Good and Evil...

In a gaming world it would seem there are multiple ways to progress through a story line or narrative. Two examples in which I am currently studying are:

Paidea + Ludus

Both are very simple methods to travel through a gaming environment using confusing words to add to my vocabulary.
A Paidea game can be easily described as a sandbox game which allows players to work through the game at their pace attempting various techniques to 'win' the game. The Sims or SimCity are both examples of this type of game.
A Ludus game however is one where the player is restricted by rules and regulations with clear winning conditions, a more linear style of game play. This could be described as a puzzle where to solve the puzzle you must abide by the rules.

A game which uses both of these methods of game play is Black and White.

A God/Simulation/Sandbox game where you can micromanage villages and raise a 'creature' to help wage war or aid building an empire to control the world through fear and terror or benevolence and belief respectively.

The game allows the player to work at their own pace through the game using a series of 'Gold Story Scrolls' to progress. This means the player can then build up an empire with the time they are given to manage their village or they can focus on becoming the only God in each land (level).

This is a good example of Paidea game play whereby the player is left to themselves in a sandbox mode given the opportunity and tools to do what they want, become good or evil in an alignment system which affects the way the game plays.

These two characters are the players conscience. Good and Evil. They also help push the storyline and guide when needed if the story scrolls are not selected

Although the game allows the player to play on their own making their own decisions, it also has elements of Ludus game play. With Gold story scrolls there are also Silver reward scrolls. These are little mini game/puzzles in which the player has to use different techniques to figure out the outcome and gain a reward.. The game makes the player conform to the rules and regulations to discover the solution.

With Black and White being a good example of both paidea and ludus game play, Sim City is an example of singularly Paidea.
In particular i recently installed Sim City 4.

The game allows the player to create a vast city and so the player can create their own goals e.g. profits, expansion or even 'survive a natural disaster'.

Leaving the player to interact with the game system on their own can lead to a game where the user pushes the system to its limits with the players imagining and creating their own style of play and not needing influence from missions or goals, the wining conditions are to build the biggest, most profitable city. Or as with Sim City 4, the player can create and build their city and then destroy it as they see fit using the built in God mode.

Two very different games, two similar ways of play conforming to the paidea and ludus theories.

Black and white however has always been a favourite game of mine, I expect I will be discussing this game a lot.

Ross, Out