What Isn't a Game?

So.

What disqualifies a something as a game? Consider the definition I used previously: A game is a series of rules that influence the achievement of a goal.

The important word to focus on in that definition is "achieve".

To achieve is to successfully earn. If we look at the dictionary definition it is: To gain with effort or despite some difficulty.

Therein lies the distinction. To achieve requires effort. If one does not have to put forth effort to complete the goal they have not achieved it, rather, they have been given it.

Take, for instance, the "game" of chutes and ladders (or snakes and ladders for the older folks in the room). You'll understand why I say game in quotes in a moment.

In this "game" the player's goal is to reach the end of the board. There are chutes printed on the board that will send the player further away from the goal, and ladders that will bring the player closer to end of the board.

In theory the player must avoid the chutes and utilize the ladders to reach the goal. In reality the player has no control over whether they ladder up or chute down.

Why? Because every action is decided by the roll of a dice. Where the player goes on the board is not up to them in any real capacity. The dice chooses for them.

Because there is no choice afforded to the player when it comes to where they move on the board, and moving on the board is literally the only action they can take in the game, there is no way for them to improve or reduce their chances of winning. The dice decide how the game flows, where the player goes, and who gets the victory cheerios. (mmm, delicious milk n' "o" shaped grain")

The player cannot put forth effort to achieve their goal. Rather the goal is given to them by the dice. It is, in a sense more of a gambling activity rather than a game.

This isn't to say that all games that involve randomness aren't games. Far from it. Most games have some form of randomization, in the form of dice, cards, spinners or other random number generators. But those games allow the player to influence the final outcome in some way, either through how they manipulate other elements of the game or allowing them to manipulate the random number generator itself.

In any case, if the player can make a choice that improves or reduces their chances of winning, the activity in question becomes a game instead of just a complicated activity. It becomes a good game if the player has many ways of influencing victory and those methods of influence are discoverable by the player in some natural way.

A bad game presents rules but offers the player little to no choice in the matter of whether they win or lose. It will win or lose the game for the player, regardless of the amount of effort they put in. The are given a loss or victory, rather than being awarded it based on their performance.

In short, a good game allows the player influence the attainment of victory through effort, a bad game harshly restricts or takes away that influence.