GameOn: Play and Game

Content

The words play and games have a unique relationship in the English language. There are two ways to frame their relationship, both of which are useful: 
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1) Games are a subset of play: The category of play represents many kinds of playful activities. Some of these activities are games, but many of them are not. In this sense, games are contained within play. 
2) Play is a subset of games: Games are complex phenomena and there are many ways to frame them and understand them. RULES, PLAY, and CULTURE are three aspects of the phenomena of games. In this sense, play is contained within games. 
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A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome. The key elements of this definition are the fact that a game is a system, players interact with the system, a game is an instance of conflict, the conflict in games is artificial, rules limit player behavior and define the game, and every game has a quantifiable outcome or goal. (Eric Zimmerman, Katie Salen Tekinbas  (2003), “Rules of Play: Fundamentals of Game Design”)
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Read more about the Play and Game: Eric Zimmerman, Katie Salen Tekinbas  (2003), “Rules of Play: Fundamentals of Game Design” (page 83-95), ‘A learnalicious game – the basic theory for playologists’ (page 3-5).
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Discuss with your colleagues or friends the difference between Play and Game, share your own definition of the Game.
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You may complete the activity and earn a digital badge by adding your reflections to the badge evidence below. 
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This activity is part of the wider educational effort of the international partnership “GameOn” to promote inclusion, participation, and critical thinking through game design. Learn more about this partnership here.
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Expert partners:
﻿Nexes (ES) – the lead partner, Idealúdica (ES), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), BalkanIdea Novi Sad (SR), Nectarus (LT), Associazione Interculturale NUR (IT).
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Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
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Cover image from Unsplash.
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Get activity badge

GameOn: Play and Game Get this badge

Earners of this badge completed the activity to learn and reflect on the difference between Play and Game.
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They got familiar with different definitions of the ‘Game’ and shared their own. 
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The evidence of completing this activity is included in the badge and was reviewed and verified by the organisers.
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This activity is part of the wider educational effort of the international partnership “GameOn” to promote inclusion, participation, and critical thinking through game design. Learn more about this partnership here.
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Tasks

Task no.1

Evidence verified by: self-approved

Share your thoughts on the following questions to earn the activity badge:
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1) How would you explain the difference between Play and Game? Do these two words have a different or the same meaning in your language?
2) Share your own definition of the ‘Game’.
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Creativity and design

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Organisers

GameOn - Game Design for Inclusion

Used in playlists

GameOn: Essentials of the game design

GameOn - Game Design for Inclusion

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