THERE IS ONLY A MAG...

ABOUT CHILDREN - SERIOUSLY

The largest English child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott called the game the main work of the child. He argued: everything that takes time from the game hinders development. But lately, it seems that people are not indulging in games ...

The largest English child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott called the game the main work of the child. He argued: everything that takes time from the game hinders development.

But lately it seems that not only children indulge in games, but also quite adult and respectable people. Back in the middle of the last century, this was noticed by the Dutch scientist, world-famous historian and culturologist Johan Huizinga. In his book Homo Ludens (The Playing Man), he called this phenomenon puerelism. The spirit of boyishness flourishes in the world, Huizinga argued.

What is a game? It is an activity that has no purpose other than itself. But the international bestseller by Eric Berne, an American psychotherapist and psychologist, the creator of transactional analysis, "Games People Play" revealed to all of humanity that we play not only when we carry a plastic car on the floor or sit at a card table, but also continuously, in any communication, taking on the role of a child, adult or parent.

Middle-earth and Narnia, the distant kingdom, the distant state - fabulous and fantastic worlds that captivate teenagers today, do not let young men and even adults go. Read about them, shoot and watch movies. Director Peter Jackson spent 10 months building the sets for his film The Lord of the Rings in the New Zealand landscape. And you can see the life, way of life, costumes and weapons of elves, hobbits, gnomes in Moscow, in the Neskuchny Garden. People of all ages play role-playing games here. And then there are intellectual board games with miniatures and collectible card games in the fantasy genre.

They appeared not so long ago - 13 years ago, when a young American mathematician Richard Garfield came up with the game Magic the Gathering. The first issues sold out instantly, the production could not cope with printing additional runs of these cards with images of mythical characters. The success of Magic the Gathering has spawned a whole culture of similar games around the world. Clubs began to emerge, local and international tournaments reveal the ratings of players and world-class stars. In Russia, its own intellectual board game in the fantasy genre was born - "Berserk", created by Maxim Istomin and Ivan Popov. We talk about it with one of the authors.

— Maxim, how was the game born?

Ivan and I are friends from school. Both love fantasy, read a lot, and also loved and love to draw. Then I entered a law school, and Ivan entered a medical school. We saw "Magic" and drew our own cards - mythical heroes, monsters, monsters, and our own game was gradually born. Its main mechanics had developed by 1996, then it was honed and improved for several more years. When all the developments turned into an independent product, they decided to commercialize the idea. Thanks to the World of Fantasy company, Berserk appeared on the domestic market.

Did your hobby become your profession?

“We wanted to produce not only a product that, with appropriate advertising, would bring profit, but something more, a modus operandi, or something, if not helping a teenager live, then at least helping him spend his free time.

Those who buy sets of Berserk collectible cards and start playing receive not only intellectual entertainment, not only the opportunity to spend leisure time with friends in live communication, but also constant support from the club. On the game "Berserk" tournaments are held throughout Russia. With the release of each new issue, a big tournament is organized in Moscow. This happens 2-3 times a year. Players from all over Russia, and from Belarus, Ukraine gather here. The winners receive prizes, the best players go to competitions at the expense of the club.

Clubs appeared in Moscow and around the country. Some houses of creativity, the former palaces of the pioneers, provided their premises to the players in the "Berserk", realizing that this is a way to make teenagers' leisure time meaningful. Not many young people can occupy a music studio, not for them macrame mugs or soft toys. And the world of fantasy captivates teenagers. Many of them are tired of sitting alone at the computer, adolescence is the age of communication. And you need to play Berserk in a company, discussing the course of the game, clarifying and finalizing the rules, honing strategies.

- In order to play, you need a deck of collectible cards, which means you need money. Doesn't this scare the parents?

For many, this game has become a family hobby. There are dads who play with children and participate in tournaments with them. They follow new releases, everyone buys them. And money, of course, is needed, but not so much that it frightens. Whatever the child collects, some money is needed for it - be it stamps, badges or postcards. And our cards are not just collecting, but a game, active leisure.

There are special sets for beginners: training, starting. Then the player gradually buys additional boosters - sets of seven cards, with the help of which he creates his own game deck. The extra ones are exchanged.

— There are also very expensive cards. How not to get caught by a newbie?

We have a good site. The price of a particular card can be asked on the forum. And then a new player, as a rule, is brought by a more experienced friend. He will always insure against an unfavorable exchange.

The fourth edition of 200 new cards has just been released. There are trial tournaments. The winners will qualify for the Grand Prix with fares.

What books is your game based on?

- These are all kinds of books - not only Tolkien. Here and mythology, and Sergey Lukyanenko, there are characters even from African culture, we gleaned someone from the Saga of the Spear by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman. We have over 700 of them.

Nick Perumov helped edit our base legend. She is short. And then - the creativity of the players. Creativity right in the course of the game, on the one hand, and their literary creativity, on the other: we are constantly posting new and new legends created by the players on the site. There is also a competition for drawing a new map. It is posted, and there is a discussion. Those cards that are approved by a large number of votes are released in the next releases. This fall, a new set appeared - "Legends of Rus'".

How famous is the game? How do you plan to develop it?

— I must say that the World of Fantasy company holds regular tournaments not only for our Berserker, but also for the first collectible card game Magic the Gathering. More than 300 thousand Russian players take part in them. As a result of the tournaments, our guys go to the world championships with prizes of tens of thousands of dollars.

Magic the Gathering has now been translated into nine languages. And our game at the beginning of 2007 will be translated into English. And in February we will show "Berserk" at the international toy fair in Nuremberg.

Throughout the autumn, in schools in Moscow and the Moscow region, we hold promotions to teach high school students intellectual board games, mini-tournaments with prizes and gifts.

School directors meet halfway and even attend the action themselves. Of course, we are interested in seeing the number of players grow.

Under the text

- What is the point, exactly? The children sat down, laid out the cards, rolled the dice, and you won’t understand who is fighting with whom, parents often ask.

- I left my hand, and you?

- Me too.

"Island, go."

“Holy forge, got sick for two, doggy, go.

Mountain, go.

- Attack with a dog, you also have 18. Forest, wolf.

“No, you can’t wolf, pay three extra for mana leak.

- Then go.

What is it about?

Hearing something like this for the first time, and even seeing cards depicting monsters and monsters laid out on the table, elders sometimes get scared, although the ban on card games that was in effect in Soviet times has been lifted.

Don't worry, moms and dads, this is a duel between two powerful players - magicians who are subject to hordes of mythical creatures, heroic armies, wizards who can weave intrigues or fight with quick destructive spells.

Board games "Magic" and "Berserk" in the fantasy genre are intellectual entertainment for smart little boys: it takes a lot of effort from parents to understand the rules.

The rules are designed in such a way that victory in battle depends on the skillful selection of the army, strategy and tactical thinking in the conduct of battle.

This game is both an exciting strategy and fascinating stories about fantasy worlds inhabited by mysterious magical creatures; and collecting unique drawings - each card features the work of a science fiction artist. About six million people around the world play collectible card games.

Lina TKACHEVA