Research Material

I've had one week of brainstorming and I already have a vast well of material ideas built up, a lot of primary research but some solid secondary too.

For primary I am going to play Zorg, a very early text game. Now this was an obvious choice to start seems as there is no aesthetic to the game what so ever, it completely relies on the imagination of the player. I will study this, and see how it encourages or discourages my creativity. I am also going to look into games like minecraft, where you are free to build your own world. And maybe also, ignoring the stereotypical way it is seen, I am hopefully going to get dressed up and have a go at some larping. This will be a fantastic insight into a highly scrutinized world, but Im sure I will be pleasantly surprised. The way I see it Its just the whole stick and cardboard box scenario again, just grown up.

I was speaking to my lecturer and talking about my strengthening belief that playing and gaming are at two opposite ends of a spectrum, playing has no strict rules and little creative input from anyone but the player, and gaming being bound by rules and situation created by a "designer". She suggested to me that I look into a book called 'Man, Play and Games' by Roger Caillois. Apparently this book has exactly the same theory as I do, but in latin (far more academic). I hope to purchase a copy of this book because Im sure it will be a substantial if not the main resource for the subject I have chosen.