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Playing against the rules: a new perspective on the potential of games and play as convivial and critical tools for imagining futures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2024

Anna O. Meshcheryakova  and
Fabian Hemmert
Anna O. Meshcheryakova*
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Germany
Fabian Hemmert
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Germany
*
meshcheryakova@uni-wuppertal.de

Abstract

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In recent years, we have observed an increased interest within the field of design research in both the concept of conviviality and playful approaches as a pathway to co-design and participation. While play is often associated with freedom of expression and creativity, the implication of rules and mechanics in games poses questions regarding the tension between player agency and designed gameplay. This paper aims to provide reflection on these topics through a lens of ‘critical play’ and presents a model to explore games’ potential as convivial tools for imagining collective futures.

Keywords

game designconvivialitydesign researchcritical playdesign analysis
Type
Design Theory and Research Methods
Information
Proceedings of the Design Society , Volume 4: DESIGN 2024 , May 2024 , pp. 55 - 64
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
The Author(s), 2024.

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