In video game literature and video game reviews, video games are often divided into two distinct parts: interface and gameplay. Good video games, it is assumed, have easy to use interfaces, but they also provide difficult gameplay challenges to the player. But must a good game follow this pattern, and what is the difference between interface and gameplay? When does the easy-to-use interface stop, and when does the challenging gameplay begin? By analyzing a number of games, the paper argues that it is rare to find a clear-cut border between interface and gameplay and that the fluidity of this border characterizes games in general. While this border is unclear, we also analyze a number of games where the challenge is unambiguously located in the interface, thereby demonstrating that "easy interface and challenging gameplay" is neither universal nor a requirement for game quality. Finally, the paper argues, the lack of a clear distinction between easy interface and challenging gameplay is due to the fact that games are fundamentally designed not to accomplish something through an activity, but to provide an activity that is pleasurable in itself. Read more...

Social science, policy and popular discourse around counterfeiting regularly position consumers of counterfeit goods as part of a technological elite or motivated by anti-capitalist or anti-corporate positions. In order to explore this construction and highlight its associated limitations, this paper presents quantitative data collected through postal and web-based questionnaires looking at the frequency, location and motivations for the purchase of counterfeit leisure items for consumers in the United Kingdom. The paper suggests the purchase and consumption of counterfeit goods is commonplace across a broader variety of age, gender and socio-economic status categories than often assumed. The study also highlights the value of viewing the consumption of counterfeit goods as social and situated, occurring within existing social networks and familiar locations, and as closely related to other consumption practices. Read more...

From the very beginning of the computer gaming industry, women have been involved - as players, artists, programmers, producers, managers and even CEOs for premier game development houses. Why is it then, that most games are not developed to include women as part of the audience? This text explores the answers to this question and examines the relationship between women and computer games, both the women in the gaming industry and the women who serve as a market or potential market for computer games. Written for game designers, developers and publishers, the book explains the benefits of considering gender differences in game development and marketing. Using popular game titles as examples, the book explores why these games appeal to such a predominantly male audience, and investigates the key differences between male and female entertainment criteria. It also explains how males and females differ in regard to reward systems and learning styles, and how this information can be used to enhance game play. Read more...