The Infinite Playground

Bernard De Koven, Holly Gramazio, Celia Pearce , Eric Zimmerman

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English

MIT Press
05 July 2022

Cognition & cognitive psychology

In his final work, a visionary game designer reveals how a surprising range of play-based experiences can unlock our imagination and help us capture the power of fun and delight.

This final work from a visionary game designer reveals how a surprising range of play-based experiences can unlock our imagination and help us capture the power of fun and delight.

Bernard De Koven (1941-2018) was a pioneering designer of games and theorist of fun. He studied games long before the field of game studies existed. For De Koven, games could not be reduced to artifacts and rules; they were also about experiencing fun. His final book, The Infinite Playground, is about the power of the imagination- the imagination as a playground, a possibility space, and a gateway to wonder.

De Koven guides the readers through a series of observations and techniques, interspersed with games. He begins with the fundamentals of play, and proceeds through the private imagination, the shared imagination, and imagining the world-observing, ""the things we imagine can become the world."" Along the way, he reminisces about playing ping-pong with basketball great Bill Russell; begins the instructions for a game called Reception Line with ""Mill around""; and introduces blathering games-Blather, Group Blather, Singing Blather, and The Blather Chorale-that allow the player's consciousness to meander freely.

The Infinite Playground extends a play-centered invitation to experience the power and delight unlocked by imagination, offering a curriculum for playful learning.

By: Bernard De Koven, Holly Gramazio
Edited by: Celia Pearce, Eric Zimmerman
Imprint: MIT Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 137mm,
Weight: 369g
ISBN: 9780262543866
ISBN 10: 0262543869
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 05 July 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Bernard De Koven was a leading game designer and theorist of fun. He was a codirector of the New Games Foundation, a founder of the Games Preserve, the author of The Well-Played Game- A Player's Philosophy (MIT Press), Junkyard Sports, and A Playful Path, and creator of the website deepfun.com.

Reviews for The Infinite Playground

This book is magical, sacred, beautiful, and inspired. It will reintroduce you to mysterious joys of play you may have long forgotten. It will reveal to you surprising powers of gaming that will help you make a better future. Read this book now. Keep it as a treasured favorite forever. - Jane McGonigal, author of New York Times bestsellers Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World and SuperBetter: The Power of Living Gamefully First, close your eyes; next, imagine a world where the deep connections between games, play, imagination, compassion, love, life, and fun are all wonderfully clear and frame our every experience in life. Now, stick out your tongue and blow a great big raspberry of joy! Welcome to Bernie's playground! For those who are not familiar with the work of Bernie 'Blue' De Koven, this book could very well change your life. For those who have read his prior work, played his games, laughed and clapped hands with him, I can tell you that this final volume comes closer than ever to what he has always been trying to tell us about the importance of playing well, living well, and imagining our own beautiful playgrounds of life. - Tracy Fullerton, Director, USC Game Innovation Lab