The Ludologist, Jesper Juul, has just announced his book Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds has been released. He describes the book as as "attempt at creating a basic theory of video games: In the book I discuss what video games are and how they relate to non-digital games, how players learn to use a game, how players imagine the world of a game, and why video games are fun."
Me: Videogame theory? Sounds tough Jesper, I don't think so. My frontal lobe is totally shot.
JJ: "Half-real is a book on video game theory, but it is generally readable."
Me: Well, maybe it's worth picking up then to see what makes these game things tick.
In all seriousness, Juul is really at the forefront of establishing some kind of theoretical language to use in the
study of games. And yes, that language is bizarre and esoteric. That's why there's a
dictionary! Want to know what the definition for ludus is? Answer:
"According to Caillois (1961), games can be found on a scale between the rule-based (ludus) and the free-form
(paidea)." Aren't you glad you asked.
[Via Ludology]
