Are what we call "games" really games at all? Mind Thread.

The common definition of a game is an activity where everyone involved agrees to follow a set of rules an competition or cooperation to win.

So why is it that many things that we call games don't fit into that definition?

Unlike playing many board games, playing video games doesn't require the players to know the rules. Rather, then computer or server decides what happens and if you win or lose. This means that the player doesn't have to actually agree with the rules of the game to still engage with the game. Now one argument that can be brought up is that the people who disagree with the rules are just hackers and cheaters and that they aren't playing the game at all, but disagreement isn't that exclusive to those groups in reality. I have seen many peers complain and have disagreements on how games play and still end up following their rules. Despite that, I find that players and the consequences in games are very different between players who agree and don't agree regardless of if the rules are being followed.

Typically when players don't agree to rules in board games, players will play a different game or do some other activity. This is done by either playing a different game or make their own game with both options either using different pieces or the same pieces from the original game. These actions also apply for video games in slightly different methods but to same ends. However, it's not always easy to DIY video games this way. Many players who disagree with the rules will continue to play the game. Regardless of why, this means that there is no guarantee that a game will have that universal agreement of the rules that makes a game a "game".

Does that still make them games though? We still call them games after all.

Giving it some thought, I don't think video games are games. I think a more accurate term would be along the lines of "playware" even if the term doesn't feel right to say. Here is my pitch for the word and it's definitions using questions.

This ain't a perfect pitch by any means and could have contradictions, but I think this will at least give an idea and could be developed further into something. Will I be using these words in these purposed ways now? Probably not until I decide to start actually trying to change speech.

So what is playware by my weird definition?

Playware is software for play. Playware can be used for one or more players to engage in play. Unlike games where every player has to agree and follow the same rules, playware doesn't require every player to know or understand any rules if there are any. This also means there is no cheating inherent to it but cheating can become present with the addition of rules and people to follow them which creates a game.

What makes playware a video game?

When every player in the playware activity is in agreement to the rules and follow them, then we have a game. This makes the term "game" an abstract noun rather than a concrete item. Playware is the data on a drive or disk itself while the game comes from using the playware to make a game. This makes the playware a concrete thing even if it creates abstract experiences from using it with humans.

When is playware not a game?

When there are no rules or when one or more people with influence on the playware activity is not in agreement of the rules.

What similar words or combination of words can be used for non-software play sets?

Play set: Like playware, but for any one or more items used for play or making games. Playware can be in a play set.
Play pieces: Any pieces part of a play set. Board game pieces are play pieces but so can playware itself. For example, a board play set could come with or require playware in addition to play pices.
Play board: Game board, but without the game part.
Play pieces, boards, or whatever else can game pieces or boards whenever they are used in a game.
Game rules: The rules that can be used to make a game or being used to make a game.

Published by Benji