Raph Koster’s “Theory of Fun”

Human beings naturally pursue “fun.” Whether enjoying entertaining movies, artworks, games, or being around amusing people, many individuals are drawn to “fun.” This pursuit of “fun” can also be observed in romantic relationships, as seen in the way comedians often win over beauties. It can be said that seeking “fun” is a natural aspect of human nature.

However, defining “fun” is not easy. Moreover, we do not fully understand when we experience “fun.”

Authority in Game Development, Raph Koster

Fortunately, someone has compiled information about “fun” in this way. That someone is the author Raph Koster. He was a senior creative executive at Sony Online Entertainment and mainly involved in the gaming industry.

While he may not have the same level of recognition as famous developers like Richard Garriott of the Ultima series, Sid Meier of the Civilization series, Bill Roper of StarCraft and Diablo, or John Carmack of DOOM and Quake, Koster is still considered one of the influential developers in the gaming industry.

Raph Koster’s Theory of Fun

In his book titled “Theory of Fun,” he analyzes the concept of “fun.” Drawing from his experiences in game development and various scholarly knowledge, he discusses what “fun” is and when we experience it.

Though not considered definitive, the book theorizes about “fun” as a concept. While defining “fun” in one sentence is challenging, within the context he presents, readers can indirectly understand what “fun” entails.

He starts by introducing “fun” and explaining how the brain functions regarding it.

Brain Function Related to Fun

To grasp fun, Koster discusses brain function. He compares the brain to a Pac-Man, constantly consuming concepts like a pattern detector. Games are particularly appetizing patterns for the brain. He notes that the brain tends to cut out unrelated things, perceives more than we think, and actively interferes with seeing the real world. Ultimately, the brain tends to chunk things into meaningful clusters.

Noise, for instance, consists of continuous patterns we can’t comprehend. While everything has a pattern, not finding it leads to frustration. Once we recognize a pattern, revisiting it brings joy.

This recognition of patterns is similar to what he calls “Grok,” akin to “muscle memory.”

According to cognitive books, the human brain functions at three levels:

Conscious thinking: Logical and fundamental mental operations. Even those with high IQs are relatively slow, measured in IQ tests.
Connecting unrelated things: Quite slow but has integrated, associative, and intuitive characteristics.
Muscle memory: Not actual thinking; related to actions like pulling fingers away from fire before the brain processes it.

What is a Game?

Fun is naturally linked to games. We play games to experience “fun.” Therefore, separating “games” from “fun” is challenging.

Koster describes games as puzzles we must solve. The brain processes learning to drive a car, turning on a light switch, or memorizing multiplication tables in the same order.

From this perspective, games are fundamental and effective learning tools. They are about perception and learning to analyze patterns.

What is Fun?

Returning to the concept of “fun,” Koster explores its etymology. He introduces the origin of the English word “fun,” derived from Middle English “Fonne” or Gaelic “Fonn,” both meaning pleasure. Therefore, “games” represent a “source of joy.”

Scientifically, “fun” refers to the creation of endorphins in the body, resulting in a pleasant sensation in the brain. He cites moments like “victory” in learning or completing a task as examples of when endorphins are released.

Ultimately, the fun of a game comes from mastery, and mastery comes from understanding. Therefore, making a game enjoyable is about solving puzzles.

The Opposite of Fun: Boredom

If we consider the opposite of fun, boredom comes to mind. Koster says we feel bored when we no longer have anything to learn from a game.

When a game becomes too trivial, the challenge level fails to pique our interest. Similarly, if a player cannot grasp the pattern at all (too high a difficulty), or the speed of showing pattern variations is too slow (too low a difficulty), boredom naturally sets in.

In essence, a good game teaches everything a player needs to know before they quit. This, Koster believes, answers the question of “What is a game?” positively. Games are simultaneously teachers and expressions of learning.

“Everyone Finds Different Things Fun”

The essence of fun, the author says, is “learning without pressure or stress.” However, since the world is inhabited by various types of people, it can be said that individuals find enjoyment in different fields and elements. To support this claim, the author introduces Howard Gardner’s seven types of intelligence.

“Howard Gardner’s Seven Types of Intelligence”

Linguistic
Logical-mathematical
Bodily-kinesthetic
Spatial
Musical
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal

People have different types of intelligence. It can be assumed that people with different talents will find interest in different types of games. Based on this concept, the author believes that “video games” can supplement “lacking abilities.”

Additionally, Simon Baron-Cohen from the UK categorized the brain into “systemizing” and “empathizing” types. This distinction mainly varies by gender, and these differences also reflect in learning styles.

For instance, males tend to exhibit experiential learning methods, while females tend to pursue imitation-based learning methods.

Therefore, it’s fundamentally impossible to create a game that satisfies everyone at once.

“What Elements Make a Game Successful?”

Given the author’s experience in game development, the discussion naturally turns to “games.” The author also elaborates on the elements that make a successful game. By using the following questions, the author suggests that one can create “better games.”

Preparation: Consideration of several choices that may influence the player’s chances of success before facing challenges.
Sense of Space: Consideration of the game’s terrain and relationships between players.
Clear Core Structure: Organization of a set of rules.
Series of Challenges: Structuring challenges, quests, etc.
Skills Required for Confrontation: Structuring various weapons, tactics, etc.
Techniques for Using Skills.

If any of the above questions receives a “NO” as an answer, it’s necessary to rethink that aspect. If all questions receive a “YES,” then it’s time to consider the following questions:

Is preparation necessary before taking on challenges?
Is it possible to approach challenges in various ways, and can you still succeed?
Does the environment where challenges occur affect the challenges?
Are clear rules defined for the given challenges?
Do the set of rules create various types of challenges?
Can players use various abilities to cope with challenges?
When the difficulty increases, do players need to use various abilities to cope with challenges?
Is skill necessary for using abilities? (If skill is not necessary, does the game have basic moves like moving a piece in a checker game?)
Are there several stages of success to overcome challenges? (It’s problematic if the game ends with just one success.)
Do advanced players fail to benefit from easy challenges?
If a player fails a challenge, is there a mechanism to encourage them to try again?

Reflections on Fun and Games

Raph Koster’s theory of fun starts from an exploration of what “fun” is and extends to the concept of “games.” A good game can be said to be an “entertaining game.” According to his argument, a “good game” teaches the player something.

If you’re interested in game development, this book, which revolves around the two elements of “fun” and “games,” is recommended.

“Theory of Fun”