What is a game?

After playing games all week and reading the articles, I feel as though I have a pretty good definition of what a game is. I also feel that you have to distinguish the difference between play and a game as well.

In The Definition of Play, they describe play as
"an occasion of pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, skill and often money..."
I agree with this... in certain ways. Time is wasting away, you are exerting exerting energy, and often it does take some level of skill. But I do not believe it is always not worth the time you put in it. A game could be girls playing double dutch at recess, a group of friends playing taboo together, and even someone competing in an event at the olympics. These are not a waste of time.

To me, play is the act of using your imagination, becoming someone you aren't, or just yourself with an excentuated trait. A game is an activity that draws your attention into it, whether it be for education or entertainment. There is a goal in mind at the end and set rules along the way. You play a game by getting into the midset of the character who has these goals in mind to reach the end.

For example, the game Samarost that we played on Monday. I personally would concider it a form of play, but i'm not sure if it would pass as a game according to my definition. There were no instructions or set guidelines and i felt it was hard to figure out what the outcome goal was. However, with PASH, the game was layed out. You picked your character. You were given a mission to fulfull. There was a map and object to find.