Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics Marc MAHK Le Blanc GDC

Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics Marc “MAHK” Le. Blanc GDC 2009

The MDA Framework Mechanics Dynamics Aesthetics

Overview • Where did MDA come from? • What is it good for?

My Background: Computer Science Input Rules Output State Look! A state machine!

My Background: Computer Science =

My Background: Computer Science = Game Design is Programming.

Let’s Party Like it’s 10 Years Ago… My 1999 GDC Lecture: • Consider a Racing Game. • Suppose we give the winning player an arbitrary penalty to top speed.

That’s a Feedback Loop! State Measure Act Decide

…Like a Thermostat Room Thermometer Heater Too Cold Too Hot Cooler Controller An Ideal Thermostat

Two Kinds of Feedback Systems: • Negative: We give the winning player a penalty to top speed. • Positive: We give the losing player an arbitrary penalty to top speed. • Stabilizing force vs. Snowball Effect

Part II of 1999 Lecture: Drama: • Conflict creates dramatic tension. • Tension builds towards a climax.

Tension is a Function of Uncertainty • A game is as tense as it is close.

So These Are Related! Room • Feedback systems can govern closeness, and thus tension.

Dynamic

Dynamic Aesthetic

What I Said: • Feedback systems are a useful tool for creating drama in a competive environment.

What They Heard: • Your game sucks if it doesn’t have a feedback system.

The Problem of Applicability • Not all tools are hammers. • Not all problems are nails. • We need a language for describing problems. • Solutions are not value statements.

Eight Kinds of “Fun” • • Sensation Fantasy Narrative Challenge Fellowship Discovery Expression Submission

Clarifying Our Goals • An aesthetic vocabularly helps us describe the design problems we want to solve. • We need more than a one-word description of our goals.

Formulating an “Aesthetic Model” For each aesthetic goal: • Write a formal definition • List criteria for success • List modes of failure • Serves as an “aesthetic compass” • These are often reusable Some examples…

Goal: Competition • Definition: A game is competitive if players are emotionally invested in defeating each other. • Success: § Players are adversaries. § Players want to win. • Failure: § A player feels that he can’t win. § A player can’t measure his progress.

Goal: Pirate Fantasy • Definition: A pirate fantasy conforms to the genre conventions of pirate movies, and permits the player to engage in certain kinds of anti-social pirate behavior.

Goal: Pirate Fantasy • Definition: A pirate fantasy conforms to the genre conventions of pirate movies, and permits the player to engage in certain kinds of anti-social pirate behavior. • Failure: • Success: § § § Empowerment Independence Greed Treachery Prey upon Weak § Vulnerability § Compassion § Generosity

Goal: Drama Definition: A game is dramatic if: • Its central conflict creates dramatic tension. • The dramatic tension builds towards a climax.

Goal: Drama • Success: § § § A sense of uncertainty A sense of inevitability Tension increases towards a climax • Failure: § § § The conflict’s outcome is obvious (no uncertainty) No sense of forward progress (no inevitability) Player doesn’t care how the conflict resolves.

Aesthetic Models are an Important Tool • It’s hard to solve problems we can’t describe. • Especially in a large group.

Dynamics Room

The Idea of Dynamics • Behavior is separate from rules. • The same behavior can emerge from many different rules. • We can create Dynamic Models

Dynamic Models Help Us: • Explain the behavior we observe. • Predict behavior before it happens.

Feedback System is One Example Room

Example: Random Variable Chance in 36 • This is a model of 2 d 6: Die roll

Example: Operant Conditioning • The player is part of the system, too! • Psychology gives us models to explain and predict the player’s behavior.

Example: Random Variable Chance in 36 • This is a model of 2 d 6: Die roll

Models of Game Dynamics • No Grand Unified Theory • Instead, a collection of many Dynamic Models. • Dynamics models are analytical in nature. Some examples…

Mechanics • Cards § Shuffling, Trick-Taking, Bidding • Shooters § Ammunition, Spawn Points • Golf § Sand Traps, Water Hazards

Mechanics vs. Dynamics • There’s a grey area § Some behaviors are direct consequences of rules. § Others are indirect. § “Dynamics” usually means the latter. • Dynamics and Mechanics are different views of games. • Dynamics emerge from Mechanics.