I Have No Words I Must Design

Below are notes on quotes taken from the paper: "I have no Words, I must Design." by Greg Costikyan

 http://www.digra.org/dl/db/05164.51146.pdf

1. "Games change with the player's actions in contrast to 'static puzzles'"
   The definition of how games differ to puzzles is an interesting one. I find that as I play games I do not consciously feel the gameplay changing around me due to my actions in some of the games. To me it seems like a natural course of events which I am part of. However in other games I feel that I am the centre of attention, single handedly dictating the gameplay, master of all. It is interesting how some games place more of an emphasis on the players actions being a fundamental of the game and others merely including a players actions along the way as part of a much larger plot.
2. "A light switch is interactive....At some point you will be faced with a choice (when using an interactive object/game etc.) You may choose to do A or B and the state of the thing will change depending on your decision"A prime example of a decision being fundamental to gameplay is when you nearly reach the end of Fable 2 and you have to make a decision between your family, everyone, or all the money you could imagine. When I reached that point in the game I truly felt the weight of what I was having to choose between. The choice between the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good or the selfish sacrifice of innocents just so I could keep my family alive. The while experience changed for me from being recreational to important and that is what made it a game for me.
3. "What makes a thing a game is the need to make decisions."One could argue that decision making in a game could be as simple as choosing to walk at your character or run, blue eyes or green; and they would be correct- those are all decisions. But what makes a game really special is when it makes the player ask questions about themselves as to how they will make such a decision. Will they save the innocent or kill the innocent for personal gain!?
4. "Excellence in Decision making is what brings success"
5. "Character improvement is a key concept; "Proof that we all want to improve ourselves in real life. In this sense our in game desires are transferred from our subconscious desires in reality. It motivates the players through the game constantly endeavoring to better themselves. Eg levelling up.
6. "The politically correct attack games as being 'competitive' and therefore bad."This is so wrong about games and indeed life itself as it is the element of competition which has dredged us up out of the tar pits of evolution to the splendour of which we boast today. competition is not only healthy, it is natural and character building. Without competition we have no motivation.
7. "Making something difficult makes it more enjoyable? That's not how we view everyday life..."I personally feel that if we could view everyday life like a game we could bring some of the enthusiasm and drive that we feel when we are challenged by a game into how we tackle everyday tasks too.
8. "Games are structures of Desire"Makes games sound like a whorehouse? I don't think that's a necessarily a bad thing as desire is another emotion which propels us forward and inspires us to work harder.