What about Cavinball?

Could Cavinball be considered a game? Could meaningful play emerge from it? Why/why not?

'K, before I get started here, let's do a quick revision on what defines a game again... Basically, a game would consists of the following components:

• Voluntary action from the player's part (otherwise it's not a game*)
• Interactivity
• Players required, of course :)
• Rules that lead to or provide some form of constraints
• Artificial Conflict
• A quantifiable outcome

First stop: Voluntary action? I would say a definite yes! Check.

Interactivity? From the description, it seems kind of bizarre but nonetheless yes.

Players? No qualms about that :)

Now here's the tricky bit - the rules bit... While there are so called "rules" ahered to Cavinball with reference to the use of areas, zones and flags, the fact that they could be altered at the whim of players in the course of playing and beyond, give the overall impression that there aren't any rules to begin with... I know this may sound cliché but aren't rules supposed to be consistent and made to be followed throughout or well, to a certain extent anyway. No rules mean no constraints either, so I don't think so.

Artificial Conflict? I can't seem to find any so I would have to disagree on this one too.

Finally, a quantifiable outcome? I guess an objective of Calvinball could be in that no one could be carried out in an identical manner as before but is it quantifiable? Not really, especially with the part about how score can be disregarded, so it would be a no to that as well.

Overall verdict: No, it's not a game (though it sure sounds fun :p)

That takes us to the second question... Could meaningful play emerge from it? Strangely enough, I think it could...

Although, the changing of "rules" by any player in the course of playing does make it kind of unpredictable. There is still a certain level of discernability in that one could predict or rather expect others to act/behave accordingly with regard to the type of actions/gestures in different zones, the use of flags, etc as and whenever they are being changed in the course of playing (sort of like an "unspoken rule" if you like).

On the other hand, the type of actions/gestures used and the manner in which playing proceeds, does affect the overall outcome of Calvinball in that they must not be identical. Thus, this could also be considered as a form of integration in a way, I think.