This dry, yet thorough, book draws upon research and theory in sundry fields (such as cybernetics, probability, and systems theory) to develop a thorough theory of game design as a field of its own. They look at games through a series of eighteen "game design schemas," or conceptual frameworks, including games as systems of emergence and information, as contexts for social play, as a storytelling medium, and as sites of cultural resistance. Written for game scholars, game developers, and interactive designers, Rules of Play is a textbook, reference book, and theoretical guide. Two more topics are part of this textbook: an introduction to games, and an introduction to game design. This book laid out a foundation for all the hunches and intuitions I had about game design and pointed out many that I didn't have. Salen and Zimmerman describe an encyclopedia of game design issues, techniques, and attributes. It should be the first stop you make when learning about game design. Reading this made me realize that I'm mostly interested in game design as a hobbyist. Several of the first chapters are spent explaining what could be surmised in a few paragraphs. It's clear that the authors are extremely well read. It's not often a book comes along that defines an entire category. They offer a unified model for looking at all kinds of games, from board games and sports to computer and video games. Although at times it was a bit dry and long winded, there is some valuable insight provided throughout. As was mentioned in earlier reviews, I, too, did a lot of skimming in this book. The points they repeat are quite important, but it can get a little redundant. Appear mellow and laid-back : When you’re working hard, make it look easy so people admire your capability. The content is actually good, but the text being set in a small sans-serif typeface makes it hard to read. Has so far been overly technical and wordy. Basically every sentence is like this, too abstract to mean anything. Welcome back. Today we publish over 30 titles in the arts and humanities, social sciences, and science and technology. It looks at games for a bigger picture by including the contexts games are played in such as culture. You will see possibilities where before you saw dead ends. I've come back to it over the years and while I still feel there is a fair amount of useless meandering, I've also found that the things I teach are in here in spades and I could have saved a lot of time by not making my own materials and instead assigned selections from this book. A interesting look at Game Design. If you're interested in video games as sets of limit. Starting from a framework with three components---the rules (organization of the game), the play (gameplay experience), and the culture (game context)---, Katie Salen introduces a (formidable) theory of game design. Chunzhi Shen July 1, 2015 [This summary will be using Exercise 3.5’s technic: Dialogic Notetaking] Summary: In this article, the author uses 2 ways to introduce the rules of play. The book is punctuated by guest contributions, including one essay and four commissioned games, each discussed alongside various prototype materials. A interesting look at Game Design. The basic format is how games fit into different schema and how to design games by thinking about all the different possible ways to look at games. The bible of game theory, schemas, and animation. The pretentious forward was the opening number in a scattergun approach to the topic that just felt so shallow compared to discussions you might hear on The Forge or Extra Credits or EnWorld or really anywhere that gaming fanatics gather to discuss theory. Although at times it was a bit dry and long winded, there is some valuable insight provided throughout. As pop culture, games are as important as film or television—but game design has yet to develop a theoretical framework or critical vocabulary. Most of this book could have been written before video games were ever invented, which shows how little they focus on how they are actually unique. This one really stands out. This is not the first time this has been recognized or explored, but is explored in a fresh way in great detail - with one review stating that: "the book manages to bridge the emerging field of game studies methodologies and design theory" . I did a lot of skimming here. Rules of Play makes a monumental contribution to the development of game theory, criticism, and design. We’d love your help. This book also gives us a vocabulary to speak about games, game theory, and of course, rules, play and culture - and how they intersect. Broad in scope yet rich in detail, Rules of Play sets a new standard for game analysis. MIT Press Direct is a distinctive collection of influential MIT Press books curated for scholars and libraries worldwide. It gets pedantic at times, but most writing in academia does. Director of Comparative Media Studies, MIT. The first one is defining rules.… I read the first "unit" and skimmed through the rest of this book. Early chapters are basically a history / philosophy lesson on why humans are compelled to play. If you like books and love to build cool products, we may be looking for you. Was a guinea pig for this book in several grad school classes. Rules of Play is an exhaustive, clear, cogent, and complete resource for understanding games and game design. A dreary dull text that will be of no interest to anyone that would be interested in reading it, written by dreary dull academics that haven't a clue really what they are talking about and know less about game design than the average experienc. In my opinion, this is the most important book for a game designer to have.