Caillois Terminology Notes

Caillois Terminology in Roger Caillois: Man, Play and Games

Cailois Divides play into four main categories:

•   Alea/(Chance)

•   Ilinx/(Vertigo)

•   Agon/(Competition)

•   Mimicry/(Simulation)


And alongside the four categories is the directions of Ludas and Paidia:

•   Paidia: Paidia is an emphasis on playfulness.

•   Ludas: Ludas means an emphasis on rules.

The four categories aren't meant as exclusive and inseparable. Collois gives examples of many types of hybrids between the categories. They are well thought of as elemental they are not components, but they dimensions of any given game or form of play.

•   Alea: Alea describes the element of chance, in the game chance creates the outcome.

•   Ilinx: Ilinx is discribed by Caliois by topic that doesn't nearly have as much attention as the other categories that Caillois described.

•   Agon: Agon is the copetitive nature of play, agon depends on competition and opposition such as sport. 

•   Mimicry: Mimicry is the developing side of games. Mimicry is is another to participate within the illusory world.

•   Paidia: Paidia is the freedom within gameplay of basic levels, the freedom and rules have a relationship because the gameplay is depending on the rules of the game but simultaneously it is about the freedom from the rules.

•   Ludas: Ludas is a desire to find amusement in obstacles, that leads to the sense of what games are but the definition alone does not imply it.