Magic circle

The Magic Circle is a metaphor for thinking about the time/space in which a game is played.

• The magic circle has boundaries of space and time. A soccer pitch is a different place before vs during the game.
• When players enter the magic circle, the game mediates their interactions.
• Inside the magic circle, specialized meanings are given to objects and actions.
• The magic circle is a temporary world-within-the-world.
• Entering the magic circle requires suspending disbelief.

Questions:

• How can I mark boundaries?
• How can I arrange objects/people/space to facilitate play?
• How can I mark special meanings and events?
• How can I create a temporary world, separate from ordinary reality? How should I set the scene?
• How can I embrace inefficiency and suspend disbelief?

See book Rules of Play for more on this topic.