games of all time “Angry birds.” Now a question may arise during the conduction of this assignment is that why games matter and why it is required to be taken seriously in academic context? The answer is that video game represents the single largest section of digital media. The estimated value of global video game industry is 81.5 billion (Tulloch, 2014). North America and Asia Pacific region hold the large percentage of the revenue. In future, video game industry can develop huge amount of job opportunity such as game designer, producer and AI programmer (Bogost, 2008). In addition video games also represent meaningful arena of research that represent business, media, culture and contemporary society.
Now, before going into in-depth discussion related with the relationship between play and games, it is required to define these two concepts. According to Lund (2014), play can be conceptualized as the method in which people might start to think about their relationship to games. Liebe (2008) argued that play is something that changes in meaning whether it is done as children or adults. It changes with the change of abstraction, imagination and competition. Nielsen et al. (2008) mentioned that play is always related with games. However, Ang (2005) argued that play always remain significant as it helps to develop perception of people about games and gaming. In earlier years, two theorists Caillois and Huizinga had tried to combine the meaning of gaming and play in their definitional work. However with the increase of the diversification of games, it has become essential to distinguish between the two concepts of game and play.
Before discussing about video games, it is required to answer the most general question: what is play. According to Brabazon (2016), play can be defined as a decoder that translates our understanding about race, power, gender, age and cultural values. However, many people have disagreed with this statement. According to Giddens (1964), play is just for entertainment. It is a way to “escape” a tough day. For this reason, the meaning of “play” has different meaning in childhood and in adulthood. Brabazon (2016) stated that, in childhood, “play” is a benevolent and happy verb. However, it is labelled as subjective behaviour in adulthood. In the context to describe the term “play”, it is required to mention about the contextual reading of two writers Johan Huizinga and Roger Caillois.
Johan Huizinga is considered as Godfather of the playing politics and gaming theory. He had developed the outline of the theory of play. According to Huizinga (1944), there are four major elements related with play. Play is voluntary, not serious, disinterested and limited. However, Roger Caillois had criticized Huizinga. Caillois (2001) argued that Huizinga’s definition about play is very limited. It provides a series of problems and difficulties to understand the concept of play. According to Caillois (2001) “play” has six major characteristics. 1) Play is free or not obligatory 2) it has its own time and space, separate from the daily routine of life 3) results of play is uncertain and cannot be predetermined 4) it is unproductive as it cannot build wealth 5) It governs by rules that every play must has to follow 6) It makes players believe in existence of “virtual realities” against “real life.”
Now let’s discuss about the concept of gaming. According to Juul (2010), six essential characteristics of games can be found. These characteristics are such as 1) fixed rules 2) valorization of result 3) variable outcome and 4) optional consequences. In addition, outcome of game is associated with 5) players and 6) player’s effort. The definition of games provided Juul accounts for the ambiguity in games and the relationship of the games with players. The six characteristics developed by Juul (2010), can offer great amount of flexibility to understand different forms of rules and play. Angry Bird for example can be considered along the range of game’s definition. Work of Juul had provided a clear context for the definitions of digital games to get full realization. However, despite of this great effort, the tension between games and play still exist. Liebe had criticized the concept of “the magic circle” developed by Juul. According to Liebe (2008), computer and mobile gaming can provide an entirely different playing experience that Juul was not able to address. Liebe (2008) argued that modern day computer and mobile gaming define and uphold the context for play so that players do not have to. Hence, due to the existence of exceptional space for play, players do not have to enter into “magic circle.” Rodriguez (2006) stated that rules are develop in game to guide players to complete a game in proper or traditional way. It is one of the major factors that can distinguish play from game. Salen and Zimmerman (2004) mentioned that play can be imaginative with no specific goal and objective in mind. While in games, goals and aims are regulated by rules. However, in modern day video gaming, braking rules, cheating and hacking have become an important part. Kucklich (2009) had mentioned that using “cheat codes” in mobile and computer games could outline the method to become productive. It has now become necessary part of the gaming industry as well.
Now it is required to analyze one Smartphone game to evaluate the relationship between play and game. Angry Bird has been selected for this analysis. It is one of the most popular mobile games of all time. It is puzzle video game develop by Rovio Entertainment. The game was inspired majorly by a sketch of wingless bird. In December 2009, the game was first released on iOS and Maemo devices. Since 2009, more than 12 million copies of the game was sold through Goggle App store and Ios. It helped the company to develop the version of the game for other touch screen based Smartphones.
Rules (game play) of the Angry birds game: In this smart phone game, players have to control a group of multi-colored birds that are trying to retrieve their stolen eggs from the groups of hungry green pigs (AngryBirds, 2017). The enemy pigs are sheltered by structures made of different materials such as wood and glass and stones. They look like the building blocks mad by children. Objective of the game is to eliminate all pigs in each level. In the game players are able to launch a limited set of bird with different socialites. Players have to target their birds to directly damage the pigs or their surroundings and structures so that it collapse on the pigs. Using the touch control system, players have to set the angle and force to launch these birds by pulling back the slingshot. Several objects like stones, TNT have been incorporated in the game to help players to complete the stage. In addition, power-ups can be used so that birds can reach far reaching pigs (AngryBirds, 2017).
Players can use various types of birds in this game. They can be distinguished by their shape and color and they have different capabilities. In the early stages, players have to use the basic red birds. In later stages different other types of birds are available. Special abilities of these birds can be activated by players by tapping the touch screen while the birds are in air. For example, yellow birds can speed up in the direction of tapping. Blue bird can be divided into three small blue birds after tapping, black birds explode, white birds can drop eggs over the structure of pigs, green birds can boomerang back and pick birds can trap objects in bubble (AngryBirds, 2017). The pigs can also vary according to size. Small pigs are weaker and withstand low amount of damage. Some of them even were hats and armors to withstand more damage. In every stage, the type, quantity and sequence of throwing birds are predetermined by developers (effort of players). It is the task of players to set proper strategy to launch the birds in best angle and force to destroy all pigs (vary according to players). Bonus is received for any unused birds. After completion of every stage, players receive one, two or three stars depending on the score received by players (different outcome). Players can try as many times as they want to complete a stage successfully to earn additional points for a stage.
Due to its clever, challenging and addictive “game play”, the “game” Angry Bird has received positive review from both critics and users. Will Greenwald of PC Magazine stated that, none other games are able to provide such satisfying touch screen control experience like angry birds do. For this reason Angry Bird is acclaimed as the top-selling paid application on Goggle’s App store in the year of 2010 (AngryBirds, 2017). From this analysis it can be concluded that “play” or “game play” has significant impact on the over quality of a game and experience of players. Additive game play of Angry birds indicates that it is able to attract mobile users to play this game again and again, even they fail to complete some stages due to high level of complexity.
Reference List
Ang, C. S. (2005). Rules, gameplay and narratives in video games. Simulation and Gaming: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Theory, Practice and Research, 37(3). 306 – 325
AngryBirds,. (2017). Games | Angry Birds. Angry Birds. Retrieved 4 April 2017, from https://www.angrybirds.com/games/
Bogost, I. (2008). The rhetoric of video games. In Salen K. (ed.), The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge: The MIT Press
Brabazon, T. (2016). Introduction: Play Up? Play Around?. In Play: A Theory of Learning and Change (pp. 1-4). Springer International Publishing.
Caillois, R. (2001). Man, Play and Games, (translated by Meyer Barash). Urbana: University of Illinois Press
Giddens, A. (1964). Notes on the concepts of play and leisure. The Sociological Review, 12 (1), 73 – 89
Huizinga, J. (1944). Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture. Boston: Beacon Press
Juul, J. (2010). The game, the player, the world: Looking for a heart of gameness. PLURAIS-RevistaMultidisciplinar da UNEB, 1 (2). 248 – 270
Liebe, M. (2008). There is no magic circle: On the difference between computer games and traditional games. The Philosophy of Computer Games Conference Proceedings, 324 – 340
Lund, A. (2014). Playing, gaming, working and labouring: Framing the concepts and relations. Triple C, Communication, Capitalism and Critique: Journal for a Global Sustainable Information Society, 12(2), 735 – 801
Nielsen, Simon E, Smith & Susana Pajares T. (2008). What is a Game. In Understanding Video Games: The Essential Introduction (pp. 22-44). Taylor and Francis
Rodriguez, H. (2006). The playful and the serious: An approximation to Huizinga’s Homo Ludens. Game Studies, 6(1).
Salen, K. and Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge: MIT Press
Tulloch, R. (2014). The construction of play: Rules, restrictions and the repressive hypothesis. Games and Culture, 9(5). 335 – 350.
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