lone phoenix

Games can be described by the 3 components Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics (MDA) or otherwise stated as rules – system – “fun” . The three reading selections this week and the synopsis below all address the term “fun” in relation to game design. There are eight types of Fun outlined by the MDA. These eight are both a source of reference and player experience that blend together in many ways, and essentially what makes a game engaging and enjoyable. Figure 1: Eight kinds of Fun Both Oxford and Merrian dictionaries define Fun as an enjoyment and delight but within the context of a game, it refers to a form of pleasurable entertainment. MDA papers define the '8 kinds of fun';  sensation, fantasy, narrative, challenge, fellowship, discovery, expression, and submission. These remain a source of reference and possibly the most popular list of player interactions combining in various forms to attract each player to a particular game. Nicole Lazzaro presents four types of fun that...

Video “In order for the player to be optimally engaged, challenges should be presented at a level equivalent or slightly higher than their current skill. Not too easy, not too hard”( Gigity McD ) The word 'flow state' was coined by Csikszentmihalyi (1975) also known as being “in the zone” This is when the player is fully engaged in the game experience. Csikszentmihalyi put a lot of work into observing and analysing various groups of people. This theory is focused on the idea of how people should balance their skills and the demands of particular tasks. An example of Flow would be a challenge in a game that interests the player such as a puzzle or a boss battle meant to keep the player interested and not get bored. Csikszentmihalyi also states that flow is related to an ideal psychological condition when a person engages in a challenge-skill activity, often resulting in concentration and a focused emphasis on a task. A practical technique for improving Flow is to look at what p...

Online games concept illustration from Freepik . What is the GDD for? A Game Design Document (GDD) is a blueprint for the design and development of a game.  The GDD is a way of being creative and documenting the approach to the development of the game. Gonzale (1999) states that “ the important thing is to have something that describes your game project (or any other project for that matter) before jumping into production .( Gamasutra ) It should help to plan out your game. Though it is recommended that the GDD should be short it needs to be detailed enough so as game developers and artists can coordinate the development of the game independently whilst still keeping to the design. The GDD is a blueprint for how the game is going to be designed and built, similar to a mind map. In conclusion, the game design document is vital to making a game and it is important to have in order to describe your game project. How do we make one? There are a variety of tools that could be used to ...

Online game concept illustration from Freepik . " What are the Qualities of Games " written by Ian Schreiber reexamines the definition of what a game is, takes a look at the elements of a game and the relevance of a critical analysis. We see many repeating themes when examining different definitions of games. Some of these commonalities mention that games have rules, conflict, goals, decision-making and an unknown result. Games are an alternate universe outside of reality, a simulation, voluntary and more. The author sees these as "formal elements" because they can be defined. According to " Challenges by Game Designers " written by Brenda Brathwaite, these components are "atoms" because they are the smallest pieces of a game that are able to be singled out and examined individually.  The atomic elements of games cannot be boiled down to a single definition. However, by looking at a number of different opinions, commonalities can be identified ju...

Character playing computer games illustration from Freepik . " What is a Game, Anyway? " written by Ian Schreiber examines the numerous definitions of a game and what is classified as one according to its component parts. The writer compares the games Tic-Tac-Toe and Three-to-Fifteen to highlight the relevance of knowing what a game is in order to distinguish whether two games are the same or different.  Having the correct vocabulary is very important when talking about and creating games because one needs to be able to communicate using relevant terminology when analysing games. This makes the process of learning much easier. Comparing games to each other is one of the most common ways to describe a game. However, this can be ineffective if the opposite party has not played the same game as you. Another method, usually taken by authors who have published books about game design, would create a set of vocabulary specifically for their writings. This also poses as ineffective ...