Primary board game Research 2

The Computer Game Design Course

Thames & Hudson.

By Jim Thompson, Barnaby Berbank-Green and Nic Cusworth.

 I decided to look at more modernized book to research the historic principles of board game design. The book I researched previously was made during the 1960’s, so that the text format was quite formal and complicated in places to understand fully. I thought it would be a good idea to get a more up to date response to the history, and see if I could relate more to what is being highlighted.  Also from the last book, it was just explanations of how to play more ancient games, not really much information about them, I had to read heavily through the lines to find the answers to my questions.

Within this book it clearly highlights the importance of older generations of gaming, and how we must appreciate the early stages of game developments, as it is a crucial landmark of where the future of Game design evolves. Ever since the first known game ‘Senet’ was constructed, the human species has been exposed to the nature of game play, and how rules also known as mechanics. Play significant roles in different types of board game. A researcher in 1938 known as Johan Huizinga, conducted an analysis in his seminal work ‘Homo Ludens’, translating to ‘man as player’. He quotes the importance of game play:” Play is voluntary activity or occupation executed within certain fixed limits of time and place, according to rules freely accepted but absolutely binding, having its aim in itself and accompanied by a feeling of tension, joy, and the consciousness that is ‘different’ from ‘ordinary life’ I personally greatly admire this quote, as it expresses the understanding of how we as human’s enjoy playing games. Since the dawning of ‘gaming’ we have been subjected to playing by rules, using our minds and thinking strategically. Using chance, luck or diplomacy. It’s what makes games exciting, and since then has attracted the human nature positively for all these thousands of years to come, even right up to the digital gaming aspect.

I also noticed through this book, on how it emphasises the importance of goals and rewards. That games were invented to bring an outcome: A Winner and a loser. Within using the right game mechanics, players always want to come out on top: To beat your opponent, which leads to competitive play, which is one of the many reason why people engage with them. Becoming the winner at any sort of game, whether it requires significant theories, like luck, territory control, and strategy or resource management, makes you feel very accomplished and proud. This sort of feeling towards winning creates an adrenaline rush, which empowers even more so to get involved and play a game: The idea of succeeding.

From only these couple of pages, I have derived that playing games is an inherent and integrated aspect of many cultures and histories. Using all sorts of games to connect with people’s passion for entertainment, challenge and reward. How we must appreciate our ancestors of game design, as it was for them who created gaming mechanics and concepts. With our history we have learnt, adapted and reconstructed the past into present day marvels, by continuously driving forward with making games a vital part of human entertainment.

Bibliography

. The Computer Game Design Course

‘Principles, practices and techniques for the aspiring game designer’

By Jim Thompson, Barnaby Berbank-Green and Nic Cusworth. Quotes from pages 12 & 13.

. Google Images