What makes a game good? or bad? or better?
Well Played is a concept of providing in-depth close readings of games that parse out the various meanings to be found through the experience of playing a game. The term “well played” is used in several senses. Initially it was in two ways. On the one hand, well played is to games as well read is to books. So, a person who reads a lot of books is “well read” and a person who plays a lot of games is “well played.” On the other hand, well played as in well done. So, a hand of poker can be “well played” by a person, and a game can be “well played” by the development team. Jose Zagal has articulated a third way of considering well played in an ethical sense. So, players should consider how to play well in terms of not cheating, and developers should consider how to make games that treat players respectfully. And Bernie De Koven’s The Well Played Game, is a spiritual precedence to joys of playing well.
The Well Played Journal is a forum for in-depth close readings of games that parse out the various meanings to be found in the experience of playing a game. It is a reviewed journal open to submissions that will be released on a regular basis with high-quality essays.
Contributors are encouraged to look at games through all three senses of “well played,” analyzing sequences in a game in detail in order to illustrate and interpret how the various components of a game can come together to create a fulfilling playing experience unique to this medium. Through contributors, the journal will provide a variety of perspectives on the value of games.
The goal of the journal is to continue developing and defining a literacy of games as well as a sense of their value as an experience. Contributors are invited to also discuss games in general (ranging from tabletop, to big games and more) and how they are often designed for different fields (education, entertainment, etc.) as we more fully develop a literacy around games and play. Contributors are encouraged to consider using screenshots and video of their gameplay in order to help illustrate their ideas. And we’re open to suggestions on themed issues around a specific game or a topic across games.
Games are a complex medium that merits careful interpretation and insightful analysis. By inviting contributors to look closely at games and the experience of playing them, we hope to expand the discussion, and show how games are well played in a variety of ways.
The Well Played Journal will be published regularly. We won’t develop a set schedule until we have a good sense of the amount of quality submissions. Our goal is to publish as often as we have great essays. There won’t be a subscription, although as with all our publications, all issues will be available for download for free, and we’ll offer print versions for sale through Lulu.com.
All submissions and any questions should be sent to:
ISSN 2164-344X (Print)
ISSN 2164-3458 (Online)
Well Played
Post-Mortems on AR and VR Games
Volume 13 Number 1
(Initially released in January, 2024)
Introduction
Drew Davidson
Paws and Presence: The Impact of a Quadrupedal Avatar on Virtual R...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V13 N1: Post-Mortems on AR and VR Games
Well Played
eSports and Community
Volume 12 Number 1
Barry Joseph, Stan Altman and Nick Fortugno
(Initially released in January, 2023)
The City College of New York
Introduction: Esports as Commu...
Book DetailsAuthor : Barry Joseph
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V12 N1: eSports and Community
Well Played
Ethics
Volume 11 Number 1
José P. Zagal
(Initially released in July, 2022)
To Ethically Play Well
José P. Zagal
The Dilemmas of a Disco Cop 5: Ethically Well Played Experiences in...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V11 N1: Ethics
Well Played
Playable Theatre
Volume 10 Number 2
Celia Pearce and Nick Fortugno
(Initially released in July, 2021)
Introduction: Building a Plane in Mid-Air
Celia Pearce
TPK in Elsinore: The Lar...
Book DetailsAuthor : Celia Pearce
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V10 N2: Playable Theatre
Well Played
Escape Rooms
Volume 10 Number 1
Clara Fernández-Vara and Ira Fay
(Initially released in April, 2021)
Introduction
Clara Fernández-Vara and Ira Fay
A Descriptive Schema for Escape ...
Book DetailsAuthor : Clara Fernandez-Vara
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V10 N1: Escape Rooms
Well Played
The Sporting Mindset
Volume 8 Number 3
John Sharp
(Initially released in September, 2019)
Introduction
John Sharp
Exploring the Sporting Metagames of Competitive Android: Netrunner
...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V8 N3: The Sporting Mindset
Well Played
Intergenerational Play
Volume 8 Number 2
Eric Klopfer
(Initially released in September, 2019)
Introduction
Eric Klopfer
Games, Play, Meaning and Minecraft
Diane Carr & Cheesyca...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V8 N2: Intergenerational Play
Well Played
Connected Learning Summit
Volume 8 Number 1
(Initially released in May, 2019)
The Logical Journey of Reimagining “Zoombinis:” Adventure, Research, and Computational Thinking
Jodi ...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V8 N1: Connected Learning Summit
Well Played
Meaningful Play and Games for Social and Emotional Learning
Volume 7 Number 2
Susan E. Rivers and Heidi McDonald
(Initially released in February, 2018)
iThrive Games Founder’s Lette...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V7 N2: Meaningful Play and Games for Social and Emotional Learning
Well Played
Analog Games
Volume 7 Number 1
Ira Fay
(Initially released in February, 2018)
Introduction
Ira Fay
Distribution, Deckbuilding, and Design in Star Wars: The Card Game
Nick Bestor
N...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V7 N1: Analog Games
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 6 Number 3
(Initially released in September, 2017)
Agency, Identity, Sex, Gender, and Pokémon Go
Allison Bannister
So Close You Can Feel Her Prostitu...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V6 N3: Games, Value and Meaning
Well Played
European Videogames of the 1980s
Volume 6 Number 2
Clara Fernández-Vara and Bennett Foddy
(Initially released in June, 2017)
European Videogames of the 1980s
Clara Fernández-Vara &...
Book DetailsAuthor : Bennett Foddy
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V6 N2: European Videogames of the 1980s
Well Played
Let's Play
Volume 6 Number 1
Moses Wolfenstein and Drew Davidson
(Initially released in January, 2017)
Introduction
Moses Wolfenstein
Well Played let's play: 6.1 Videos
Who Needs V...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V6 N1: Let’s Play
Well Played
GLS and DiGRA
Volume 5 Number 2
(Initially released in May, 2016)
PART 1: DIGRA
EVE is Real: How conceptions of the 'real' affect and reflect an online game community
Marcus Carter, ...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V5 N2: GLS and DiGRA
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 5 Number 1
(Initially released in April, 2016)
A Narrative Dream: The Unfinished Swan
Eric Guadara
Handling Differences in Skills between Parents and ...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V5 N1: Games, Value and Meaning
Well Played
Diversity in Games
Volume 4 Number 3
Jane Pinckard and Clara Fernández-Vara
(Initially released in November, 2015)
Introduction
Celia Pearce
From Pixel Babes to Active Agents – H...
Book DetailsAuthor : Clara Fernandez-Vara
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V4 N3: Diversity in Games
Well Played
Learning and Games
Volume 4 Number 2
Stephen Jacobs and Ira Fay
(Initially released in September, 2015)
Introduction
Stephen Jacobs
Medulla: A 2D sidescrolling platformer game that ...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V4 N2: Learning and Games
Well Played
DiGRA & GLS
Volume 4 Number 1
Sean Duncan and Caro Williams
(Initially released in April, 2015)
PART ONE: DIGRA
Where’s BattleTech in MechWarrior Online? A Case Study in Game A...
Book DetailsAuthor : Caro Williams
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V4 N1: DiGRA and GLS
Well Played
Seriously Weird
Volume 3 Number 2
Emily Flynn-Jones
(Initially released in September, 2015)
Introduction
Emily Flynn-Jones
Part One: Out of Control
Weird WarioWare
Instructi...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V3 N2: Seriously Weird
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 3 Number 1
(Initially released in February, 2014)
Assassin’s Creed III: The Complete Unofficial Guide, a Teacher’s Limited Edition
Wade Berger, P...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V3 N1: Games, Value and Meaning
Well Played
Theories of Well Played
Volume 2 Number 2
John Sharp
(Initially released in September, 2013)
Introduction
John Sharp
Inhabiting Games Well (If not Uncomfortably...)
Casey O’D...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V2 N2: Theories of Well Played
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 2 Number 1
(Initially released in November, 2012)
Stories from the Seats of Power: Chopper versus Chopper as dueling Travelogues
Matthew Thomas Payne...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V2 N1: Games, Value and Meaning
Well Played
Romance in Games
Volume 1 Number 4
Jane Pinckard
(Initially released in July, 2012)
Technology and emotion: Playing for the love of the game
Richard E. Ferdig & Kristine E. Pyt...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V1 N4: Romance in Games
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 1 Number 3
(Initially released in May, 2012)
Time Tech and Tales: The fall and rise of the popularity of narration in games seen through Monkey Island...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V1 N3: Games, Value and Meaning
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 1 Number 2
(Initially released in February, 2012)
BioShock and Portal: A Discussion of Poetics
Yotam Haimberg
We should be heroes… A case study ...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V1 N2: Games, Value and Meaning
Well Played
Games, Value and Meaning
Volume 1 Number 1
(Initially released in October, 2011)
These essays were part of the Well Played Sessions at GLS 7.0, the 2011 Games+Learning+Society Confer...
Book DetailsAuthor : Drew Davidson
Publish : 2024
Publisher : Play Story Press
Well Played V1 N1: Games, Value and Meaning
