How Do I Play?

This simple question guides our attention to a wellspring of joyful curiosity both in the realm of design and in life itself. In our blog, we share the story of these adventures, the methods and insights inspiring us, and direct announcements regarding our products, services, and events. Join our community to be part of this story and explore the question with us, “How do I play?”

In our first post, we are addressing this question in general to state our intentions as an organization and introduce the concept that means so much to us. Each post in our blog will delve deeper into this question as it pertains to different subjects of interest.

The Role of Game Design

The role of the game designer is to invite players to ask this question with excitement whether it’s their first time playing or their hundredth. The objectives, rules, aesthetics, and accessibility of the game are meticulously crafted to evoke this mode of consciousness. Players are invited to actively orient themselves to the game environment, to test their skills and grow their understanding. Some skills are game specific, while others carry over to other games and aspects of life. At Inner Castle Games, we are interested in how games and reality relate to each other, specifically the way our ideas affect our experiences in life. We believe animals play in order to learn their limits, build trust with one another, and find their role within the environment. Play can facilitate the experimentation necessary for growth in a safe space, preparing us for the challenges of existence. We want to live in a world where this power is used not for escapism or exploitation, but to bring out the best in each of us.

When designing, it is essential that we make the rules and main objective clear, a luxury we are rarely afforded in reality. Throughout history, with varying levels of consciousness and success, humanity has invented many ways to deal with this unsettling situation. In a broad sense, currency, law, science, identity, and superstition are all constructs invented to orient us to the behaviors expected of us as members of a society or to help us make meaningful choices in our lives. In many ways, these constructs are essentially games and seeing them as such can help us understand and appreciate the roles they can play.

How and when the player is invited to ask this question is integral to the success of a game. Making the answer clear can help players overcome decision paralysis, but making the answer too clear makes the question unnecessary, and strips the player of their agency. Replaying a game where multiple choices seem to be presented, only to find that they all funnel into the same outcome can be a disheartening experience. Without striking the balance, the first time we play a game, can be overwhelming and subsequent plays can be underwhelming.

“Any game where the result is known is not worth playing… If I know exactly what’s going to happen to me, in a very real sense I’ve had it.”

– Alan Watts

Play style is also important to consider. Even if we limit the decisions available, some players may consistently gravitate towards certain kinds. Some players may find too much restriction stifling, while others may thrive in pushing the boundaries of what is possible. In a highly consistent system, some players may enjoy honing their skills to perfection while others may inadvertently optimize their own agency out of the experience. With the diversity among people, no game is going to be universally celebrated.

Players must be free to make choices which can have a meaningful impact on the events yet to unfold, and those events cannot be known for certain. With familiarity comes the ability to anticipate patterns and gain control over our future. With novelty, we continually expand the reach of this ability. Designers keep players engaged by introducing them to a balance of familiarity and novelty appropriate to their experience and skill.

These concepts are applied in various ways to almost everything worth doing in civilization, from work to play to spirituality. Managers at corporations are responsible for maintaining motivation of workers towards the corporate goals. Religious leaders maintain the dogmas directing followers towards spiritual fulfilment. We are powerful beings. When neglecting to ask “how do I play?” we often engineer systems that lead to suffering. But when we remember to ask earnestly, even if pain and toil is unavoidable, there is almost always a path that preserves our joy and agency.