To kick start this post off, I will give tell you what MDA is suppose to do. MDA - is a formal approach to understanding game - which attempts to bridge the gap between game design and development, game criticism and technical game research.
All artifacts are created with some design methodology. For building things like the prototype, architecting a software interface, constructing an argument, etc. Design Methodologies guide the creative thought process and help ensure quality work.
The MDA framework formalizes the consumption of games by breaking them into their distinct components:
RULES------------->SYSTEM------------->"FUN"
...once that done establishing their design counterparts:
MECHANICS------------->DYNAMICS------------->AESTHETICS
Mechanics: describes certain components of the game, from things like the level data representation and algorithms.
Dynamics: describes the run-time behaviour of the mechanics acting on player inputs and each other's outputs over time.
Aesthetics: describes the desirable responses evoked in the player, when she interacts with the game system.
The idea behind the framework I briefly explained is that games are more like artifacts than media. This is meant to mean that the content of a game is its behaviour - not the media that "screams" out to the player.
The framework can be thought of as "lens" or view for a game - it's seperate but casually linked (LeBlanc, 2004b)
From a Designers perspective, it goes as followed: the mechanics of a game give rise to the dynamic system, which then leads to the aesthetic experiences. However, the players perspective is the complete opposite.
Aesthetics: what makes the game "fun"?
Talking about games and play is heard because the vocabulary we use is limited. When it comes to describing things (the aesthetic qualities in games) they try to move away from words like "fun" and "gameplay". The words, at times, are not very helpful when it comes to describing the game, it's like asking someone to play a game you have a demo for and all they can say is "the gameplay is good, very fun" - that isn't helpful, tell me what's good, what bits you find enjoyable.
Sensation - Game as sense-pleasure
Fantasy - Game as make-believe
Narrative - Game as Drama
Challenge - Game as obstacle course
Fellowship - Game as social framework
Discovery - Games as uncharted territory
Expression - Game as self discovery.
Submission - Game as pastime.
Aesthetic Models
Using aesthetic vocabulary like a compass, we can define models for gameplay. The model are to help describe gameplay dynamics and mechanics.
Example Quake + Charades both competitive. The teams or various players succeed when they emotionally invest in defeating each other.
If players don't see a clear winning condition or feels like they can't possibly win, they lose interest.
Dynamic Models
Dynamic work creates aesthetic experiences. E.g. Challenge creates the time pressure and opponent. Fellowship can be encouraged by sharing info between players or winning the game harder to win it alone. Expression comes from dynamics that encourage individual users leaving their mark: systems for purchasing, building or earning game items, constructing and changing levels or worlds, and for creating personalized unique characters. Dramatic Tension comes from dynamics that encourage a riding tension, a release, and a denouement.
Monopoly can be used as an example - the leader becomes incredibly wealthy - therefore enjoyable gameplay experience. Losing players lose more and more money makes it "impossible" impossible to win therefore it becomes a bad gameplay experience.
The article came up with a way of 'fixing' Monopoly, which was to reward poorer players so they don't fall behind or make progress more difficult for the leading player. But by doing that, the changes would then change the game dramatically by recreating the reality of the game practices - but reality isn't always "fun".
Mechanics
Various actions, behaviors and control mechanisms afforded to the player wthin a game games context. Combing the games content, the mechanics support the overall gameplay dynamics.
Tuning
Iterating - refine certain aspects of a game. Monopoly was used again, it talks about refining the values of penalties, rate of taxation or thresholds for rewards and punishments. Making the game more balanced (by iterating more).
All artifacts are created with some design methodology. For building things like the prototype, architecting a software interface, constructing an argument, etc. Design Methodologies guide the creative thought process and help ensure quality work.
The MDA framework formalizes the consumption of games by breaking them into their distinct components:
RULES------------->SYSTEM------------->"FUN"
...once that done establishing their design counterparts:
MECHANICS------------->DYNAMICS------------->AESTHETICS
Mechanics: describes certain components of the game, from things like the level data representation and algorithms.
Dynamics: describes the run-time behaviour of the mechanics acting on player inputs and each other's outputs over time.
Aesthetics: describes the desirable responses evoked in the player, when she interacts with the game system.
The idea behind the framework I briefly explained is that games are more like artifacts than media. This is meant to mean that the content of a game is its behaviour - not the media that "screams" out to the player.
The framework can be thought of as "lens" or view for a game - it's seperate but casually linked (LeBlanc, 2004b)
From a Designers perspective, it goes as followed: the mechanics of a game give rise to the dynamic system, which then leads to the aesthetic experiences. However, the players perspective is the complete opposite.
Aesthetics: what makes the game "fun"?
Talking about games and play is heard because the vocabulary we use is limited. When it comes to describing things (the aesthetic qualities in games) they try to move away from words like "fun" and "gameplay". The words, at times, are not very helpful when it comes to describing the game, it's like asking someone to play a game you have a demo for and all they can say is "the gameplay is good, very fun" - that isn't helpful, tell me what's good, what bits you find enjoyable.
Sensation - Game as sense-pleasure
Fantasy - Game as make-believe
Narrative - Game as Drama
Challenge - Game as obstacle course
Fellowship - Game as social framework
Discovery - Games as uncharted territory
Expression - Game as self discovery.
Submission - Game as pastime.
Aesthetic Models
Using aesthetic vocabulary like a compass, we can define models for gameplay. The model are to help describe gameplay dynamics and mechanics.
Example Quake + Charades both competitive. The teams or various players succeed when they emotionally invest in defeating each other.
If players don't see a clear winning condition or feels like they can't possibly win, they lose interest.
Dynamic Models
Dynamic work creates aesthetic experiences. E.g. Challenge creates the time pressure and opponent. Fellowship can be encouraged by sharing info between players or winning the game harder to win it alone. Expression comes from dynamics that encourage individual users leaving their mark: systems for purchasing, building or earning game items, constructing and changing levels or worlds, and for creating personalized unique characters. Dramatic Tension comes from dynamics that encourage a riding tension, a release, and a denouement.
Monopoly can be used as an example - the leader becomes incredibly wealthy - therefore enjoyable gameplay experience. Losing players lose more and more money makes it "impossible" impossible to win therefore it becomes a bad gameplay experience.
The article came up with a way of 'fixing' Monopoly, which was to reward poorer players so they don't fall behind or make progress more difficult for the leading player. But by doing that, the changes would then change the game dramatically by recreating the reality of the game practices - but reality isn't always "fun".
Mechanics
Various actions, behaviors and control mechanisms afforded to the player wthin a game games context. Combing the games content, the mechanics support the overall gameplay dynamics.
Tuning
Iterating - refine certain aspects of a game. Monopoly was used again, it talks about refining the values of penalties, rate of taxation or thresholds for rewards and punishments. Making the game more balanced (by iterating more).
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