As we have come to see through our discussion and reading, play and game are really a matter of an individual’s perspective. This can easily be seen through the wide range of views across the first reader responses. Games and play are everything from serious competition to a learning tool to a way to stretch the imagination. In my mind, it all boils down to diction and the context in which you wish to frame your situation.
However, an underlying theme that has not been fully explored is what exactly makes a good game? I feel like we began to examine this as a class through the Thousand Blank Card game. What most would consider to be an absolutely pointless game suddenly becomes increasingly more interesting once you reach level five and a whole new rule set can be introduced. This novelty can quickly become irritating when there is game anarchy though and every rule can be overturned at a whim. So what are the necessary components to a classic?
In my mind, a really good game is something that has a multitude of layers. There are challenges built within challenges and that only the masters can really achieve. For instance, when playing an RPG like Zelda you can play as a beginner feeding into the base plot line. As you increase your skill level you can start to hunt for Skulltulas and find the secret holes with bombs. Even beyond that, you learn all of the glitches and secrets to a game, or the small details that a game developer has included that really make you fall in love with the game. Nonetheless, a good game isn’t just building on challenge. As Koster stated, it really is a balance between simplicity and complexity, where you can build your way through a game, chunk a portion and continue on. Then, once that chunk gets a little fuzzy, go back and play it again… this time beating it faster.