Week 3 Reading ?’s

Chapter 1

1.  How does Mary Flanagan’s definition of a game differ from Chris Crawford’s and from Salen & Zimmerman’s?
   1. Chris Crawford says games are mostly about goals, rules, and winning; they’re kinda like math problems with competition. Salen & Zimmerman are similar, saying games are systems with rules and conflicts that give measurable results. Flanagan is different because she thinks games can do more than that. They can show culture, make statements, or even challenge people. She thinks games can be art or a way to think about society, not just play or winning.
2.  What is an activist game?
   1.  An activist game is a game made to make you think about real-world issues. It might show unfairness or challenge the way society works. You don’t just read about a problem, you experience it by playing. The goal is to question things, imagine change, or make people see a different perspective.

Chapter 3

3.  Go and chess are examples of games with “perfect information.” What other games share that feature?
   1. Perfect information games are ones where everyone can see everything that’s happening. Other examples are checkers, tic-tac-toe, Othello (Reversi), Nim, and Nine Men’s Morris. These games are more about strategy than luck.
4.  Why might chance or gambling games hold spiritual or religious importance to ancient cultures?
   1. Ancient people thought random games like dice could show what the gods wanted or what fate was planning. It wasn’t just luck, they believed the results had meaning and could guide decisions or rituals.
5.  When was the earliest battle between government/religious groups and games? What modern games have been banned or demonized?
   1. In ancient and medieval times, people banned games like dice or gambling because they thought they were sinful or bad for society. Today, examples are Dungeons & Dragons during the Satanic Panic, violent games like Mortal Kombat or GTA, gambling/loot boxes, and even online games that get restricted for political reasons.
6.  What is a fox game, and what is a modern example?
   1. A fox game is one where one player has an advantage over everyone else. Modern examples are games like Dead by Daylight or military simulations where one side has way more resources. Flanagan uses them to show how power differences can be built into a game.
7.  What was the purpose or intent of The Mansion of Happiness?
   1. It was a board game from the 1800s that taught kids Christian morals. You got rewards for being good and penalties for bad behavior. Basically, it was supposed to teach obedience, temperance, and piety, not just be fun.
8.  Why do artists from the Fluxus and Surrealist movements play games? Why did Surrealists believe games might help everyone?
   1. Surrealists played games to get creative, break normal thinking, and challenge rules. Fluxus artists played games to turn everyday life into art and make people participate. Surrealists thought games could help everyone by shaking up habits and opening minds.
9. What changes can signal profound changes in games? How were pinball games reskinned during WWII?
   1. When games change in looks, rules, or stories, it can show culture changing too. During WWII, pinball machines got military themes and patriotic symbols to boost morale.
10.  What statements did Fluxus artists make by reskinning games like Monopoly and ping-pong?
    1. By changing classic games, they critiqued things like capitalism and competition. They also questioned rules and ownership. It showed that games aren’t neutral, they reflect culture and values.
11. How are artists like Lilian Ball, Marcel Duchamp, Takako Saito, Yoko Ono, Gabriel Orozco, and Ruth Catlow using war games?
    1. They use war games to show how messed up war and power can be. Instead of teaching you how to win battles, the games make you think about violence, responsibility, and systems of power.
12. Why is it important for players to have agency in a critical or serious game?
    1. Players need to make real choices, otherwise it’s just like reading a story. When you have agency, you experience consequences yourself, which makes the game more meaningful and teaches lessons in a way you feel.