Designing Games
Playing games helps us to evolve ahead of our environment.
Evolution is the flip side of discretion. Evolution shapes us to our
environment, and with intelligence, it works in the short term as well
as the long. In order for the process to work, however, there must be
selection for fitness - those who adapt the fastest gain the most benefit.
Discretion (the third meaning in particular) is the freedom to behave
according to one's degree of fitness, and therefore to be selected
according to the real situation.
When you play a game, you want your success to be based on your skill.
If the computer or referee prevents you from making mistakes, or forces
you to make mistakes you would have avoided, you will feel cheated. What
is worse, your skill will not increase as fast because you can only learn
from mistakes and successes made at your own discretion.
The right to be judged on your own merit is the right to evolve at your
best speed.
Page last modified: 27th October 1997
Email: sordelan@netplaycafe.co.uk
