These concepts were established initially by Frasca in his 1999 text Ludology meets Narratology: Similitude and differences between video games and narrative.
As noted in the text's introductory paragraphs, Frasca's writing on ludology was spurred by a desire to address the inadequacies of games studies literature.
Through the proposition of a ludic framework, Frasca aims to encourage analysts to consider how play elements interact and convey meaning.
Generally, representational media (he provides the example of a photograph) produce a fixed description of traits and sequences of events (narrative), and cannot be manipulated.
He argues that it is insufficient to "merely observe the audiovisual output from someone else's playing...",[7] and that in order to fully understand an interactive digital text one must experience it first-hand.
Frasca draws links to the game-type categorisations established by Roger Caillois in Man, Play and Games (1961).
Frasca expands on Caillois' original definitions, and positions them in relation to narratology, ludology and contemporary games.
Drawing on his redefined concepts of padia and ludus, Frasca establishes varying levels in simulations which can be manipulated in order to convey ideology.
While Frasca maintains the importance of play elements in games and simulation, he acknowledges the narratological paradigm should not be disregarded.
Since the establishment of ludology as a formal approach to reading games and simulation, numerous academics have framed their works within the ludic and narratological paradigm.
Specifically, using the example of Irrational's Bioshock, he argues that the game's core theme of Randian self-interest (explored through the Little Sister mechanic, whereby the player has the choice to harvest a powerful substance known as ADAM from these NPCs or free them) is undermined by Jack's aiding of Atlas; a scripted and predetermined narrative sequence.