GameZ & RuleZ

We are back with a new edition of the conference on «Gamez & ruleZ» and are able to present some exciting international speakers to you. This year, the conference on «Gamez & ruleZ» sets the focus on Mechanics of Play. It will take place on October 20./21, 2022, ToniAreal, 5th Floor, Room 5.K12 (Kunstraum). We plan a live-stream.

This years topic: The Mechanics of Play in Arts and Culture

Play seems to be a free form, it is self-contained and people do it to get satisfaction. It also helps us to communicate and understand what surrounds us. It is best understood in correlation to normal life or work. Work favours pain and play favours pleasure. Work has to be done to increase productivity, play does not have to be productive, it is not constricted, may be spontaneous, aimless and creative at the same time. And you may even learn something by playing.

The conference looks at moments of play, different aspects of play and playful approaches in games, art and culture. What does free play mean in comparison to play a game with set rules? What happens, if we start changing some of the set rules? And what happens if we constrict free play with boundaries and some rules? If play is like a language, there must be some elements of play that we use in different kinds of playing.

With our guests we are discussing these elements and their connections as mechanics of play. Jörg Piringer plays with language and code. Matteo Bittanti delves into politics and ideology of playing video games. Sonia Fizek looks at playing at a distance and Nathalie Lawhead makes us familiar with humor in playing with software. And there is more, we are pleased to welcome ten guest speakers at the gameZ & ruleZ 2022.

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This is a Gamesweek Zurich pre-event.