Definitions

IVANHOE: GAME PLAY DEFINITIONS

September 25, 2001; Revised October 2, 2001

identities:
player | role | collective | game master

game:
game | game state | game play | game path | rule

SPACES

discourse field:
definition: historical set of artifacts that includes and describes a text; the expanded bibliographic universe that invests a cultural artifact
contents: (partial list) historical biographies of author; letters, journals, or other personal documents of author; periodicals from historical period; critical exegesis
access: public
constraints: the discourse field is continually expanding--new artifacts are discovered; new commentaries are always being written
formal representation: subset of the elements composing the game space; represented by "D"

defined discourse field:
definition: artifacts that have been made part of the game space , either through a bibliographic reference or an upload of text to the data space
contents: any artifact either cited or uploaded
access: citations may be public or private; uploaded texts are public
formal representation: subset of D; "d"

data space:
definition: all data which support play; all that can actually be edited during the course of a game
contenets:source text, player data, role data, game data data, point data, theatre and cafe transcripts
constraints: elements predefined, number of instances and content ever-expanding (roles can join games in progress)
access: contains both public and private files; no single player has access to all of this
formal representation: subset of the game space

system space:
definition: all data and routines that regulate play
contenets: point data, rules
access: public; all players can view all points and rules at all times
purpose: defines allowable changes to the document space and discourse field
agents: occupied by human or computer intelligence or both

game space:
definition: the space engendered by the initiation of a game; populated through the course of a game
contents: game space = data space + system space
agents: directed by a game master (human or computer)

play space:
definition: interface to game space

IDENTITIES

player:
definition: human who assumes roles
address: player data
actions: create roles, participate in chat room
constraints: ?

role:
definition: assumed identity of player or computer
address: role data
actions: create games, moves, challenges, participate in living theatre

collective:
definition: group of roles gathered for a game
address: shared game space

game master:
definition: human and/or computer arbiter
address: system space
actions: admits players, assigns points, rules on challenges

ACTIONS

move:
definition: change in game state allowed by rules

model 1: process
- a move is the submission, evaluation, and implementation of an atomic change in state
- atomic change = change in a single variable

challenge:
definition: proposal to return a game to a previous state
origin: challenges come only from roles or from players?
effect: challenged role must respond

GAME

game:
definition: intervention in a discourse field (D) initiated and executed by the collective
product:generates a data space
setting: a game space

game state:
definition: at any instant, defined by the contents of the game space
access: part of this is public; part of this is private

game play:
definition: factor that determines a role's knowledge of game state when making a move

model 1: sequential single
- one move at a time, single (known) active player
- immediate evaluation and implementation
- game state known
- no restrictions on sequence (except maybe disallow consecutive moves by one player)
model 2: sequential simultaneous
- one move at a time, multiple (known or unknown) active players
- evaluation and implementation occurs on a first-come-first-served basis
- game state possibly unknown
model 3: sequential session
- one move at a time, single (known) active player
- immediate evaluation and implementation
- game state known
- predefined sequence
model 4: cluster session
- moves submitted by deadline
- simultaneous evaluation followed by simultaneous implementation
- reconciliation by human or computer intelligence (game master or collective?)

game path:
definition: factor determines whether the Ivanhoe game is primarily an elaboration of a discourse field, a set of roles, or a collective

model 1: single path
- players are required to observe others' moves
- game state cannot be chosen
- single (negotiated) text is result
model 2: forking paths
- players are not required to observe others' moves in their own moves (I can insert a sentence in a paragraph previously deleted by another player)
- game state can be chosen
- texts can result

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