The Ever Project

More Than Just Games

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 0 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Not just a trivial pursuit!

There are quite a few people who think it's worthwhile to study games. There are those who study the psychological effects of playing games, or the psychological makeup of people who enjoy games. Designing a game that many people will enjoy is challenging for game developers and marketers. Simulations, virtual worlds, and roleplaying games can teach us things about society.

Topics I might cover in this lens 

This is an area I'm just beginning to explore; but I've uncovered a lot of information on the subject of games already.
  • the history of playground games
  • the history of roleplaying games
  • how to design a good strategy game
  • a list of engaging board games
  • a list of scholarly books about games

Playing Games Is Serious Fun! 

A number of people take gaming seriously. While some people are simply passionate about a game they find engaging, others actually consider the concept of games worthy of serious study.

Studying games is not only useful for creating new and better games, but for learning more about the people who play them, and the world at large. Games can be used as models to simulate real-world situations, which can be helpful in understanding various aspects of real life. Studying games from a historical or cultural perspective can reveal details of their players' history and culture; and understanding how games evolve, and the sorts of people who play them, can be useful for designing new games well.

On this lens, all of these gaming passions will be covered. Take a look at what's here:

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Games Links 

(This list will get longer, hopefully!)

Streetplay.com: Stickball, handball, spaldeens, and more!
Streetplay.com is the home of all the great street games of the city like stickball, handball, skully, hopscotch and double dutch jumprope.
BoardGameGeek | Gaming Unplugged Since 2000
Everything about board games: Reviews, images, forums, marketplace and more!

Serious Books About Games 

from Amazon.com

In addition to internet commentary, there is much printed matter on the subject of games from an educational view; they can be used to teach or to learn various subjects, including how to make better games!

How Computer Games Help Children Learn

Release Date: 12/26/2006

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $19.67 (as of 07/04/2008)
List Price: $26.95
Used Price: $5.88

Usually ships in 24 hours

Gadgets, Games and Gizmos for Learning: Tools and Techniques for Transferring Know-How from Boomers to Gamers (Pfeiffer Essential Resources for Training and HR Professionals)

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $44.00 (as of 07/04/2008)
List Price: $55.00
Used Price: $38.94

Usually ships in 24 hours

Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train, and Inform

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $23.09 (as of 07/04/2008)
List Price: $34.99
Used Price: $15.99

Usually ships in 24 hours

Story and Simulations for Serious Games: Tales from the Trenches

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $34.80 (as of 07/04/2008)
List Price: $37.95
Used Price: $60.42

Usually ships in 24 hours

Game Development Essentials: Game Simulation Development

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $44.49 (as of 07/04/2008)
List Price: $60.95
Used Price: $18.95

Usually ships in 24 hours

Nomic 

explained by Wikipedia

Nomic is a game in which the rules of the game include mechanisms for the players to change those rules, usually beginning through a system of democratic voting.

:Nomic is a game in which changing the rules is a move. In that respect it differs from almost every other game. The primary activity of Nomic is proposing changes in the rules, debating the wisdom of changing them in that way, voting on the changes, deciding what can and cannot be done afterwards, and doing it. Even this core of the game, of course, can be changed.—Peter Suber, the creator of Nomic, The Paradox of Self-Amendment, Appendix 3, p. 362.

Nomic actually refers to a large number of games based on the initial ruleset laid out by Peter Suber in his book The Paradox of Self-Amendment. (The ruleset was actually first published in Douglas Hofstadter's column Metamagical Themas in Scientific American in June 1982. The column discussed Suber's upcoming book, which wasn't actually published until years later.) The gam...

Nomic Links 

the latest from del.icio.us

These are the latest ten links tagged nomic at del.icio.us.

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Links: Computer Games and Society 

These links are to various commentaries and research projects about or involving computer games, including criticism of game design and marketing, catalogs of the psychology and sociology of gamers, and discoveries of benefits of games beyond gameplay. (In addition to the main links in the list, there are links in some of the descriptions, which you might also find interesting.)
Elder Game: MMO game development
This blog addresses issues in the design and marketing of massively multiplayer online (MMO) games.
the DAEDALUS PROJECT: MMORPG Research, Cyberculture, MMORPG Psychology
This research project studies various aspects of the psychology and culture of players of massively multiplayer online roleplaying games (MMORPGs).
Amy Bruckman
This professor's research "applies the 'constructionist' philosophy of education to the design of online communities. Constructionism advocates learning through design and construction activities -- learning through working on personally meaningful projects."
Serious Games Research
This university researcher is "studying the use of computer games for learning, and the kind of learning that happens when people play these games." (Such games, with a use beyond mere pastime, are known as serious games.)
Richard A. Bartle: Players Who Suit MUDs
This study, classifying four basic types of player, dates back to the days when interactive internet games were text-based MUDs, but still applies well to more modern games with a roleplaying adventure aspect. (If you're curious about what kind of player you are, you can take the test yourself.)

RPG? MUD? FPS? WTF?: Game Type Acronyms Explained 

Many games, especially those that involve roleplaying or computers, can be described with specific phrases that define their characteristics; because these phrases are long, they are often abbreviated to acronyms. Some of the more common ones are listed below.

Action
FPS - first-person shooter - This is a type of video game visualized from the perspective of the player, unlike other games where one's avatar (onscreen representation) is shown as though seen by another person, often as an overhead map view. As the description implies, a first-person shooter involves the use of ranged weaponry (weapons that shoot projectiles, like guns or crossbows; or items you can throw, like spears or rocks).

RTS - real-time strategy - This refers to a game employing strategy, where gameplay unfolds in real time, instead of by turns, as in other games; players interact simultaneously. Often such games require you to react quickly to events within the game context, to gain an advantage at an opportune moment.

Role-Playing
RPG - role-playing game - This is, in its broadest sense, pretending or make-believe as many children do informally; but in the usual context it refers to formal games with rules, where players choose a character and follow a narrative. Role-playing games may involve equipment such as dice for determining actions, and formal character descriptions. Traditional tabletop RPGs are multiplayer, but some computer RPGs, since they have an automated component, may be single-player.

LARP - live-action role-playing - This is an immersive style of RPG gameplay involving trappings like costumes and props for the characters, who act out their roles. People who enjoy re-enacting historical battles, or who perform at medieval or renaissance festivals, may be understood to be participating in LARP.

MUD - multi-user dungeon - This type of text-based adventure roleplaying game evolved on the internet before internet browsers. Early MUDs had graphics represented by clever combinations of letters, numerals, or other text symbols rather than by pixel images as they are today. The D in the acronym refers to an area where one would traditionally fight monsters in these typically fantasy-based games. Alternative words such as dimension or domain are sometimes more accurate completions of this acronym, depending on the game's theme; the shorthand MU* is sometimes used instead, where the asterisk may indicate one of several other letters or sets of letters that complete the acronym to describe various genres of MUD.

Browser-Based
BBG - browser-based game - These are games that can be played within an internet browser, without installing special software on the computer. A popular genre of browser-based game is the BBRPG (browser-based role-playing game), which can be single-player or multiplayer.

PBBG - persistent browser-based game - This type of internet game can continue over many sessions. It generally refers to some sort of BBRPG, but may describe any game where gameplay can be interrupted and continue later at the stopping point. (I've created a lens about PBBGs, and a group for others with PBBG-related lenses, here on Squidoo!)

Cards and Collectibles
TCG - trading card game - This type of game, sometimes called a CCG (collectible card game), involves special trading cards, which can be used to play a strategy game. As with regular trading cards, some cards in a particular set may be rarer than others.

CMG - collectible miniature game - In this variation of the genre, miniature figures are used instead of cards.

Online Multiplayer
When two or more people play an interactive game on the internet, it's called an MOG (multiplayer online game). When a great many people interact simultaneously, it's called an MMOG (massively multiplayer online game). An MMOG is often also an RPG (MMORPG) set in a virtual world, where all the players online at once may have a chance to interact. MO and MMO may prefix other common acronyms for game genres (for example, MMOFPS or MMORTS), or be part of the acronym for another genre that otherwise wouldn't need abbreviation (such as MMOR for online racing games).

Miscellaneous
ARG - alternate reality game - This is a sort of interactive narrative game, involving elements in multiple media, including real-world events. It is difficult to describe the nature of an ARG concisely.

PBM - play-by-mail - Chess has been played by mail for centuries. With the advent of the internet, play-by-email (PBEM) games also became popular. While some of these were the same games that had already been played in non-electronic correspondence, some games were specially designed for electronic correspondence play, and moderated with the assistance of computer programs.

WTF?
In case you were wondering, the acronym WTF in the title does not refer to a game, although it might be used in an online game with a text chat function. It is shorthand for a potentially offensive expression of confusion, which shouldn't be too difficult to figure out.

Monopoly! 

Amazon.com Plexo!

There are many versions of Monopoly; the extensive selection here is still only a small sample of the variations available for sale at Amazon.com. Many are simply specially themed boards, but there are also completely new games based on the original favorite. Hasbro currently produces "official" Monopoly games, but other companies are known to use the concept for their own educational or novelty offerings.

(Since this is a Plexo module, you can vote for your favorites on this list, and see what comes out on top!)

Nintendo Monopoly

Nintendo Monopoly

The world's favorite board game combines with Nint more...0 points

A Christmas Story Monopoly

A Christmas Story Monopoly

Relive the hilarious moments from the Christmas St more...0 points

Monopoly Express

Monopoly Express

Love the classic game of monopoly, but can't spare more...0 points

Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition

Monopoly Electronic Banking Edition

Now players can experience the most current versio more...0 points

Monopoly

Monopoly

Monopoly Game - Buy real estate, collect rent, bui more...0 points

Monopoly® SpongeBob SquarePants™ Edition

Monopoly® SpongeBob SquarePants™ Edition

It's the world's most popular board game -- Sponge more...0 points

Hasbro Monopoly Tropical Tycoon DVD Game

Hasbro Monopoly Tropical Tycoon DVD Game

Own a piece of paradise! If you love Monopoly, you more...0 points

Make Your Own Opoly Board Game

Make Your Own Opoly Board Game

Make Your Own-OPOLY is a one of kind board game. I more...0 points

Horse Lover's Monopoly

Horse Lover's Monopoly

Love horses? Then this classic game with a twist i more...0 points

24 more products: See all

Your Turn! 

What do you think about games? Do you ever wonder at the origins of traditional games, or how complex games were designed? Do you like tabletop games, video games, outdoor games? Do you know your Bartle Quotient? Do you read game-related content on the internet regularly? What games or game equipment do you own?