Contributions of JASAG and Japanese Gaming—A Westerner's Perspective

Vol. 25, No. 2, December, 2015 45 Special Contribution Contributions of JASAG and Japanese Gaming ̶ A Westerner’s Perspective Willy Christian KRIZ (FHV University Austria) Otagaki Rengetsu 太田垣蓮月(1791‒1875) who is one of my for the discipline. In addition to forms of play that we can find in favorite Japanese poets from Kyoto wrote: all human beings and societies the Japanese culture is extremely rich and several unique forms of play emerged as interconnected “My figure / back in the hometown / I played in and knew elements in and of Japanese culture. For example “Lotus Moon” well / through springs and autumns / ah, such wistful mem- Rengetsu was also well known for perfection at dance, some of ories.”（ Haruaki ni / asobi nare ni shi / furusato no / wa ga the martial arts, and Japanese tea ceremony. Dance̶including omokage no / natsukashiki kana. はるあきにあそびな of course also the famous “Kabuki”（歌舞伎） form of dance and れにし古里にわがおもかげのなつかしき哉） theatre̶ and also the Japanese tea ceremony use forms of play as well (Kikkawa, 2016). When I had the great honor to give a short opening message at Huizinga also reflected on the meaning of play and selected as the 2015 ISAGA and JASAG conference in Kyoto I also used opposite term earnest. He argued, however, that these two terms this “waka”（和歌） (type of “Japanese poem”) as introduction. I are not of equal value. Earnest is equivalent with not playing, used the English translation and I do not know how correct it is. but play is not defined by being not earnest (Huizinga 1955). I do not speak or understand Japanese language and I am aware Players can be playful and serious while playing a game. Klab- that it is not possible to have a deeper understanding of a culture bers (2009, p. 5) remarked that “strictly speaking the term ‘seri- without mastering the language. Most of the Japanese games and ous game’ excludes play and ‘serious games’ are not playful”. gaming literature is published in Japanese language, therefore The term serious game, therefore causes terminological confu- my point of view is a purely westener's perspective and very sion that is still part of the academic discourse. This term was much limited. introduced 1970 by Clark Abt in his correspondent book, “Seri- When Huizinga 1938 wrote the famous book “Homo Ludens” ous Games”. Actually, the term is used mainly by the 3-D video- he pointed out that play is not only a key element in human cul- game industry and by researchers on digital games that aim to ture but also of culture. Mammals and humans play. They phylo- discuss the value and use of entertainment games for learning genetically developed more and more complex forms of games and education. Originally, the term included all different forms and playing in co-evolution with the evolution of the brain, of of games (e.g. outdoor games in nature, board and card games, cognitive and social skills, language, and of a reflecting mind. fact-to-face role-playing games etc). Board games were widely For example, cats play-fight to prepare themselves for real fights used worldwide from the 17th century for entertainment and ed- with the neighbor’s dog. Children learn important aspects of real ucation. We find countless examples of game artifacts that illus- life through role-play. They play out different alternatives of be- trate some kind of space or landscape. Players move game fig- havior, they learn about consequences of actions, assimilate past ures around the board to simulate a journey. Other games show experiences, and prepare for real future behavior. The “founding chronological information and players imagine to move through father” of ISAGA, professor Richard Duke, described gaming as time (e.g. receiving information about historical events). Other the future’s language (Duke 1974) and Japan had and still has an games represent a metaphorical travel or they show real-world important role in developing gaming as a language for the better processes in a playful way. These types of gaming we can also understanding and acting in complex socio-technical systems find in Japan. For example the game of “blooming prosperity” and societies. （zensei fuki sugoroku 全盛富貴寿古録） from 1872 was de- Theater provides some of the main roots of gaming simula- signed for promotion purposes by the Dai-ichi-bank（ Strouhal, tion. We can find elements of role-play, actors, stories, narrative, 20151) and uses the process of moving through a city with dif- and metaphorical approaches within gaming and simulation set- ferent kinds of shops and markets. The game shinpan waridashi tings. Sports games with elements of competition, cooperation, sugoroku 新板わ里出し壽古六（ from 1860 by Kinjudo, 錦重 challenge, performance, skills, motivation, strategies, goals, 堂 Tokyo） illustrates a Kabuki theatre with the goal to make a measurement, scores, and tracking progress provide other roots way to the stage. Of course also other cultures were interested in 46 シミュレーション & ゲーミング Japan and we find games like “Fusiyama” （富士山） around games and urban planning games as a representation of space. 1900; this German game shows a way to climb mount Fuji. Al- Not only is the concept of space displayed on the game board, though these games were designed mainly for fun and entertain- more importantly, it is embedded within the principles and rules ment, they can to some extent support also serious learning pur- of play. The game board ensures emptiness at the beginning of poses. In addition, we can call them early simulation games as the game. Out of this emptiness, there is an emergence of pat- some of them try to simulate an economic and/or social process. terns like those found in creation. The arrangement of the board, In the 1960’s and 1970’s, several gaming and simulation asso- pieces, and rules implies a development of those patterns from ciations were founded (e.g., North American Simulation and the marginal areas of the board towards the center. There are dif- Gaming Association̶NASAGA, International Simulation and ferent phases of the game; the fuseki 布石 at the beginning is Gaming Association̶ISAGA, Association for Business Simula- characterized by a great openness and the need for global think- tion and Experiential Learning̶ABSEL, Society for the Ad- ing. Fuseki encompasses the first 15‒30 moves that very often vancement of Games and Simulations in Education and Train- take half of the playing time of a game that consists of roughly ing̶SAGSET etc.) and the journal, Simulation & Gaming was 150‒250 moves. Later phases like joseki 定石 show a change to established. These associations and the journal were always in- more structured moves and patterns in certain areas of the board, terested not only in games and play, but in simulation as well. with a need for more detailed local thinking. The white and The focal point is on games and simulations. This means that black stones are related to the principles of Yin and Yang from games can be used to simulate sociotechnical systems and pro- Chinese philosophy and Taoism. The ideal gameplay, therefore, cesses and that simulation games are models of represented real is a balance between the two elements and the two players’ systems and processes in order to support the better understand- achievements on the board. The rules are few and simple. Nev- ing of how a system and/or process works. This enhanced under- ertheless, it is the most complex game. Of course, Go was also standing of complex systems through gaming simulation can be used in education, for training of concentration and to teach used for various purposes, including education and training, pol- strategy. Finding the right and “beautiful” way of play related to icy and decision making, testing of strategies, organizational the principles of the Tao is more important to the game, howev- transformation, and research (Kriz 2017). The foundation of er. It is not so much about the external fights on a battlefield, but JASAG in 1988/1989 was another important milestone and this about the internal fight of the human being for balance and per- association has since then contributed to the worldwide advance- sonal mastery on the way to enlightenment. The Japanese Nobel ment of the discipline. Prize winner Kawabata Yasunari described it as the “mysterial or Gaming and simulation has ancient roots in the tradition of secret depth of Go”. war games. Historically, many war games can be traced back to In 2015 I selected the starting poem of Rengetsu for its meta- GO 碁 (from China), CHATURANGA and CHESS (from India). phorical relationship with the conference. We came home in one The game Go, which I consider the most perfect game ever de- of our “Gaming hometowns”, Kyoto. JASAG already held the veloped, is a good example. Although its origins lie in China 22nd ISAGA conference in 1991 in Kyoto. This brings happy about 4000 years ago, the art and science of playing this game and wistful memories. The 1991 conference was organized by reached its peak in Japan, with a Godokoro 碁所 (“Go minister”) Hiroharu Seki. The main theme was “Global Modeling for Solv- and a Kisei 棋聖 (“Go Saint”) at the palace in Edo. The art of ing Global Problems.” The conference took place shortly after playing Go can be therefore considered as a cultural Japanese the foundation of JASAG and aimed, in part, to contribute to the heritage, too. Go can be seen not only as a game, but as a whole progress of science. One of the strengths of JASAG is the orga- philosophy. It is a simulation game because it is an abstract nization’s persistent pursuit of this goal.

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