Rules of Play as a Framework for the “Magic Circle”

Abstract

Play is one of the oldest cultural techniques of mankind going back several thousand years. It has been practiced around the world in a great variety of ways for relaxation, diversion, entertainment or competition. To this extent, we always seem to know what the framework of playing a game is like. In general, rules of play are considered to be frame defining. They give the game a stable and identifiable structure that should provide fair conditions, which are equal for all participants. Whenever there are discussions about the rules during the game, there is an obvious comprehension problem with respect to the scope of the game. During the development process of a game, this usually means that the prerequisites for a fair competition are not completed, and that one of the players receives a slight advantage due to rules that are not fully balanced.