the act of play follows a paradox: the formal components of a game lie in wait. they only come to life when players enter.
the play of the game only occurs when players experience the rules of the game in motion.
the role of the game designer
if the game designer finds themselves trying to perfect the rules of the game that in a way fails to impact the experience of the player, then they have failed as a designer.
the definition of play
there are many definitions for the english word 'play.' however one definition could be:
activities not performed for the sake of the results beyond themselves.
but there exists a more generalized definition that captures all aspects of play:
play is the free movement within a more rigid structure.
gameplay
formalized interaction between that occurs when players follow the rules of a game and experience its system.
the gameplay can be seen as the dance between the players and the game pieces on the game board.
ludic activities
the ludic activities are the play structures that the players can play with, such as gravity and strength.
being playful
being playful is the departure from the rigid social or typical structure.
transformative play
a special case of play that occurs when free movement become part of the structure it contains.
gameplay example: human thinking can be transformed by multiple games of chess.
ludic activities example: imaginative play transforms from each gameplay session.
playfulness example: a subculture of fashionable dress challenges the notion of taste and etiquette.