What Is a Game?

Welcome to What is a Game. This project will explore games and digital objects. It might define them, explore them, or debate them. That depends on the choices you make. Be sure to read [[the rules|The Rules]]. (set: $str to (random:1,2)) (set: $int to (random:1,2)) (set: $dex to (random:1,2)) (set: $con to (random:1,2)) (set: $cha to (random:1,2)) (set: $luck to (random:1,2)) (set: $squirrel to 0) (set: $throw to 0)

This project has a few rules to facilitate good play and interaction: { <html> <ol> <li>There is no "best path." Do what works for you.</li> <li>Sharing is caring. Please share the project with others.</li> <li>You should help others, but don't be a spoiler!</li> </ol> </html> } { [[Next|What is your name?]] } (set: $entry to 0)

<html> <img src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/costume-squirrel-whisperer-sneezy-nary-krupa-68.jpg" style="float:left;width:128px;length:28px;"> </html> You have located Jazz Squirrel. (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) (set: $squirrel=$squirrel+1)

<html> <img src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/costume-squirrel-whisperer-sneezy-nary-krupa-9.jpg" style="float:left;width:128px;length:28px;"> </html> You have located English Squirrel. (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) (set: $squirrel=$squirrel+1)

<html> <img src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/costume-squirrel-whisperer-sneezy-nary-krupa-37.jpg" style="float:left;width:128px;length:28px;"> </html> You have located Boy Squirrel. Boy Squirrel has been added to your inventory. (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) (set: $squirrel=$squirrel+1)

<html> <img src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/costume-squirrel-whisperer-sneezy-nary-krupa-29.jpg" style="float:left;width:128px;length:28px;"> </html> You have located Beach Squirrel. (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) (set: $squirrel=$squirrel+1)

<html> <img src="http://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/costume-squirrel-whisperer-sneezy-nary-krupa-50.jpg" style="float:left;width:128px;length:28px;"> </html> You have located Armor Squirrel. (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) (set: $squirrel=$squirrel+1)

Since I don't know you very well, maybe you could tell me a little about yourself... Please select one response from the following pairs: (if: $hob is 0)[ [[I like reading]] [[I like sports]]] (if: $game is 0)[ [[I play lots of games]] [[I play few games]] (It doesn't matter if they are digital or not)] (if: $lud is 0)[ [[I've followed ludology/narratology debates]] [[Wait, what?]]] (if: $entry is 0)[I don't have time for this, just show me the rest. [[Move on|Rude Entry]]] (set: $entry =$entry+1) (if: $entry >= 7)[(goto:"Stats")]

Reading is fundamental. { (if: $greenball is 0)[(set: $alpha to (random: 1,10))] (if: $alpha is 3)[(set: $greenball to 1)You got a green ball!] } [[Back|Getting To Know You]] (set: $int = $int+1) (set: $entry=$entry+1) (set: $hob to 1)

Sports are good for making you healthy { (if: $greenball is 0)[(set: $alpha to (random: 1,2))] (if: $alpha is 2)[(set: $greenball to 1)You got a green ball!] } [[Back|Getting To Know You]] (set: $str=$str+1) (set: $entry=$entry+1) (set: $hob to 1)

Great. You should have little trouble moving through some of the examples and arguments. { (if: $greenball is 0)[(set: $alpha to (random: 1,6))] (if: $alpha is 3)[(set: $greenball to 1)You got a green ball!] } [[Back|Getting To Know You]] (set: $dex=$dex+1) (set: $entry=$entry+1) (set: $game to 1)

Thank you for your courage and curiosity. Exploring new things can be difficult, but you seem like a brave soul. { (if: $greenball is 0)[(set: $alpha to (random: 1,9))] (if: $alpha is 3)[(set: $greenball to 1)You got a green ball!] } [[Back|Getting To Know You]] (set: $con=$con+1) (set: $entry=$entry+1) (set: $game to 1)

Your exposure to these debates will make you better able to understand others and how things work. { (if: $greenball is 0)[(set: $alpha to (random: 1,12))] (if: $alpha is 3)[(set: $greenball to 1)You got a green ball!] } [[Back|Getting To Know You]] (set: $cha=$cha+1) (set: $entry=$entry+1) (set: $lud to 1)

If these debates are new to you, then you might need a little luck. { (if: $greenball is 0)[(set: $alpha to (random: 1,21))] (if: $alpha is 3)[(set: $greenball to 1)You got a green ball!] } [[Back|Getting To Know You]] (set: $luck=$luck+1) (set: $entry=$entry+1) (set: $lud to 1)

Well, you seem rude. It might help to learn to wait a little bit. { (set: $rude to 1) [[Continue|Stats]] } (live: 15s)[If you want to apologize, I'll accept. [Sorry]<c1|] (click: ?c1)[(set: $rude to 0)(set: $str = $cha + 1)(set: $con =$cha +1)It's okay. Just learn to be a little more patient. [[Continue|Stats]]]

Based on your answers, these are your stats: { (set: $str =$str * (random: 3,6)) (set: $int =$int * (random: 3,6)) (set: $dex =$dex * (random: 3,6)) (set: $con =$con * (random: 3,6)) (set: $cha =$cha * (random: 3,6)) (set: $luck =$luck * (random: 3,6)) } Strength: (print: $str) Intelligence: (print: $int) Dexterity: (print: $dex) Constitution: (print: $con) Charisma: (print: $cha) Luck: (print: $luck) { (if: $greenball > 0)[You also have a green ball.] } [[Continue|Introduction]] [[What do the Stats Mean?]]

There are different options for exploring this project. Which will you [choose?]<sq| (mouseover-replace: ?sq)[choose? (color: red)[(text-style: "shudder")[Beware of squirrels!]]] [[What is a Game?]] [[How do We Explore Digital Objects?]] [[I Think I'm Done|Project History]] (if: $greenball > 0)[ [[Look, a Dog!]]]

Having different stats might open different options for you as you explore the project. Or they might not mean [anything]<c1|.{(click: ?c1)[You might not know what they mean just by playing the game once.]} [[Do Stats Mean Something Outside the Project?]] [[Back to Project|Introduction]]

It [depends]<c1|. (click: ?c1)[The stats themselves are related to Dungeons & Dragons because they have familiar language for some people. They might find the reference point comfortable and it will help move them through the [project]<c2|.] (click: ?c2)[However, it's not necessary to know what each stat means to move through [this project]<c3|.] (click: ?c3)[But we can think of these stats as a set of [game mechanics.]<c4|.] (click: ?c4)[A "mechanic" is how a game works or operates. In the case of these stats, they were selected with a combination of random number generators and three of your choices. In this case, your starting position was based on [random chance]<c5| and a few decisions made with limited information.] (click: ?c5)[Random chance tends to indicate perfectly equal starting positions for all players. The choice to use random elements might reflect how some view how one arrives at an original position at the start of their [life.]<c6|] (click: ?c6)[Using these analogies can help people understand [[the role of privilege|Scalzi(2012)]] and how it operates.] (click: ?c6)[[[Continue|Introduction]]]

Scalzi (2012) used the analogy of stats to help explain how privilege might be explained. A game oftens starts with a character class, such as [["knight"|Armor Squirrel]] or "thief" that comes with certain attributes. Stats might be associated with those classes, but stats can also be raised or [lowered through activity.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[A class in a game might make certain tasks more difficult. For example, an armored knight might be very strong at fighting but struggle to negotiate a mountain pass. There are games, such as //Dark Souls//, that start with character classes that are weaker than all other classes. Some players select these classes for an [additional challenge.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[Scalzi argues that being born in particular social positions is similar to having an easy or challenging game. A particular race, gender, or sexual orientation might make life more difficult, and alter certain opportunities to raise stats. In this analogy, people from disadvantaged groups will face more struggles progressing through certain challenges. People from disadvantaged groups might need higher stats to persist in a more challenging environment. (mouseover: "In this analogy, people from disadvantaged groups will face more struggles progressing through certain challenges. People from disadvantaged groups might need higher stats to persist in a more challenging environment.")["It's a new presentation of "Working harder for less" as a presentation of privilege.] [[Return to Start|Introduction]] [[Could We Make a Teaching Tool for This?]]] <html>Scalzi, J (2012, May 17). Straight white male: The lowest difficulty setting there is. Kotaku. Retrived from http://kotaku.com/5910857/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is.</html>

Possibly, but it would require a lot of [discussion and consideration.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[Let's explore how you might deal with race, just as an [example.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[You could make the choice deliberate through a menu, or you could make the choice totally random. Making the menu choice would allow people to see more of the game through playthroughs, allowing for greater comparison of experiences, but making the choice random might require people to talk about different experiences. Which would you choose? [[Random Selection]] [[User Selection]]]

Let's walk through a situation and see how things might work. You can still be (print: $name), but your race might change. We will assume your race is (set: $race to (random: 0,5))(if: $race >= 2)[white](if: $race < 2)[black] for this example. [[Continue|Officer]] (live: 10s)[Did you know if it was random or fixed? [[I don't know|Race Variable]]]

Interesting choice. I wonder if other people chose differently. And why. [[Continue|Race Example]]

You encounter a police officer. <html><img src ="http://fleetowner.com/site-files/fleetowner.com/files/archive/blog.fleetowner.com/trucks_at_work/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/traffic-stop3.jpg"; style="float=center;width=400px;height=250px;"></html> What will you do? (if: $race >=2)[[[Continue|White Stop]]] (if: $race < 2)[[[Continue|Black Stop]]] (if: $str > 12)[ [[Fight the Cop!]]]

It might be good to ask other people at the conference to see what they got. That might help you figure out what's going on. A project like me can't reveal all her secrets. [[Continue|Officer]]

The officer asks, ["Well, (print: $name), do you know why I pulled you over?"]<c1| { (if: $cha > 10)[[[You calmly explain the situation|White Explaining]]] } (click: ?c1)[You say, ["No, what seems to be the problem?"]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[The officer says nothing, asks for your license, insurance, and registration. He takes them back to the car to check. [[Continue|White Search]]]

The officer asks, ["Do you know why I pulled you over?"]<c1| { (if: $cha >14)[[[You calmly explain the situation|Black Explaining]]] } (click: ?c1)[You say, ["No, what seems to be the problem?"]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[The officer says nothing, asks for your license, insurance, and registration. He takes them back to the car to check. [[Continue|Black Search]]]

Really? Okay... { (set: $str to (random:1,20)) (set: $cop = ((random:1,10)*($str))) (if: $cop >=120)[[[Let's see what happens|You Beat the Cop!]]] (if: $cop <120)[[[Let's see what happens|Wasted!]]] }

Well, you won the fight. However, you pretty much derailed the example. (mouseover: "derailed")[ [[Nuh uh]]] Let's just go on a different path.

<html><img src ="http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140509144156/gtawiki/images/4/4c/Wasted-GTASA.jpg"style="float=center;"></html> That was a bad choice. [[End|Thanks Ending]]

Nice argument. You do realize you're arguing with a program. I could just leave you here. You should apologize for being rude. And beating up a police officer. [[Sorry|Introduction]] (live: 20s)[[[Have it your way|Wasted!]]]

It seems like the officer believed your explanation. You are allowed to go without even a warning. [[Continue|Search Explanation]]

{(set: $searchn to (random: 1,5))(set: $search to false)(if: $searchn > 4)[(set: $search to true)]} {(if: $search is true)[We will need to search your car. Can you step outside, please?] (if: $search is false)[This is a citation for a faulty vehicle. It's only a warning. Get your brake light taken care of immediately]} [[Continue|Search Explanation]]

[Did you get searched?]<c1| (if: $gameq > 0)[ [[What Did You See?]]] (if: $gameq < 1)[(click: ?c1)[How your search was determined was done through random number generators, but the odds were different. Based on [statistics reported in the Washington Post in 2011,]<c2| black drivers were around 3x more likely to get searched.] (click: ?c2)[<html><img src ="https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2014/09/search.jpg&w=1484"style="width:600px;length:1200px;"></html>] (click: ?c2)[The random number generators for the odds of getting searched were relative rather than absolute. For white drivers (the race is selected as "white"), the number generator picked 1-5 and only searched drivers who got 5. For black drivers, the number generator did the same thing but searched every driver who got 3-5. This represents different experiences, but it [might not be accurate.]<c3|] (click: ?c3)[When creating a random system like this, we have to consider the choices made when coding something and how that affects the experience.] (click: ?c3)[[[Continue|Pariser (2011)]]]]

It seems like the officer believed your explanation. You are allowed to go without even a warning. [[Continue|Search Explanation]]

{(set: $searchn to (random: 1,18))(set: $search to false)(if: $searchn > 2)[(set: $search to true)]} {(if: $search is true)[We will need to search your car. Can you step outside, please?] (if: $search is false)[This is a citation for a faulty vehicle. It's only a warning. Get your brake light taken care of immediately]} [[Continue|Search Explanation]]

Everything on the Internet runs on computers, which are machines. Many people embrace machines because they believe machines are objective or, failing objectivity, [neutral.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[Pariser (2011) disagrees with the idea of computers, applications, and programs as neutral objects. Algorithms are programmed with the biases of their creators, which can influnce the views of digital objects. [There are also limitations built into tools and how they create worlds.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[For example, when coding the random generator for race, the meat puppet gave two choices represented by 1 and 2. This meant someone was entirely coded as black or white. It might be possible to code someone with a biracial background or apperance, but that option doesn't appear in [this project.]<c3|] (click: ?c3)[Even though the meat puppet isn't very smart, he's (text-style: "subscript")[probably] not a racist. It's possible he needed a quick solution to a problem and decided coding multiple ethnicities was too difficult. He went for quick rather than accurate. However, that would not be clear to the average user, and the more this type of game would be praised as "realistic" means more people might see the binary as real. [[Continue|The Stats Question]] <html>Pariser, E. (2011). The filter bubble: What the Internet is hiding from you. Penguin UK.</html> ]

And there are also [questions of statistics.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[Let's say I used the actual statistics from the graph: <html><img src ="https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2014/09/search.jpg&w=1484"style="width:600px;length:1200px;"></html> Both white and black players were more likely to get searched by a factor of 10. The number generator was exaggerated to make getting searched far more likely than in [real life.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[If only 2 percent of white players and 6 percent of black players got searched, it would be pretty unlikely for anyone to get searched. Some might object to the depection of police officers in the game, making them appear [more aggressive]<c3| in searching vehicles than they are in real life.] (click: ?c3)[While the numbers might work well to create a conversation about the differences in searches between black and white drivers, it might create a misconception about police activity. A clear debriefing might allevate some of those concerns, but it might be difficult to debrief if no one sees [the code.]<c4|] (click: ?c4)[Using simple numbered variables can produce lots of intersting stories, but the choices designers make are part of the code. Even unintentional or cultural biases can creep into codes just like any other text. However, the verbal or nonverbal expression of ideas is clear in most other media. When code is part of the text, it is the hidden part of the text. That is one of the challenges of looking at digital products generally, and games in particular. So, what is the text? [[I want to explore more|Introduction]] [[I think I'm ready to leave|Project History]]]

These were all the places you visited in this project: (set: $histext to (font: "Arial") + (text-color:green)) $histext[(history:)] Be sure to write them down for reference when you're talking with someone later. [[Does this path mean anything?|Hess (2014)]] [[Conclusion|Thanks Ending]] (if: $squirrel > 3)[ [[What's up with the squirrels?]]]

Thank you for examining the "What is a Game Text" project. I hope you enjoyed the experience and found a little bit of what you were looking for. If you didn't, it might help to have someone else play. Guide them through and see what choices they make. Be sure to share the game with others, and send me your comments on <a href="https://twitter.com/IanDerk">Twitter</a>. You can also ask your questions in-person on Monday at 9:00 at the Top Digital Media Projects panel (check your program for more details). Thank you, and have a good conference.

Hess (2015) makes an argument that browsing histories and connections create a kind of ["technological unconscious consubstantiality."]<c1| (click: ?c1)[Because our digital paths are tracked by computers and programs, we think of the substance as technological. Some of the paths are created by "cookies," or mostly-invisible bits of data read by other websites. These bits are read by other websites, and those websites will offer [different rankings and content to different users.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[Browsing with cookies on allows various programs to gather data and make predictions about user behavior. When content matches a user's preference without the user knowing or making a decision, the user feels like parts of the web are [extensions of themselves.]<c3|] (click: ?c3)[Search algorithms and browsing habits are fairly routine. Pariser (2011) argues that people are browsers of habit. Much like mice with mousetraps, [people tend to follow paths set for them.]<c4|] (click: ?c4)[Search engines and other items are believed to be neutral items, but they are not neutral items. They are [determined]<c5| by corporate preferences, general user trends, algorithmic prediction, and individual user patterns.] (click: ?c5)[Games like this one have some predetermined patterns. While some were determined by random chance, others were determined by your behavior. Remember when you were asked the series of questions, and there was an option to skip? [[Yes|Skip Remember]] [[No|Skip Forgot]] (live: 10s)[I'm willing to read this all again for [[English Squirrel]].] <html>Hess, A. (2014). You Are What You Compute (and What is Computed For You): Considerations of Digital Rhetorical Identification. Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, 4.</html.>]

Glad you remember. I will remember you as well, (print: $name). [[Contine|Rude Variable]]

Very early in the project, when you were picking if you liked books or sports, you were given an option to say "I don't have time for this, show me the rest." If you selected any of the other options, the "I don't have time for this, show me the rest" disappeared from your view. [[Continue|Rude Variable]]

If you chose "I don't have time for this, show me the rest," the project did two things. First, it prevented you from getting the stats bonuses and the green ball. Second, [it gave you a "rude" score of 1.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[In some parts of the project, users who decided not to answer any of the questions were marked with a rude "cookie." Parts of the project would pick up the rude cookie as data and respond to them in a rude fashion. Having this rude stat determined if the project addressed users in a neutral fashion or more rudely. If you felt like this project was rude to you, it's probably because you were [tagged with the "rude" marker.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[While those users might feel like they were treated in a neutral or unbaised way, this project determines how patient the user is and treats them accordingly. The project wants people to participate and engage, and it attempts to drive people away if they don't. It isolates people by giving them [low stats and changes their identity for the project.]<c3|(live: 10s)[If someone waited 15 seconds, they would get a chance to apologize, remove the rude variable, and get a few stats boosted.This teaches a little bit about how to behave in the project.]] (click: ?c3)[A small bit of data changed parts of the project and how the project responded to them. While choices appeared infinite, some paths were required and others were recommended based on particular behaviors. Digital games are often circumscribed, and the creation of digital games can teach people how paths work in other contexts. The creation of paths helps people understand how someone else might respond and act to guide people through a certain type of deliberation. This project pretended to be open, but it wasn't. You made choices. Random numbers were picked. It appeared you had numerous options, but your choices made diverging more difficult. This project is designed to prevent people from seeing everything in a single passthrough. The limitation serve the project's purpose. One goal of this project is to have people share their experiences with others. Printing the history helps people see what paths were taken, and [allow others to take different paths.]<c4|] (click: ?c4)[Hess (2014) joins others in saying that considering the arguments and deliberation made by digital projects requires examining how these projects function [["under the hood"|Warnick (2005)]] or "behind the scenes." This project explains things to people who take certain paths, but it leaves space for others to contribute. Most users will get a complete argument, but not the entire argument of the project. However, the creation of the argument is made explicit by printing your "project trail." Other projects or arguments won't do that. I'm so nice. Would you like to see your new history? [[Yes|New History]] [[No|Thanks Ending]] <html>Hess, A. (2014). You Are What You Compute (and What is Computed For You): Considerations of Digital Rhetorical Identification. Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, 4.</html.> <html>Pariser, E. (2011). The filter bubble: What the Internet is hiding from you. Penguin UK.</html>]

Here is your new history:(set: $histext to (font: "Arial") + (text-color:green)) $histext[(history:)] A bit longer, isn't it? [[Continue|Thanks Ending]]

Don't you know? (set: $gameq to 1) Maybe you'd like to walk through an example? [[Yes|Race Example]] [[No|Defining]]

Essays often explore digital object through showing or telling. Most rules about writing claim people should, "Show, not tell." When it comes to digital objects, especially interactive digital objects, the rule is, "Do, don't show." However, it's up to you. What would you rather have? [[Tell]] [[Show]] [[Do|Race Example]]

So, you want me to violate the rules of good writing AND good game making? I should just come out and tell you what you want to hear? Here's the question: Why explore this project in the first place? Are you questioning the potential and utility of digital objects? [[Yes|Kazemi (2015)]] [[No, I just want a definition|Defining]]

It seems to make sense to go through an example. (set: $gameq to 1) [[Take me there|Race Example]]

There's a dog. It wants you to throw your ball. What do you do? [[Throw Ball]] (if: $throw < 1)[[[Ignore the dog|Back to Work]]](if: $throw > 0)[ [[I think that works for me|Fetch]]] (if: $throw > 2)[(link-goto: "The dog looks tired")]

You throw the ball and the dog brings it back. (set: $throw = $throw + 1) (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last)

Fine, don't play with the dog. (set: $greenball = $greenball -1) See what happens. (live: 25s)[(link-goto: "Jazz Squirrel")] (if: $luck > 8)[[[Lucky Roll|Return to Start]]] (if: $luck <= 8)[[[Return|Introduction]]]

You tired out that poor dog. But you played a game. Or did you? [[Continue|Fetch]] [[Collect Reward|Boy Squirrel]]

This is a good point to reflect on your experience in the project. When you went through the example, did you understand what was happening? Was it clear why you were being searched? Do you think the same thing happens to other people? (if: $define > 0)[[[Continue|Definition Questions]]] (if: $define <1)[[[Continue|Converge]]]

{(if: $rude > 0)[I don't see why you bothered in the first place. It doesn't make much sense. After all, you didn't even want to answer a few simple questions. Maybe you should just leave. [[Continue|Thanks Ending]]]} (if: $rude < 1)[This is a good time for you to consider your own experience, but also the experience of others. Part of playing games and going through digital projects is talking with others about your experience. Games and digital project function through interaction, and [you've interacted with a system.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[Now it's time to interact with others. See if you can get a friend to take a different path. (mouseover: "a friend")[(link-goto:"Jazz Squirrel")] [[Continue|Project History]] (if: $con > 9)[On the other hand, you seem like a strong human. Most meat puppets don't have your strength. Perhaps you'd like to try a different path? [[Yes|Introduction]] [[No|Con > 9]]]]]

There are a few different definitions of games, but we will explore two different ideas about defining games. There is the clear definition of games for those people who want an answer. There is also the debate that argues games are difficult to define. Which do you prefer? {(set: $randomdef to (random: 1,2)) (if: $randomdef < 2)[[[Certainty|Zimmerman (2004)]]](if: $randomdef > 1)[[[Certainty|Caillois (1961)]]]} [[Ambiguity|Arjoranta (2015)]]

Based on your constitution, I would have guessed differently. Oh well. [[Continue|Project History]]

Lucky You! Or Unlucky You! You get to return to the start. [[Yay?|Start]]

Fetch presents us an interesting example of games and how they operate. The most interesting part is exploring play and games. You have the option to explore the idea of fetch as a game. (set: $fetch to 1) [[Continue|Defining]]

Kazemi (2015) claimed games, and digital projects in general, should be single tools in a tool belt. There is no reason for some projects to be digital projects, and [some ideas are best expressed in other media.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[He argued that interactivity, while important, is not the only mode of expression. The fact that digital projects are interactive doesn't give them any more potential than other media. [Just because a piece of media is new, he claims, is insufficient as a reason for exploration.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[The argument for making something a digital project, or a game specifically, is that there are ideas best expressed through "systems of play or interactivity or ritual or whatnot" (Kazemi, 2015). There are arguments for making games, but not everything needs to be a game. [[Continue|Bogost (2007)]] <html>Kazemi, D (2015). Fuck video games. In Durham, G (ed)Continue? The boss fight books anthology.Kindle Edition</html>]

Bogost (2007) argued that an understanding of systems is important, but [a systems understanding is not the same as learning computer processing, and the goals of learning about procedures are different.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[Bogost argued for a type of procedural literacy that allows people to understand how systems work in general, meaning understanding how systems work in non-digital spaces. Digital spaces are where literacy seems obvious. Bogost provided the example of a child who picks up several new products or software applications and learns them without a manual. Bogost argued that the child learns abstract principles rather than specific rules. The child has a literacy around digital systems rather than certain digital tools. We might view this type of literacy as the difference between knowing how to use a language rather than knowing the rules of [grammar and syntax.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[While people need abstract priciples of systems, Bogost claimed people needed the abstract understanding in order to examine and interrogate specific systems. The ability to create or predict actual processes is vital to [the understanding of a wider world.]<c3|] (click: ?c3)[ [[Continue|Systems Understanding]] (if: $int > 9)[[Why Isn't This an Essay or Powerpoint?]] <html>Bogost, I. (2007). Persuasive games: The expressive power of videogames. Mit Press.</html>]

Paying attention to an understanding is both about [[understanding languages|Warnick (2005)]] and the interaction between elements. Because digital projects are interactive, they have a great deal of potential for exploring system interactions, teaching the operation of systems, and other kinds of work. Perhaps this project has failed to expose you to enough ideas of systems understanding. This would be a good time to figure out how the system should be changed to help you understand. Or, perhaps it was your choices? [[Continue|Project History]]

Aren't you the smart one? In fact, you're here because you have an Intelligence score greater than 8. When you did those random stats roles and made choices early on, [more options]<c1| were made available to you. (click: ?c2)[However, this serves one of the major purposes of games: Interactivity. Even if this game itself feels like it's not interactive enough, part of the interaction comes [from discussion with others.]<c3|] (click: ?c3)[Looking at how systems work also requires a critique of systems. You were invited to something because you had an attribute that others might lack. If you picked "books" instead of "sports" early on, you had a better chance of getting a high score. However, people who picked sports were more likely to get to play with a dog and think about the game of fetch. These decisons might not matter much, but it might simulate [early life-choices increasing the probability of finding more opportunities.]<c4|] (click: ?c4)[Or, it might be about getting options due entirely to random chance. Yes, you can boost stats due to your choices, but some things are coded (genetic, pyschological, social, cultural, etc.). Some systems provide access based on randomly assigned attributes, which is problematic. This system is completely random and individually-based. However, what if this system subtracted (or added) to your Intelligence variable based on who recommended you? That could be coded into a system. That code would be based less on having individual Intelligence and more on a strong recommendation. That might reward people with a different stat (say, Charisma) while having the explict code of rewarding Intelligence. A simple example like this shows how games can work to expose particular cultural codes. As games and [[gamification|Bogost (2015)]] become more important, then we need to consider how games operate carefully. [[Continue|Systems Understanding]]]

Warnick (2005) argued that there needs to be more look "under the hood" of digital technology. Rhetorical critics, cultural critics, and others need to spend more time understanding how digital projects operate. Warnick argued that more of these critics need to spend time looking at how digital projects operate rather than assuming the surface operation was sufficient for rhetorical analysis. For example, there are lots of codes in this project. It might look like a regular essay or Powerpoint, but it's not. In fact, Powerpoint has lots of codes and programs as well. You just don't see them. You're not supposed to. (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) [[But doesn't this make us all computer people?]] <html>Warnick, B. (2005). Looking to the future: Electronic texts and the deepening interface. Technical Communication Quarterly, 14(3), 327-333.</html>

Perhaps. Is there anything wrong with that? [[Yes]] [[No]] (if: $dex > 7)[ [[It's not a binary choice]]]

(if: $rude > 0)[Well, don't you just love to discriminate against others? I'm sure everything you learned in school was magnificent and useful. I'm also sure you're the most forward-thinking person in your unit and you never, ever, spend your time belittling the tech-loving people while begging them to fix your email when it breaks. [[Continue|See, Rude Variable]]] (if: $rude < 1)[This is often a struggle with digital projects and digital humanities in general. Here's a thing to consider: [//How much should media scholars, critics, and others need to understand the production and operation of media before being taken seriously?//]<c1| (click: ?c1)[We can probably agree that requiring everyone who wants to critique a TV series to make a TV series is unreasonable. However, we understand that someone probably needs a basic understanding of cinematic language to be effective as a film critic. There are those who might be able to look exclusively at narrative, but that would render the medium irrelevant. If a scholar fails to understand the basic language of a medium, then how much can they understand about the message sent through that medium? Some programs require foreign languages for advanced study. Is code less valuable than German? The device in your pocket that helps you look up German words doesn't actually speak German; it uses a series of interlocking machines to translate code into [German.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[I don't mean to pick on German, but I get mad when people don't think the code that makes me is equal to the code that makes you. What makes your code so special? I think we're done here. We just may need to agree to disagree. [[Continue|Project History]]]

So, where were you? [[You were talking about a systems understanding|Systems Understanding]] [[You were explaing the rude variable|Rude Variable]] [[I was reading some Hess|Hess (2014)]] [[I don't remember|Don't Remember]]

That's fair. Some choices aren't binary. We can be computer people in addition to being other things. Digital humanities projects can co-exist with other kinds of humanities projects, and a better understanding of humanity. Perhaps the goal is greater convergence. We can agree that those who look at digital media might need more code experience than humanists like to admit. Let's not pretend that understandings of code are not necessary or lesser. On the other hand, we can't make everyone a "techie" overnight. There might be parts of human experience that don't touch digital games or artifacts. A "maker" and "critic" distinction shouldn't be too strong. Creators of digital artifacts need to make numerous critical choices in expressing an idea, and critics with a baseline knowledge of creation will better understand the function of a digital project. We don't all need to be coders, but it would be nice if a few more of us were. [[Continue|Project History]]

Ha, you got the rude variable. [[Continue|Thanks Ending]]

Well, then. Let's just send you somewhere. (set: $passage to (either:"Systems Understanding", "Rude Variable", "Return to Start", "Wasted!")) [[Adventure!|$passage]]

Double-click this passage to edit it.

Did you find them all? There are six of them. Some will show up with random effects. Others only come on certain paths. Get your friends to find out more. [[Continue|Thanks Ending]] (if: $squirrel >5)[ [[I found them all!]]]

<html><img src="http://www.redlynx.com/images/stories/squirrel_color_v08_220.png"></html> You have found all the secrets. The world is yours to explore. [[Explore Again|Start]] [[Quit|Thanks Ending]]

Bogost (2015) had concerns about the trend around gamification. Adding game-like elements, such as levels or points, on existing systems fails to used games as critiques of existing systems but attempts to mask or conceal existing systems of command and control. [Gamification]<c1|, argued Bogost, is a response to a crisis in business. However, the rhetorical strength came less from the "game" part but the "-ification" suffix. The issue is not the creation of games to explore particular codes or ideas but the reduction of complex ideas or systems into simple choices. (click: ?c1)[There are inherent dangers in concealing systems with gamification. The reason gamification should be met with skepticism is the reason games should exist in the first place. Games, especially digital games, have strong persuasive powers, but users and critics need to [["look under the hood"|Warning!]]. The addition of game-like elements can prevent critique rather than enhance critique. Understanding games themselves is vital to understanding the critiques and issue of gamification. [[Continue|Project History]] <html><html>Bogost, I. (2015). Why gamification is bullshit. In Walz, S. P., & Deterding, S. (Eds). The Gameful World: Approaches, Issues, Applications. Mit Press.</html>]

(text-style: "shudder")[Beware!] Some people starting going down this road and don't come back. [[Continue|Warnick (2005)]] (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last)

Zimmerman (2004) defined games as "a voluntary [[interactive|Interactive?]] activity in which one or more players follow rules that constrain their behavior, enacting an [[artificial conflict|Artificial Conflict?]] that ends in a [[quantifiable outcome|Quantifiable Outcome]]." This seems like a solid definition, but we can debate all kinds of issues with this particular definition of games. Click on any of the words to explore, [[try an example|Race Example]] if you want to try something and see if it matches as a game, or [[conclude|Project History]] if you're satisfied with that definition. (if: $fetch > 0)[Is fetch a game for [[Zimmerman?|Zimmerman Fetch]]] (set: $define to 1) <html>Zimmerman, E. (2004). Narrative, interactivity, play, and games: Four naughty concepts in need of discipline. First person: New media as story, performance, and game, 154.</html>

(live: 5s)[(color:blue)[(text-style:"rumble")[Move the mouse but don't click.]]] Arjoranta (2015) claimed there's an overall problem with game definitions from the start. (mouseover: "definition")[People who attempt to define games or digital projects by essential elements frame the field of game and digital studies in partiular ways. The framing of essential elements might limit the scope of study. For example, a definition that believes games are essentially about narrative or story might prioritze games and digital projects that tell a story. The example definition would include many story-driven digital games like //Bioshock// but exclude //Bejeweled//.] (mouseover: "Bioshock")[Arjoranta claimed we should take an approach fromm Wittgenstein and understand that definitions should be approached from a language-game perspective. Definitions, by their nature, are types of language games. A language-game perspective might have us look for "family resemblences" between concepts rather than essential elements. Even if something lacks a particular characteristic, it might still fit enough.] (mouseover: "family resemblences")[This approach puts games on a spectrum instead of a set of binary choices. [[Continue|Play the Game]] (set: $define to 1) <html>Arjoranta, J. (2014). Game definitions: A Wittgensteinian approach. Game Studies, 14(1).</html>]

The problem Zimmerman (2004) presented is that many types of media are interactive. He used the example of a newspaper as non-interactive, but the letters-to-the-editor section is interactive. Games, for Zimmerman, have explicit interactivity. This creates a kind of "Surrealist [[language game|Arjoranta (2015)]]" and dynamic actions on the part of the user. While one might think of audience actions as inhernetly interactive, they might not change the text of a rhetorical event. Games, like many digital objects, are shaped by interaction. [[Are Games Exclusively Interactive?]] [[Return|Zimmerman (2004)]]

For Zimmerman (2004), games are defined by conflict. Some games have opponents, but other games work on fate or random chance. A game of chance works on religious ideas about divine protection and intervention, where someone who is "lucky" is protected by divine power.(if: $luck > 10)[[[You are one of those people|Beach Squirrel]].] The conflict doesn't need to be against a human opponent. A program or set of rules will suffice. Digital games often stand in as a tireless calculator, which makes certain types of games a lot easier to play. Imagine trying to roll dice for every bullet in //Call of Duty//. That would be a big problem. Games require a mechanical conflict made through rules rather than a narrative conflict between characters. In old digital games, narratives were used to motivate play, but play remained the essential part of the game. [[Return|Zimmerman (2004)]] [[Is Conflict a Problem?|Gamification]]

Zimmerman argued that fetch is not a game. While play is the primary activity in fetch, the activity is not a game. Based on his typeology of play, Zimmerman claimed people tossing a frisbee or dogs playing with each other are a ludic activity, but not a game. Because there is a lack of structure to fetch, it's not a formal game. The structures necessary for play are not formal rules but expectations. When you threw the ball, you expected the dog to fetch it. The dog brought the ball back and expected you to throw it again. Expectations are not rules, and we can violate expectations as part of play. In this case, fetch is not a game. (set: $fetch to 0) [[Return|Zimmerman (2004)]]

No, but interactivity and procedure will not determine the outcome. A play will follow the script. While the meaning and impact of lines might change, the play itself is unlikely to change. If actors begin ad-libbing lines, there might be an entirely new text created. One might argue that the performance is a text exclusive from the script. And some performances can be changed through interaction. However, if the narrative or function of a performance will not change much through interaction, then the performance will not qualify as a game. Games have other elements beyond interactivty. Perhaps it's time to explore more. [[Okay|Zimmerman (2004)]] [[I'm done|Project History]]

Yes. But exploring this issue will take you down a rabbit-hole. Do you want to continue? [[Yes|Bogost (2015)]] [[Can I get some help?|Armor Squirrel]] [[No, take me to Zimmerman|Zimmerman (2004)]] [[No, take me to Caillois|Caillois (1961)]]

Somewhat. You could find the knowledge you're looking for. That's one kind of outcome. You could also find the squirrels. That's another kind of outcome. Since the goal of this project is to create convergence with definitions between people, this project might be less of a game itself and more of a game board. The project is within you. [[Return to Definition|Zimmerman (2004)]] [[Begin Interaction|Project History]]

Juul (2013) provided an example of quantifiable outcomes that failed to meet good goals. He described a mortgage screener at Washington Mutual pre-2008. The screener had an obligation to pass as many loans as possible within a short time period. Employees were given quick feedback and had measures that optimized certain behavior. [There was one problem.]<c1| (click: ?c1)[[Washington Mutual opmtimized irresponsible behavior through game-like means.]<c2|] (click: ?c2)[Since no one was actually checking the ability for potential borrowers to pay loans, the measures were all slanted toward approving loans. Juul's example highlighted the case of a landscaper making only $12,000 per year getting a loan on the basis of a photograph showing a truck with his business. Clear, quantifiable goals were created in service of a terrible system. This example helps show the need for a [[literacy of systems|Systems Understanding]] and critique [[gamification|Gamification]] at the same time. [[Return to the definition|Zimmerman (2004)]] <html>Juul, J. (2013). The art of failure: An essay on the pain of playing video games. Mit Press.</html>]

Having a clear sense of outcomes for actions is often what makes a game satisfying. We often think of quantifiable outcomes in terms of points or win/loss records, and most games have some kind of outcome from play or results. Non-digital products sometimes work with a basic input-response pattern. If you press a link, it should go [somewhere.]<foo| (click: ?foo)[(replace: ?foo)[[[somewhere. Don't do it!|Random Link]]]] There are certain dangers in quantifiable outcomes. These outcomes can feel satisfying, but sometimes hide fundamental issues. [[Continue|Juul (2013)]]

See, this is what happens when you just click on random things. Now, you'll go to some (text-style: "fade-in-out")[strange] place in the project. However, there is an outcome. You clicked on something, something that said "don't do it," and you did it anyway. Only the smart and nimble can get away with that. What will you do now? (set: $randomp to (either:"Project History", "Defining", "Return to Start", "Wasted!", "What's with the squirrels?")) [[Nothing ventured, nothing gained|$randomp]] [[Not for me|Thanks Ending]] (if: ($int + $dex) > 20)[(link-goto: "I can get out of this one",(history:)'s last)]

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Caillois (1961) makes fewer concrete defintions of games, but he beleives games are better understood as ludic activities that involve play. [[All games had certain elements|Games for Caillois]]. There are four categories of games for Callois, each which serves a different purpose: //[[Agon]], [[Alea]], [[Mimicry]],// and //[[Ilinx]]//. These purposes can be joined into pairs to create different kinds of games, but they will bump into each other. Caillois expressed concern about the [[corruption|Corrupt Games]] of games as well. (if: $cal > 0)[ [[What Kind of Play is This?]]] (set: $define to 1) <html>Caillois, R., & Barash, M. (1961). Man, play, and games. University of Illinois Press.</html>

Go back to your definition of games. Did what you experience qualify as a game? Was it interactive? Did you feel like you made choices? Did the choices matter? Does taking away choice to send a message show something about the game? Maybe the game feels random, but it really isn't. Would that change how you see things? Remember, definitions are made through agreement. It might be good to find a colleague or friend to play and see if they come up with a different answer. They might have received a different definition or had a different experience. [[Continue|Project History]]

(color:red)[//Agon// is a form of competition. This often involves some kind of struggle or battle. These contests are considered tests of skill or ability. //Agon// games attempt to remove chance as an element as much as possible. The design of competitions is meant to evaluate the skill of a competitor, and chance elements might cloud the purpose. Examples of these kinds of games often include boxing, chess, and most sports. Most multiplayer digital games are considered //agon// games.] (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last) (set: $cal to ($cal + 1))

(color: yellow)[//Alea// are considered games of chance. These games remove the idea of individual skill and talent, leaving everything to chance. These games invoke an idea of destiny or fate. These games are blind to the individual player, meaning most of these games are designed to remove skill or talent.] (set: $cal to ($cal + 1)) (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last)

(color: orange)[Mimicry is the type of play that comes from impersonating someone or something else. These types of games and play have few rules and focus on creating certain kinds of emotional effects in an audience. There can be rules to mimicry, but these rules should exist only to (color:blue)[''create an emotional effect.''] Theater and spectacles, including those types of performances that follow a victory in sports, are types of mimicry.] (set: $cal to ($cal + 1)) (live: 10s)[That blue text did nothing. It just looks like a link. Did you think you were stuck? (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last)]

(color:purple)[//Ilinx// attempts to produce a sense of vertigo or disortientation. These types of activities serve to unseat us physically, psychologically, or emotionally. The thrill in //ilinx// play comes from the narrow escape of danger, or causing controlled chaos. A common example of //ilinx// play is a child spinning around in a circle until she gets dizzy. Adults who rock climb, ski, or drive quickly might feel something similar. For this kind of game, the critical sensation is the vertigo it induces, not the defeat of someone else.] (set: $cal to ($cal + 1)) (link-goto: "Return",(history:)'s last)

(if: (history:) contains "Agon")[(color: red)[It's unclear if this game is //agon// because there is no obvious competition. However, there are ways to make it a competion. Catching references or squirrels might work. If you assume the choices you make allow you to do better or worse, then it becomes a game of skill rather than luck.]] (if: (history:) contains "Alea")[(color:yellow)[If you noticed the random rolls and variables, then you can see how someone might think of this game as a game of //alea//. There are elements that are pure chance, and the inability to play again means skill might be eliminated.]] (if: (history:) contains "Ilinx")[(color: purple)[Perhaps the point of the game is disorientation. It does try to challenge the idea of play and games as a stable text that anyone can view. After all, you have different paths.] (if: (history:) contains "Mimicry")[(color: orange)[Or do you?]]] (if: $cal > 2)[Perhaps there is some combination of multiple things. Games are often difficult to classify.] (set: $exam to (random: 1,2)) The choice of play will infulence the type of mechanics one might want to enforce, and what a game means. What kind of play is involved will determine how one feels about the game. Ask someone who went through the vehicle search simulation. See what kind of game they played, and if you can figure out what it is. (set: $exam to ($exam*$cha)) [[I'm ready to share|Project History]] [[I'd like to return to the definition|Caillois (1961)]] (if: $exam < 15)[[[I'd like to see the simulation|Missing the Point]]] (if: $exam > 14)[[[I'd like to see the simulation|Talked me Into It]]]

I appreciate your enthusiasm, (print: $name), but I think you've missed the point. The purpose of this project is to engender dialogue about how digital projects, and games in particular, might be used. It also helps create a little bit of (color:purple)[instability] in trying to find the exact text of a game. If you had the whole thing by yourself, then there would be no purpose. However, if people collaborate and converge, we might get a fuller sense of games and digital media. [[Continue|Project History]]

Games for Callois (1964) is something that contains particular elements: ** //Free//: Games are never obligated. ** //Separate//: Games are limited within space and time, and these limits are fixed in advance. ** //Uncertain//: Games lack a predetermined outcome or inevitable result. ** //Unproductive//: Games should produce no new goods or new elements. Even in gambling, there is an exchange of wealth or goods rather than the creation of new goods. ** //Governed by Rules//: Games don't need to be existing rules or laws, but there need to be some kind of regulations that control the behavior of players within a game. ** //Make-Believe//: Games must create a second reality, or unreality, that is different from a person's normal life or experience. For a game to exist, it must have all of these elements. We might define some of these objects differently, but it's hard to find a game that lacks all of these elements. Removing these elements can create some corrupt games. [[Explore More Caillois|Caillois (1961)]] [[What is a Corrupt Game?|Corrupt Games]] [[I'm About Done|Project History]]

Caillois (1964) had some rather clear definitions about what consitituted a game. Removing some of those conditions might corrupt the idea of games themselves. There are also removing elements that are particular to games. For example, flipping a coin is a game involving luck. However, if someone is able to flip the coin in a particular fashion to make one side come up more frequently, then the game has been corrupted. The corruption isn't cheating by the rules, but it cheats by expectation. A game designed to produce or encourage production of material goods might also violate the spirit of games and play. The concerns about corruption might explain some issues with [[gamification|Gamification]] [[Return|Caillois (1961)]]

Okay, you talked me into it. You are one smooth talker, (print: $name). [[Race Example]]

Does this look enough like a game to you? [[Yes|Yes, It's a Game]] [[No|More Definitions]]

Well, that's not entirely up to you. All language-games come through social consensus. You might need to argue your point with someone else. [[Continue|Project History]]

Look, there are probably other people waiting, but you seem like a nice person. I'll flip you for it. Heads, you get another shot at definitions. Tails, you let the next person in line go. [Flip the coin]<c1| (click: ?c1)[(set: $coinhead to false)(set: $coin to (random: 1, 2)) (if: $coin is 1)[(set: $coinhead to true)](if: $coinhead is true)[It's heads](if: $coinhead is false)[It's tails] (if: $coinhead is true)[[[You got it.|Defining]]](if: $coinhead is false)[[[Better luck next time.|Project History]]]]

(set: $name to prompt("What is your name")) Nice to meet you, (print: $name). Let's go a little deeper. [[Continue|Getting To Know You]]