Archive for October 2013

Ludus + Paidea

In Ludology meets narratology: Similitude and differences between (video)games and narrative Gonzalo Frasca brings to light the lack of clear definitions between what we understand as play and games. He notes that there is both difference and similarities between the two and uses this paper to identify some.

Frasca (1999) goes on to raise the ideas of ludus and paidea. He settles on the definitions below.

Paidea is “Prodigality of physical or mental activity that has no immediate useful objective, nor defined objective, and whose only reason to be is based in the pleasure of experimented by the player”.

Ludus is a particular kind of paidea, defined as an “activity organized under a system of rules that defines a victory or a defeat, a gain or a loss.”

One point Frasca (1999) makes in the activeness of the player, in comparision to narrative theory. In a film or book the “player” or audience in this case is passive, merely an observer of the piece. For ludus the player needs to be active, for with action from the player there is no game and no session. He also notes that ludus as opposed to paidea is a possibilities, where narrative holds only a set of fixed chained actions.

 

References

Frasca, G. (1999). Ludology meets narratology: Similitude and differences between (video) games and narrative. Ludology.org.