Write a 2-3-page response to the following readings, taking the discussion questions below as a starting point. You can post your submission as a Word, OpenOffice or PDF file. I’m not going to assign you a specific font size and paragraph spacing, just try to stay in the spirit of the assignment, okay? This is about giving you a chance to explore your own thoughts and reactions on the subjects we’re discussing.

Write a 2-3-page response to the following readings, taking the discussion questions below as a starting point. You can post your submission as a Word, OpenOffice or PDF file. I’m not going to assign you a specific font size and paragraph spacing, just try to stay in the spirit of the assignment, okay? This is about giving you a chance to explore your own thoughts and reactions on the subjects we’re discussing.

Readings:

Homo Ludens for the People by Mattie Brice in conversation with Johan Huizinga

Homo Ludens for the People

The Well-Played Game, chapter 4 by Bernie DeKoven (uploaded the reading below)

Questions to consider:

What are the limitations of Huizinga’s “magic circle”? Is this concept useful in discussing games? How or when?

How do you feel about DeKoven’s stance on cheating? Can you think of an example of a well-timed cheat enhancing a game? How do hints and cheating interact with the magic circle?

What even is a game? Do you think there’s value in trying to define a game (or play)? How does your definition square up with Huizinga, Bryce or DeKoven’s?

Tips:

There aren’t right answers to these questions! This is an exploration. If one of these questions sets you off down a 2-3-page journey, don’t worry if you don’t have room to fit the others.
Be sure to use quotes from the readings to support your claims. When quoting an author, make sure it’s clear which author you’re quoting.

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