1. Image by Ulric Weck

2. TODAY:
1)Icebreaker
2)Checking in/how are we doing?
3)Discussion: what’d you play?
4)And why?
5)Why do we play?
6)Readings
7)Homework

3. Today’s Icebreaker:
Who is your favorite
video game character
and why?

5. Since we lost a day…
…I wanted to check in to see how
everyone is doing. Are we clear on
the general flow of how class
should function?
Any questions?

6. Discussion time!
You should have played, and
blogged about, a game of your
choice.
What did you play?
Why?
How was it?

7. So what does it mean…
…to play? I’m going to open a Word
document and take notes as you
discuss.
So… what’s it mean to play?

8. Reading: on Psychology
1.Play is about Motivation
2.Play can blend with
other motives
3.Play is a confluence of several
different characteristics.

9. Reading: on Psychology
1.Play is self-chosen and self-directed;
players are always free to quit.
2. Play is activity in which means are
more valued than ends.
3. Play is guided by mental rules.
4. Play is non-literal, imaginative, marked
off in some way from reality.
5. Play involves an active, alert, but nonstressed frame of mind.

10. Reading: on Huizinga
A wealth of great stuff, but
what I want us to talk about
is our first major concept:
The Magic Circle!

11. According to Huizinga, the consciousness of play as a
separate and self-contained sphere is often reinforced
by the pervasive tendency to enclose the players within
a spatiotemporal frame, the so-called "magic circle",
which isolates their game from the more serious tasks
of daily living. The separation often consists in a literal
physical precinct: a chessboard, ring, arena, field,
stadium, stage, altar, etc. There are also sharp
temporal boundaries, a clear beginning and an end,
which clearly mark the game off as a temporary
interruption of ordinary life. The game unfolds within a
temporarily closed world. Moreover, the existence of
the magic circle is closely related to the existence of
artificial rules or conventions that hold only within this
enclosure.

12. from http://gamingconceptz.blogspot.com/2012/10/huizingas-magic-circle.html

13. Homework
Sometime this week, spend at
least an hour playing any game
from the Legend of Zelda series.
We have some here in the room.

14. Read for Wednesday
McGonigal, Callois (both
on Niihka under
“resources”) and Juul.