Ludology Meets Narratology: Similitude and differences between (video)games and narrative

Gonzalo Frasca

Frasca, G. (1999) ‘Ludology Meets Narratology: Similitude and Differences Between (Video) Games and Narrative’, [online], URL: http://www.ludology.org/articles/ludology.htm, [accessed 17/3/08]

This paper was useful in raising the notion of Paidea (sic). This concept is an attempt to differentiate between play and game. The term paideia (actual spelling) was proposed by Roger Caillois in 1967 as a term to represent "play", in opposition to "ludus" ("game"). Although this term is within the context of Games Theory I see it as useful to understand narrative architecture from a non-game perspective.

Frasca states that both games and play have rules, but the rules within play aren't focused on a pre-designated goal. This allows the user freedom to determine goals determined by environment (topology, objects and characters), actions and setting. He uses a quote from the 1987 edition of the Dictionary of Narratology by Gerald Prince to explain setting: "spaciotemporal circumstances in which events of a narrative occur."

This quote is very useful for my inquiry.