Why Play Games?
Mostly, I play games for fun. But, like all generalisations, the "fun" skates over some points of detail. For example, what about winning? And what about complex wargames where the fun isn't immediately obvious. Ah, let me explain.
Real life is full of stresses and strains. When I play a game - any game - these stresses and strains disappear. In our regular gaming group, from the minute the first turn of the first game starts, I forget everything else. It doesn't matter if I have had an awful day at the office or if I have a daunting day to come. While I am playing games these issues do not exist. Even afterwards, there's often a mental rush, a buzz, that keeps me awake thinking about the games.
I might be thinking about why I won, why I lost (more common), the game design elements I liked or disliked. But it's a pleasant, natural high all created from that game playing session.<.p>
At this point I must credit the group I play with. It's always fun. Sure, there are sometimes discussions and diatribes. Some people do take it more seriously than others.
(For example, we ditched the running league of results because it was having a negative effect on the group.) But the banter, the give and take, the unlimited fund of weird and wonderful strategies is a source of joy. Which brings me to winning.
I love to win. I also recognise my limitations. I'll never be as good a gamer as some others I could name. So I recognise I won't always win. I will do my best but it is just not important if I don't succeed. Taking part is much more important. And it also means the rare victories I have are that much sweeter.
I also play wargames. By their nature they are generally more complex. And I also play a lot of them solitaire. They bring a different sort of fun. For example, I have just finished mucking about several solitaire sessions of the game CBI - Vinegar Joe's War. It's about WW2 in China, Burma and India. The game - which was in Strategy & Tactics magazine 227 - was backed up by excellent support material in the magazine. Playing it was part puzzle, part education, part entertainment. I knew next to nothing about the real campaign before. Now, at the very least, I understand some of the key issues and the history. The game inspired me to do some more learning about the campaign. The game challenged me to find out how the Japanese won, how the Allies fought back and how it could have been different. I'm not pretending it gives me the best understanding, but the game gave me a start and an inclination to know more. And, of course, it was fun.
A wise man once told me that the games industry in the UK was always going to struggle for greater acceptance while playing games was seen as something only kids did. If that is still true it's up to those of us who are game players to change the public perception. How? One way may be to emphasise how much fun it is. Everybody needs their escape. Playing games is, truly, a great escape.
Ellis Simpson
22 March 2005