week 4

According to Salen and Zimmerman in:

www.gamesconference.org/digra2003/2003/index.php?Abstracts/Salen%2C+et+al. - 72k –

the classical notion of a game implies that there is clear border between the game and the world outside the game – it presents Huizinga’s concept of the ‘ magic circle’. The magic circle of a game is delineation in time and space of the game’s existence. For example , the football match takes place only within the borders of the playfield , for a duration that lasts between the starting whilst and the final second of play. Salen and Zimmerman in ‘Rules of play’ suggests that ‘To play a game means entering into a magic circle , or perhaps creating one as a game begins’(www.gamestudies.org/0401/jarvinen ). The authors claim the ‘magic’ of circle is because of the ‘new reality’ it creates. Magic circle represents something very specific and ‘holding power’ of games.
The second concept, I want to explain in this journal is – lusory attitude. Suits claims that the lusory attitude is the attitude taken by the game players towards the playing of the game. He defines it as’ the acceptance of constitutive rules just so the activity made possible by such an acceptance can occur’. The players must choose to follow the rules of the game to perform the activity that the following of these rules creates. What is more the activity of game playing must be chosen voluntarily. (www.chass.utoronto.ca/pcu/noesis/issue_vi/noesis_vi_3.html - 28k)
Let us have a look how players of ‘ Mario 64’ adopt a lusory attitude and how they enter into the magic circle. Players enter into magic circle, because ‘Mario 64’ is outside ordinary world witch specific boundaries of rules. The ‘Mario’s’ world (game’s special frame) is very simple and consistent and if something exists in this world players can use it. Mario’s reality is also predictable. Players are given simple set of control and through this control they are expressive and interact through simple movement and small jumping moves. It is easy for players to plan for action. because new elements are introduced slowly. Lusory attitude requires a certain attitude. The ‘Mario 64’ requires from players to adopt arbitrary rules like understanding the world, making a plan, accumulating goals and then acting on it. In my opinion all these rules have need of players’ attitude and accepting these conditions (rules) make game play possible. The other elements of lusory attitude is that ‘Mario 63’ has no material benefit and the game is voluntary ( players are willing to play, not because they are forced.)