How does Mary Flanagan’s definition of a game differ from Chris Crawford’s, as well as the definition crafted by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman?
Mary Flanagan sees games as more than just fun or competition. For her, games can be tools for activism or making a statement, not just about winning or losing. Chris Crawford focuses on how games are different from puzzles. He says games are dynamic—they change as players make decisions, while puzzles stay the same until you solve them. Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman define games more strictly. They see games as systems with rules, where players face artificial challenges and work toward a clear outcome, like winning or losing.
What is an activist games
Activist games teach about social issues. They try to make players think about problems like fairness and equality. They’re more than just fun.
What other games feature “perfect information” like Go and Chess?
Checkers, Shogi, Othello, and Mancala are games where everyone sees everything. No secrets or luck.
Why might chance or gambling games hold spiritual or religious importance to ancient cultures?
Long ago, people thought luck and chance came from the gods. Gambling was seen as fate or the gods’ power. It was both fun and spiritual.
When was the earliest battle between governments/religious groups and games? What modern games have been banned or demonized?
Some people have always thought games were bad. Like in Egypt and Mesopotamia, they thought gambling was a bad influence. Today, some video games are criticized for violence like GTA and Doom, and some board games for promoting capitalism.
What is a fox game, and what would be a modern example?
Fox games have one player (fox) against many (geese). The fox tries to win. Dead by Daylight is a modern example with a killer (fox) hunting survivors (geese).
What was the purpose or intent of the game Mansion of Happiness?
Mansion of Happiness was a game to teach good Christian behavior. Good actions helped you, bad actions set you back
Why did artists from the Fluxus and Surrealist movements play games? Why did Surrealists believe games might help everyone?
Artists like Fluxus and Surrealists used games to be creative and different. They wanted to challenge old ideas. Surrealists thought games helped people think creatively and avoid strict rules.
Changes in what can signal profound changes in games? How were pinball games reskinned during WWII?
Games can change with what people believe. Like during WWII, pinball machines were changed to support the war instead of gambling.
What statements did Fluxus artists make by reskinning games like Monopoly and Ping Pong?
Fluxus artists changed Monopoly and Ping Pong to show problems with capitalism. They made them silly, cooperative, or critical, not about winning or losing.
How are artists like Lilian Ball, Marcel Duchamp, Takako Saito, Yoko Ono, Gabriel Orozco, and Ruth Catlow using war games?
Artists change war games to show war is bad and to talk about peace. They sometimes make war games abstract or symbolic to challenge how we usually think about war.
Why is it important for players to have agency in a critical or serious game?
Agency means players can actively take part and think about a game’s ideas. Without agency, players just passively receive messages, without really thinking about them.
I immediately thought of violent games as an example of banned and demontized games. Great examples.
I see you also know about Dead by Daylight too. I had no idea you referenced this game, because I did too haha. It is a fun game indeed, but it is pretty tricky. The game definitely leans more on the “fox” side than the “geese” side.