Theories of fun - lecture and notes

Theories of Fun

In this lecture we discussed Johan Huizinga's take on games, play and theories of fun.

Huizinga was a Dutch historian and one of the founders of the modern cultural history.
In his book, Homo Ludens (1938),  he discussed the possibility that play is the primary formative element in human culture.
Huizinga talked about Homo Ludens as the "man who plays", while Homo Sapiens is the :man whi thinks". 

That's how we got to know about the science called Ludology. The Oxford Dictionary defines Ludology as "the study of games and gaming, especially video games:ludology, like the games it studies, is not about story and discourse at all but about actions and events"

At the same times we discussed Narratology in the lecture, which is:" the branch of knowledge or criticism that deals with the structure and function of narrative and its themes, conventions, and symbols." according to Oxford Dictionary again. 

There is a big debate going on in the modern society regarding which of these two sciences is more important: Ludology or Narratology. And, I believe that the debate is well founded, as the controversy is just as the one with the chicken and the egg. If there is no game play (i.e. actions and events), the narrative wouldn't exist, but at the same time, a good game needs to have a good story behind it, otherwise, it will not be enjoyable and hence will not be played. I think that the perfect "marriage" between narrative and game play ( narratology and ludology) is what makes games what they are, and gives them their status in today's society. By their status, I'm referring to the fact that games play a very important role in education, learning social skills, etc, and they are and should indeed be, sitting alongside books, films ( documentaries or fiction) and all other media used by our society in order to collect information and develop culturally.

Johan Huizinga summarises the definition of play as a "primary animal and human drive", "play is older than culture - animals played before humans taught them how to". 

These are two very relevant statements that Huizinga has made and stood the test of time, when referring to play. Children play on their own, they find various ways of entertaining themselves, wether it is just simply looking at their hands and moving their fingers, as babies, or making up complicated rules for new and innovative games as they get older. They do not need anyone giving them lessons in how to play, in fact, it is better when they are being left alone with their imagination. As adults intervene in children's play, the fun seems to disappear as common sense tends to take over and spoils the whole make believe environment. If you watch a small child playing, while pretending sticks are swords and friends are wild animals, or carpet is the ocean and a nappy box is the Jolly Rodgers, is very easy to see how play is free, voluntary, never a task ans is done at leisure. There is never a time limit (unless set by the adults), it doesn't have to follow common sense rules (if need be, the ship CAN be bigger than the ocean).

There are various theories as to why animals are playing:

• to discharge of superabundant vital energy (same as children)
• trying to use their imitative instinct (same as children)
• it helps them develop physical and social skills (same as children) (It has been discovered through studies that Chimps have a "play face" to let the others know they are just playing)
• "play is about power (Raph Koster -  A Theory of Fun) - there are always winner s and losers 
• "play is an innate desire to compete" (Johan Huizinga) (however, we mainly like to compete against someone of the same ability)

However, for people, as well as the previous reasons given to play, there are others as well, specific for humans as homo sapiens (man who thinks), therefore play will have other meanings and implications, slightly different and more elaborate in comparison to the animals. 

• Play is cathartic, whether it is real or digital games, play is definitely a way of releasing ideas and emotions in a constructive way.
• Play is central to the way man and animals develop, as play is by all means educational. 
• Play is different from ordinary life
• play is seen as the direct opposite of seriousness, but play can definitely be serious as well (when a game is spoilt, it becomes serious)
• play is not foolish
• there are set rules and unspoken rules when it comes to play
• play is not necessary but is needed at the same time
• play equals freedom, it frees us from ordinary life
• play is never a task, it is done at leisure, during "free time"
• play is necessary to society and it naturally contributes to the well being of the group
• play is fixed in time and space ( "a game plays itself to an end" - Johan Huizinga)
• play promotes the formation of social groupings

Any game played is pleasurable because we know the rules and it is nice to play within them. Once the rules are broken, the play ceases to exist, or the enjoyment vanishes, and just the same, as game with no rules, cannot really exist.