We just finished our discussion of the mechanics and effect components of the MDA framework, let's continue our discussion of the MDA framework and continue decomposing the elements of gameplay. At the onset of this lecture, we talked about how games are systems, that play out over time, that is, games are dynamic, they are not just static rules, but they are the results of these rules over time. Set in another way, game mechanics lead to game dynamics, as the game plays out, shown here, is a high level state machine for a game, the diagram visualizes the players input into the rules. And how the rules lead to changes of state in the game, and how the change of state leads back into the rules. The outputs of the system are often the graphics and sound effects presented back to the player, we'll talk more about inputs and outputs, in our next lecture, but for now, let's focus on everything within the dotted box. So the rules are the mechanics, but the entire state machine leads to the dynamics, as the game plays out over time, so let's look back at the whole of the MDA framework. The mechanics are the rules and concepts, that formally specify the game as a system, the dynamics or the runtime behavior of the game as a system, or the actual play. And the effect is the emotional responses, evoked by the game dynamics or the fun of the game. So how does specific dynamics emerge from specific mechanics? And how does specific dynamics evoke specific emotions? Here's one example, perhaps, dramatic tension, is a desired emotion that we want to have in our game, tension is something we often try to avoid in the real world. But in the artificial universe of the game, players often seek it out because we get the feeling of tension, while being in the safety of the magic circle of the game. Tension without real world consequences, if you will, moving backward in the diagram to dynamics, time pressure is a dynamic, that can create dramatic tension, if we feel we have limited time, we're going to start to feel tense. And there are various mechanics that could be designed into the game to create a time pressure dynamic, such as, a time limit and a puzzle game, or a time bomb and an action adventure, that you have to get to a defuse before it goes off, or a pace car. But you have to beat in a racing game to continue play or even a depleting resource, that you need to mind and use in a real time strategy game. So once again, you should start by thinking of the effective goals first, that you want your players to experience and then, design the mechanics, that lead to the dynamics that create the effect. Of course, the modified MDA framework that we've been discussing, forms the gameplay layer of the more encompassing design play experience framework, we've been using throughout this course. Hopefully, now, you have a good understanding of the design, play and experience elements of the gameplay, we will use this framework in the design activity that follows. Our activity today, will help us really understand how game mechanics leave the game dynamics and how the dynamics result in the players emotional experience. To do this, I want you to pick a game that you know deeply, it can be any type of game, just make sure you know it in-depth, go ahead and pause the video, and do this now. Start by using the design play experience framework to decompose and analyse the design of your game. To do this, I literally would like you to draw a table on a piece of paper, with Storytelling, Gameplay, and User experience rows, and design play inexperienced columns, as shown in the framework. Give yourself ample room within each box to add your notes, and then, fill in the boxes related to your game, as you fill in each row of the table, try to line up the design, play and experience elements that relate to each other. Pause the video now, and take a few minutes to decompose, and analyze your game, using the design play experience framework, as a guide, take a minute to look back at the design play experience table, that you just drafted. Can you see how the design elements of your game lead to the dynamic place state of the game. And how this play state led to the experience you walked away with, when you play the game? How intentional, do you think the designers were in the experience you had when you play the game? Do you think they really thought through the experiences, they wanted you to have and then, design the game to achieve this? Take a moment and think about these questions. Okay, this is where the activity gets interesting. Now, put yourself in the role of the design team for this game, pretend the game is in a prototype state, but not yet done, you want to modify it before it's released to enhance it in some fashion, look at the experience column of your table. Once again, modify some aspect of the desired experience you want the players to have. For example, add an additional form of fun to the experience, from the forms of fun list, that I provided to you, or perhaps, try to remove a form of fun or modify the player story, you want the player to walk away with, the choice is up to you. Then, look at the design column of your table, what would you need to do to the designer story or the mechanics of the game to support your new experience goals? Pause the video now and take a few minutes to document your thoughts, and how you would modify the game. Okay, let's conclude with a few thought questions to think through related to the activity, you just went through, what effective goals or player story goals did you have for the modified game? What changes did you make to the designer story? And how did you think this would affect the storytelling? And what changes did you make to the mechanics? How do you think this would lead to different dynamics? Do you think the resulting game improved or not, based on your modifications? I hope you took the time to work through this activity, I really think it helps you in taking the concepts we're discussing and putting them into practice. This will make you a more thoughtful and ultimately, a better designer. [MUSIC]
