Good Play
The foremost condition of good play is that it reflects, in the best possible way, the qualities named in its definition.
Games whose rules are most clearly defined come closest to the idea of good play. The rules need not be unchangeable, but they must be openly known to all players and accepted voluntarily.
The clarity of the game’s time and place also strengthens its quality.
The visibility of its purpose—or purposes—is another important factor.
And speaking of purpose, it is worth opening an important parenthesis here:
One of the purposes of play does not necessarily have to be winning. As you may recall, the definition of play does not present winning or losing as a prerequisite, and being a player does not mean that one must aim for absolute victory. Throughout history there have been games that were not trapped in the win–lose paradigm, games that were simply about joining and playing. The insistence on framing every game within the dichotomy of winning and losing is an invention of modern society.
The concept of good play has, of course, varied—and will continue to vary—depending on the time, the geography, the needs of the society, and the identities of the players. Yet in the construction of good play, the elements listed above are indispensable.
And to these we must add one more crucial variable:
Thousands of video game players have participated in large-scale research seeking to answer the question: What makes a good game? The answer is, in fact, quite obvious:
Difficulty.
If the purpose of the game is too easy, the game will conclude without ever offering tension. If it is too hard, players will soon suffer defeat and drift away. The right balance of difficulty is the most critical factor.
Of course, this calibration must be made with careful analysis of the game’s overall purpose, its target audience, and its scope.
On the other hand, good play is also that which, in the given moment, provides the player with what they need—it is that which does them good.
As with everything else, balance is the most important thing in play as well.
Talking about play is delightful—but at some point, play is meant to be played. So then, let’s begin: