A Definition For Games

According to McGonigal (Reality Is Broken), every game, no matter the genre or technology, has four commonalities: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation.

The goal is the outcome a player works toward.  Goals imbue a player with a sense of purpose.

Rules serve as limitations to the player.  Given rules, a player is no longer allowed to achieve the goal in the most obvious ways.  These restrictions unleash creativity and foster strategic thinking.

Feedback informs the player how close he or she is to achieving the goal.  Feedback systems constantly remind the player that the goal is achievable and thus provide motivation.

Voluntary participation requires that all players accept the goal, the rules, and the feedback of the game.  This ensures common ground.  Voluntary participation also ensures that the potentially stressful work of playing games is not experienced as such by the player.

My highlighter did a lot of work on McGonigal's book, so expect a few more posts ruminating on her words.

Cheers,

Danny