Games and Rules : Game Mechanics for the »Magic Circle« Why do we play games and why do we play them on computers The contributors of Games and Rules take a closer look at the core of each game and the motivational system that is the game mechanics. Games are control circuits that organize the game world with their (joint) players and establish motivations in a dedicated space a Magic Circle whereas game mechanics are constructs of rules designed for interactions that provide gameplay. Those rules form the base for all the excitement and frustration we experience in games.This anthology contains individual essays by experts and authors with backgrounds in Game Design and Game Studies who lead the discourse to get to the bottom of game mechanics in video games and the real world among them Miguel Sicart and Carlo Fabricatore Frontmatter Contents Introduction Suter Beat Kocher Mela Bauer René PLAY MOTIVATION Rules of Play as a Framework for the Magic Circle Suter Beat Games as a Special Zone Bauer René Play Computers Sicart Miguel GAME MECHANICS Requirements for a General Game Mechanics Framework Hofmann Imre Underneath and Beyond Mechanics Fabricatore Carlo GUIDANCE SYSTEMS Hansel and Gretel Kato Hiloko Bauer René The Spectacular Space Bauer René Kato Hiloko Nonverbal Guidance Systems Rotzetter Francine ETHICS Ethics as a Game Mechanism Walk Wolfgang The Player as Puppet Kato Hiloko Bauer René The Ethical Avatar Walk Wolfgang Barrett Mark L. GAME SPACES Rules Shape Spaces Spaces Shape Rules Götz Ulrich Game Mechanics of Serious Urban Games Kocher Mela NPC AND NON HUMAN GAME DESIGN NPC and Me Hack Günter When Game Mechanics Come Crawling out of Ant Colonies Westerlaken Michelle Authors