Defining Videogames (continued)

Newman also goes on to consider different aspects of games and gameplay, using the following four terms:

Agon: where competition is the main focus

Example: any game with multiplayer modes

Alea: where the game is based around chance and randomness

Example: Tetris - the pieces appear in a random order

Ilinx: where movement is important

Example: any platform game

Mimicry: where the game has role-play or simulation.

Example: Ace Combat, Final Fantasy

Many games involve two or more of these aspects, especially MMO's like World of Warcraft:

In World of Warcraft you play as a hero/heroine, fighting to keep Azeroth safe. The entire game is set in a fantasy world where you set out to accomplish heroic deeds, like fending off the undead, and slaying gargantuan dragons. This is a prime example of mimicry. Some players also choose to give their character an in-depth back story, further immersing themselves into the roleplay of the game.

World of Warcraft also has a prominent PvP (player versus player) environment, where players compete against each other in battlegrounds. In addition, there is always competition throughout the game in general. This includes competition to be the strongest, have the best equipment, have the most achievement points and collect the most pets/vanity items. This shows a good example of Agon.

Ilinx is very important for people that focus on the PvE (player versus environment) aspect of the game. These players set out to rid Azeroth of whichever new baddie is trying to reek havoc on the world. This often involves complex fights, where you need to be aware of your character's position at all times, and need to be ready to move fast when needed, while still hacking away at the boss himself.

It is a fictional world, so many aspects do not translate to the real world, but some things do still stay the same: standing in fire is painful and will lead to a swift death.

Now for the alea part: so you've spent ten minutes running around, stabbing away at the boss, and you finally defeat him. Next comes the bit that no amount of agility or skill can help you with....... praying that those shiny swords/wands/slippers of doom are among the loot that the boss dropped upon their death.

Specific items have a set chance to drop each time (for example 1 in 250 kills of the boss), and even if the item does drop, you have to compete against other players to win the item. This normally involves randomly rolling from 1-100, with the highest roll being the winner.

The more complex a game is, the more likely it is that several, if not all, of the four aspects detailed above will apply. If a game has a playable character, and is multiplayer, then it already includes two of the terms (Agon and Ilinx).