Comments on: Results & Competition

By: Thomas Grové

Thomas Grové — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 21:15:51 +0000

How about Rez, a somewhat passive-expressive experience or Parappa a more active-expressive experience (because it allows and rewards improvisation)? What would a “next gen” expressive audio game feel like? Something like a theremin? And is expression as expression inherently better than expression ala competition?

I don’t know the answer to these questions, but I’d certainly like to see games that help us to explore these questions.

BTW, check out my blog, I’ve posted my favorite speech from GDC 2007. The message is coming from a United States context and I wonder if it resonates with people from other countries.

By: Santi Siri

Santi Siri — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:03:44 +0000

Brilliant analysis Thomas. A perfect description of the term Play, which is indeed an intriguing word for me because there isn’t a precise translation of it in spanish.

Chess is a lovely game. But it’s about training a more complex muscle: the mind, which gains power with the use of reason (and strategy is a great tool for applying reason in uncertain situations). But in a Chess game, you also feel that same anxiety and thrill that any other sport gives you. It’s the competitive thing that pushes our nerves.. beating the rival reminds us of our animal instinct.

I must make clear that I very much like sports like football, basketball, tennis and chess.. even games such as unreal or Call of Duty surprise for their elegance in game design… But I strongly wish to see more game designers that shape “Play” to pursue a more expressive and creative act.. like you’ve said: I wonder if playing games could feel like Playing music.. or even better

By: Thomas Grové

Thomas Grové — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:54:16 +0000

There are two types of play: playing as a way to gain skills necessary to survive, which you call primitive; and play as in to play music, which allows us to express ourselves. There is also the passive forms of each, watching a wrestling match or listening to a story teller. The former probably engages our primal chakeras where as the latter might engage our higher chakeras or the union of all our chakeras. But what about competitive games like chess which engage lower chakeras for the competitive aspect and higher chakeras for the strategic aspect?

By: ACC

ACC — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:34:58 +0000

(I heard once that some ethnologist considered sports event as a way for modern civilisations to “fight against another tribe” in a more pacifist way… sort of)
I’m not really keen on win/lose schemes and rankings (my Quake Shambler papercraft is wearing a “this is not a competition” sign in his blood-tainted claws for instance… err) but somehow, I don’t consider Will Wright’s productions as “game”. Because I don’t really get the goal I’m supposed to reach. I always expected games to have rules (it’s only my opinion). I only admit the loser/winner idea when it’s about frustration and the urge to get better and go further. But not when it’s about crushing everyone to show his supremacy… just like those “I’m the best” players in online FPS games. I used to repeat every one and then “A dead body can’t harm you, so would you mind stop shooting in my avatar corps? That’s annoying. Thank you”

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 06:03:12 +0000

Funny, I was just playing Sim City. I eventually got frustrated with the game itself, and just build a solar/wind power techno-utopia on an unlimited budget.

I like this idea of designing sports, but also blurring into sports about things other than the hunter/gatherer instinct set. You’ll see what I’m talking about eventually amigo.