The Magic Circle and
The Primary Schemas
Assigned readings:
Chapters 9 and 10 (Rules of Play Book)
Dr. Héctor Muñoz-Avila
Boundaries of a Game
• When does a game begin and end?
– Games create their own time and space
• You are “glued” into the playing experience; time “flies”
• Is it clear when games begin and end?
– And for Digital games?
• Magic circle: frame of game; Separates (connects) “reality” of
game and “real life”
– Games create their own time and space
• Not only RTS games where time is an explicit concept in
the game
Boundaries
• Boundaries of play versus game (non-digital)
– What is the difference?
Games have formal rules!
• Same question but now for digital media.
Why “Magic”
• Chess can be seen as a:
– Decoration in a living room
– Gaming experience
• Pieces arrangement
• In a game, objects and behaviors are well defined
• Within the magic circle, rules have authority
– We learn this since childhood
Open and Closed Systems
• Games as open and closed systems
– Dimensions of system:
• Formal
• Experiential
• Cultural levels
– Games as:
• rules
• play: example of both open and closed?
• culture
Lusory Attitude
• Captures what the magic circle represents for the player
– Long monopoly game
• Willingness to accept unnecessary obstacles:
– In “real world” is an irrational thing to do
– In games is necessary to do
• Examples?
• Lusory atitude implies not just accepting the rules
– But playing the game is an end by itself
A Conceptual Framework for Games
• Possible classification: by type (RPG, RTS,…)
– Do you see any problems with this?
• Instead we are going to use schemas
– Schemas act as reduced descriptions of aspects of
an object or event
• Primary Schemas:
– Rules (formal)
– Play (experiential)
– Culture (context)
Rules: Formal Schemas
• Rules are a key characteristic of games
• Rules are formal schemas
– They constitute the inner organization of games
• Discussion: Chess
– Differences between two games of Chess
– Commonalities?
•Material
•Motivation
•Outcome
•…
Play: Experiential Schema
• We consider the relation rules-system
– Delivers a particular experience of Play
• What kinds of experiences?
•Social
•Narrative
•Pride
•…
• In play experiences are made explicit
Cultural: Contextual Schema
• Shared systems of value and meaning
• Effects of culture in games
– Example?
Military pyramid reflected in game
• How games affect culture
– Example?
Chess is part of our culture
Guidelines for Test on Tuesday
• Covers all of Unit 1 (Preface and Chapters 1 to 10)
• Closed book, no notes and no calculator!
• Questions will ascertain your understanding of the
concepts covered (in class or book) so far
• Most concepts have a straightforward interpretation
which I expect you to know
• For some situations our interpretations might be different
(mine versus yours)
– As long as you can sustained those interpretations in
your write-up based on the concept descriptions, you
are ok
– Be as clear as possible; demonstrate these concepts