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Ludologie (of lat. ludus = the play) is the science of the play and designates the still recent, branch of research, which at the interface of culture and structure sciences with the aesthetic, cultural kommunikativen themselves, technical and structural aspects of the phenomenon "play" argues. Form the emphasis of the view thereby the history, development, analysis and theory of digital plays.
The term is particularly in the anglo-saxon linguistic area common and usually synonymously to the term (video) game theory used, with which to certain play types did not however only limit, mathematical game theory meant is general, but clearly far calm theory of playing.
In the closer context of the "Ludologie vs. Narratologie" - debate against it designates Ludologie the paradigm, in which the principle of the simulation is understood as core concept of the play. For this reason alternatively also the more neutral term play research use finds.
The oldest well-known culture phenomenon represents to plays at all. It is not only older than language, writing and art, but even older than the Homo Sapiens, because also many animals play and use the play for (Meta) communication among themselves and with humans. The central meaning of the concept "play" is directly plausible thereby if one considers that each humans spend his first, high-grade coining/shaping life decade at least predominantly easily. In addition, for adults institutionalized playing is a firm size; thus for example all kinds of sport fall under it.
Despite its operational readiness level lasting for thousands of years in the everyday life however there were to center 20. Century no considerable efforts to tackle a more detailed investigation of circumstances. After the play had thus gefristet regarding its scientific investigation long time a shade existence, it was finally Johan Huizinga, which moved it for the first time explicit with its kulturanthropologischen work Homo ludens 1938 in the academic footlights. In the connection it came isolated to substantial publications, their authors into it, like Wittgenstein (1950), in parts or also, like Caillois (1961), Bateson (1972), Suits (1978, 1995) or Sutton Smith (1981, 1997), extensively with the nature play was concerned, which however first rather the exception remained.
Only toward end of the 1990er publications began themselves to accumulate years up to the topic, and the basis of a new scientific discipline was formed. This was relevant the increasing establishment of digital plays to owe to its effects on the present culture as well as its increasing economic meaning. The designation "Ludologie" 1999 accepted by an article of Gonzalo Frasca a broader specialized public admits and in the consequence appreciably.
The Ludologie as independent branch of research still is in the early stage. It is concerned in far parts first with questions of the canon formation and the agreement on fundamental conceptualnesses and categories. With difficulty this becomes not only by the partly high but also firm due to various developments already in the everyday life use of different languages of embodied terms, whose meaning in the scientific context must again be specified. When concise example of it may serve the term "play" even, over whose clear demarcation one is everything else as united. Substantial contributions for clarifying the definition question carried recently (2003) Salen/Zimmerman and Jesper out Juul (not to confound with its name cousin).
The scientific discourse is dominated predominantly at present by university graduates from anglo-saxon and the nordischen countries. In particular their efforts are to create and coordinate for both research and teachings and the industry suitable institutions, already far progressed. Beside the high number of play-specific courses of studies, primarily in Great Britain and the USA, is to be mentioned thereby above all the mechanism centers for computer Games Research of the IT University OF Copenhagen (International Telecommunication Union), as think tank of the European Ludologie functioned.
In the German-speaking countries against it the self organization of the play researchers is so far still rather noncommittal and structured multidiscipline. Also it gives fewer industrial contacts, and the impact research possesses a higher value than abroad for political reasons. Forming the AG of computer games of the society for medium science registered association is however a sign for the fact that in it in foreseeable time something could change. First German Professuren with appropriate emphasis in December 2002 at Institut for simulation and diagram of the University of Magdeburg and in March 2006 also at Institut for medium and communication science DO Ilmenau occupied.
Primary focus of the Ludologie are the digital plays, for which there is measure-cultural phenomenon apart from their status as reasons also in principle: The computer is considered as universal medium. That has the consequence that not only arbitrary traditional plays converted on it, simulated or computer-assisted to be played to be able, but also a whole set of new plays becomes only so possible, partly in combination with contents and techniques of other medium forms (e.g. literature and film). This convergence development makes digital plays the ideal opinion object, in order to win general realizations over playing. Relevant questions are concerned thereby among other things with the following ranges:
In the course of its birth-sore the play research afforded the luxury of a heated led principle debate, whose effects are partly still noticeable in the form of ideological trench combats.
Starting point was the beginning of some literature and medium scientists, like Janet Murray and Celia Pearce to transfer their traditional equipment to the analysis from texts to that digital plays. For this purpose plays are defined as a further form of text, which follows then the well-known regularities. "Text" is understood here as kommunikatives general concept, as universal means for the "construction about sense" and enclosure thus also theatre, film and arbitrary other telling forms; even a play such as chess is regarded in this paradigm as narration.
This was rejected of the increasing group of Ludologen around Espen Aarseth categorically as unfounded; they set instead on the principle of the simulation, acting "as if", as core of the play actually:
Each play is characterised thereafter by the following elements: Rules (the explicit set of rules, in addition, implicit rules of the play mechanics), the play world (a material/semiotic system) and the Gameplay (the events, which result from the application of the rules to the play world and the actions of the players).
The violence of the original debate explains itself primarily from its perception as key conflict around the interpretation sovereignty of the phenomenon "play". The position of the Narratologen was regarded of the Ludologen as Okkupationsversuch by putting inadmissibly generalized concepts of a strange specialist area on, what led in the consequence to a conscious radicalization and Polemisierung also the argumentation of some simulationists. Exemplary for this is a quotation of Markku Eskelinnen, arrived in this context at relative celebrity: "If I throw A ball RK you, I don't expect you ton drop it and WAIT until it starts telling stories."
Prevailing in the international play research is meanwhile a moderate ludologische aspect. This recognizes the usefulness of a traditionally textuellen analysis of play contents apart from the simulation as basic principle of the play quite on, however then even if originally narrative elements are present, which is answered in the negative for many plays, like e.g. chess or Tetris.
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