EL405- A Theory of Fun for Game Design

For New Media Projects, we are reading A Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raplh Koster. As I mentioned in class, I was not able to pick up a copy from the bookstore until about half an hour prior to when class began on Thursday. Luckily, I was able to feverishly read through about 24 pages before our discussion to put me in the right mind-set. Having now finished up to chapter 8, I am glad that I hadn't read much before class because I was able to reflect on our discussion as I was reading.

I feel much of what I read touched on what I subconsiously knew from being a sem-avid gamer myself. This book brought out the intellectual side of gaming for me so much so that when I play games now, I'm not going to feel like I'm wasting time (as much, haha).

I felt one of his basic theories in the first seven chapters was that gaming is a learning tool suitable for all ages, even though we tend to think of games in a childish light. Koster does an excellent job of explaining how gaming skills actually improve our everyday skills in the real world. I began to title this entry "Koster and His Patterns." I decided against that, but it's still a topic prominent in the reading. He writes about the brain and how it recognizes and processes patterns constantly, evening when we're not playing games. All games are based on a pattern (some oubviously more than others) and by playing games we are training our brain to see and master patterns. The act of playing games can only help us. We master the patterns of games more quickly than, say, driving, because it's a fun and harmless way of learning.

This point made me think back to our class discussion about games and their effect on children. I now fully believe it is not the act of gaming that hurt children at all, if that was ever a question. Violent content could be the only real harm; blood spattering on a screen is not exactly what I feel 11 year olds should be seeing.

My brother's preschool teacher had some words with my mother about his frequent playing. My mother simply never saw the harm in video games. She felt if she had done her job as a mother, he wouldn't have the desire to go shoot a person simply because he liked to play shooting games.

He's probably one of the best gamers I know. As I mentioned in class, he can play N64 better with his toes than most people can with their fingers. He's mastered games at any console you could think of, and PC as well. As of late, we beat Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks in it's entirety in 20 hours of game play. We became the Don of NYC on The Godfather in 16 hours (all businesses extorted). Man, we are dorks.

My brother also had a toy chest full of swords, light-sabers, any plastic object of impalement one could think of. He's played with every toy and game that might be considered risque for a child.

He's now a sophmore in highschool, playing on the Varsity football team, had a 21 in 7 record last year in wrestling (his first year), and makes straight A's. Let the video games reign!

As far as Koster's book is concerned, I really enjoy it. I think it's a great choice for this class because you can gain a lot from it if you love to play games, or if you don't even know where the X button is on a PlaystationII controller.