Decision Space Games Are Agency As Art - A New Way To Talk about Games With C. Thi Nguyen
May 11, 2022
In this engaging talk, C. Thi Nguyen, a philosopher and author known for his insights on games and art, dives into how games can be viewed as a unique form of artistic expression. He discusses the evolution of games, emphasizing player agency and emotional experiences. Nguyen contrasts striving play with achievement play, illustrating how the journey is often more rewarding than the win. The conversation also highlights innovative game designs that foster personal growth and invites listeners to rethink their approach to gaming as a rich and transformative medium.
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Games Sculpt Agency, Not Just Story
- Games are a distinct art form that sculpt player agency through affordances and goals.
- Designers create an alternate skeleton of agency that tells players what to want and how to act.
Games Are Defined By Their Constraints
- Playing a game means voluntarily taking on unnecessary obstacles to enable meaningful struggle.
- Those constraints are essential: remove them and the activity ceases to be the same game.
Striving Play vs Achievement Play
- Striving play values the struggle itself while achievement play values winning outcomes.
- Players often mix motives and may deliberately avoid winning outside the game to preserve a balanced struggle.
