Game of souls
Alternate reality games are interesting in their approach to reality. On one had - yes, it's "just a game". On the other hand the narrative can be close to the "base-line" reality, with some aspects being slightly different. And then it might not be that easy to make the distinction - what is and what isn't part of the game. Consequences are one way - in theory if you break rules of the game, nothing happens in common "reality", maybe apart from you being sad for the rest of the day. If you drive too fast, you get a speeding fine, which is quite "real"... Unless you happen to play the speeding game and treat fines or other consequences as just a part of it. If you die in the game though you die in "reality" as well, because your mind cannot live without your body... But then again, it is a possible consequence and it can be treated as yet another outcome. And much more real outcome then the outcome of the game "if you sin you go to hell".
So maybe the issue is not distinction between "reality" and "game", but acknowledging that a lot of what we consider "real" is someone else's tricky narrative designed to keep us unaware that we are playing, or, even more so, that we are being played.
The most ingenious invention and progress in slavery business is convincing us that we're not slaves, and that there is no puppet master looking from above and steering the ship of humanity. In fact, multiple versions of "power game" exist, like "spot the freemason" or "blame the Jew"... or "reptilian!" :) These are games, and they are designed to make the slaves vent their frustration in a safe way. You know when you are on to something when consequences get nasty, like being treated with a pepper spray when you are trying to make a difference out there, in the streets. Actually, even if you die there it means that you got close enough to the center of your particular game, but not necessarily to underlying reality.
Good vs bad, left vs right, God vs gods vs nothing, black/white, these are narratives with internal conflict created on purpose, so players can be entertained until the end.
About the only game worth playing is the independence game.
The goal is to recognize and extract yourself from all the games you are a part of, willingly or not, consciously or not.
It's probably the most difficult but also the most rewarding game "in town" (on earth).
Great post :)
Indeed. It occurred to me (half-way through writing) that what I should think of next are outlines of what such a game could look like if someone wanted to write a script or guideline. There are of course numerous publications about both gaming reality and gaining independence, but a game specifically designed for that purpose? I'm not aware of any.
Maybe that game is called life.
Life is the base-line and common denominator for all :) Details, however, are where the possibilities are.