Huizinga’s Theory of Play Compared with Final Fantasy VII

According to Huizinga, previous research has attempted to define play’s function, but if it has a function is “not play”. Therefore he does not attempt to describe play’s psychological and physiological functions but rather describes it in a social context. His main concern is to grasp the value and significance of manipulated images that play is based on. Also the action of play and it as a culture factor in life. Play and culture are interwoven into each other.

The following essay will compare Huizinga’s definitions of the characteristics, functions and elements of play with the game Final Fantasy VII.

The main characteristics of play

1.1 play is not “ordinary” or “real” life – it is stepping out of real life into a temporary into a tempory sphere of activity with a disposition all of it’s own
1.2 its secludedness, its limitedness – The amount of time and space. repetition and alteration for every time it is played and in its structure.
1.3 it creates an order, is order – it brings a temporary limited perfection through rules.

The function of play

2.1 The contest for something or the
2.2 representation of something.
2.3 Or together as a representation of a contest or a
2.4 contest of representation.

Elements of play

3.1 order
3.2 tension
3.3 movement


Huizinga’s theory compared to Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VII is originally a console game for the Playstation and was released in 1997. It is a good example of a turn-based role-playing game and many others are very similar in their structure. There is usually an interactive world with thresholds within it, a world map and separate battle scenes that act as a gutters or transition areas between thresholds in the narrative. The following is the attempt to compare Huizinga’s theory of play to this game.

The main characteristics of play

1.1
Though one gets serious and absorbed into the game play and the acts may be a serious chore for the characters within the storyline, it is an act of leisure for the player. For example, the battle scenes would be a matter of life or death for the character’s yet is a game for the player. The player is always aware that the event is fiction and not real.

1.2
There is limited in length because there is a definite beginning and end to the game. Also there are limited spaces within the game that the player cannot advance through until they’ve accomplished certain tasks such as defeat a monster in a battle scene. Though one can generally play it their own pace there are events within the game where the character has a limited amount of time such as when Cloud only has ten minutes to escape from the reactor before it explodes.

1.3
Rules with in the game are most evident with in the battle scenes. The primary rule in the game is that player has to defeat the boss before he or she can advance and cannot flee from boss battles either. Also if all player’s character’s run out of health then it is game over. Rules may also work to the player’s advantage because a boss may be weak to certain elemental spells such as fire, ice, or thunder and the player can use these it if they can identify these advantages.

The player also may have to solve a puzzle in an area before he or she can advance. For example, while entering the 2nd reactor, the player has to press a button consecutively with the other characters before the door will open so they can advance.

The function of play

The battle scenes are where one is in a contest with the game itself for victory. The adversaries in the stories challenge the player and each side’s goal is to defeat each other by depleting the other sides health. These battles can be considered as a representation of a contest.

Elements of play

3.1
Order results from the limitedness and rules that are placed within the game. This results in tension and the relief from tension. The game does not contain any cheat codes so the rules of the game cannot be broken.

3.2
Tension is brought from the narrative, game play and the combination of both. Tension in the narrative would be the uncertainty of the events that have occurred in the present, past, or future. For example, the truth behind Cloud’s past becomes questionable further in the story when Tifa reveals a different version of the story to the other characters.

Tension is also brought from the game play such as the battle scenes, puzzles and mini games. An interesting factor about the game is that it contains mini games within the main game itself. For example Golden Circle where one can play arcade games within the prefabricated world with the main character in a video game arcade.

Tension is also brought from the narrative and the game play combined because the battle scenes and the puzzles supplement the tension of the storyline as they restricts the player from advancing in the same event. A adversary may discuss his intentions which builds up the tension before he attacks which results in a battle scene. Random battles while travelling across thresholds also bring tension because the player is surprised by a sudden restriction in movement and is only relieved once they have defeated the enemy

3.3
The element of movement would be how the player has to explore the world and solve puzzles to advance. He or she has freedom to interact and explore the world in any order unless restricted from a certain area by a puzzle or a battle scene. Movement in the battle scenes is determined by the choices of commands by the player that determines the result of the battle.