A Modern Approach to Game

Analysis and Design:

the A.G.E. Framework

Assoc. Prof. Roberto Dillon

School of Business and IT

JCU Singapore

Roberto. Dillon@jcu.edu.au

Overview

Why and how shall we analyze games?

MDA ( Mechanics – Dynamics – Aesthetics )

The A.G.E. Model

6-11 Framework

Examples (Casual, Social and AAA games)

Conclusions

Reference: Hunicke, Le Blanc, Zubek: “MDA: a Formal approach to Game Design and Game Research”. Available online at: http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/MDA.pdf

Why and how shall we analyze games?

“A method is needed in order to reason accurately”

Descartes

Game Designers explain their approaches in very

subjective ways

How to figure out what makes “good” Game Design?

Need for a “pragmatic” approach that tries to be as

objective as possible

Break down a game at different level of complexities

and analyze their relationships.

MDA: Game Components

Mechanics

“describe the particular components of the game, at the

level of data representation and algorithms”

i.e. Rules

Dynamics

“describe the run-time behaviour of the mechanics acting

on player inputs and each others' outputs over time”

i.e. Outcomes by applying the rules

Aesthetics

“describe the desirable emotional responses evoked in the

player, when she interacts with the game system”

MDA's Aesthetics Model

Eight kinds of Fun based on:

Sensation (e.g. pleasures)

Fantasy (e.g. role playing)

Narrative (e.g. storytelling)

Challenge (e.g. problem solving)

Fellowship (e.g. social framework)

Discovery (e.g. uncharted territory)

Expression (e.g. self discovery)

Submission (e.g. pastime)

Example: Commerce Game

Mechanics

Setting up the world

Regulate in-game economics

How to Buy

How to Sell

How to Travel

...

Dynamics

Travelling to different towns to trade goods

...

Aesthetics

Fantasy / Challenge / Submission

Anno 1404 © 2009 Ubisoft

But Game Designers are a troublesome

crowd… and definitions are a bit loose

What’s the exact scope of mechanics?

Are they really rules? What type of rules?

Yes, spanning any aspect of the game (Brathwaite & Schreiber)

No! Mechanics ARE NOT rules! They are “Skill atoms” (Koster)

Aesthetics?

“The branch of philosophy that deals with the principles of beauty

and artistic taste”

… Isn’t that related to graphics??

How do we actually move from one level to the other?

The A.G.E. Framework

Actions

the core actions that a player can perform,

usually described in terms of verbs.

E.g. moving, jumping, kicking a ball, shooting, taking cover

Gameplay

the resulting play achieved by using and

combining the available "actions". These can

be either verbs or higher level concepts,

E.g. fighting, race to an end, territorial acquisition

Experience

the emotional experience that engages

players during the game. FUN

http://www.igda.org/newsletter/2012/09/30/teaching-games-through-the-a-g-e-framework/

Emotional Experience

The most difficult part to understand and

master

How do players feel when they play?

What do players really want?

What triggers „Fun“??

„6-11 Framework“

„Fun” as an outcome from engaging the player through basic emotions and instincts

6 Basic Emotions Ekman, Plutchik, Izard etc.

11 Instinct

Their correspondences/relationships

Reference: Roberto Dillon: “On the Way to Fun: an Emotion Based Approach to Successful Game Design” AKPeters / CRC Press, 2010

6 Emotions (1)

Fear

6 Emotions (2)

Anger

6 Emotions (3)

Pride

6 Emotions (4)

Joy

6 Emotions (5)

Excitement

6 Emotions (6)

Sadness

11 Instincts (1)

Survival

11 Instincts (2)

Self Identification

11 Instincts (3)

Revenge

11 Instincts (4)

Aggressiveness

11 Instincts (5)

Curiosity

11 Instincts (6)

Protection / Care

11 Instincts (7)

Greed

11 Instincts (8)

Collecting

11 Instincts (9)

Competition

11 Instincts (10)

Communication

11 Instincts (11)

Color appreciation

In general: Emotions can trigger instincts

Instincts push the player to act in the game

Easy to link instincts to game gameplay and

actions

Analysis Framework

Fear

Anger

Survival

Aggressiveness

Escaping Avoiding danger

Chasing Fighting

Hiding Running

Running Kicking Casting a spell

Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 1985)

"the player can kill enemies by landing on top of them" links the jumping action to the fighting

enemies gameplay

“progress to the next stage by reaching an end-level flagpole" links the running and jumping

actions to the race-to-an-end gameplay

Goal of “saving the princess” and “finding all the secrets/coins” serve as motivation to link

the different gameplays to the emotional experience of players

Angry Birds (Rovio 2009)

Millionaire City (Digital Chocolate)

Identification

Curiosity

Greed

Communication

Protection

Competition Joy

Excitement

Real Estate CEO

What happens next? Help friends

You can do better than your friends!

Share results

Pride

We’re getting rich!

GamePlay

Build and upgrade stuff

Territorial Acquisition

Plan Development

Find presents and rewards

Actions

Buy properties

Sign contracts

Grab money and gifts

Etc.

Collecting New daily prizes!

And for more complex games?

•Simple, core sequence

•Gets expanded through different…

•Missions and Quests

•Levels

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Identification

Protection

Pride

Joy

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Identification

Protection

Pride

Joy

Collecting

Survival

Curiosity

…

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Hoard Goats

Pride

Joy

Collecting Herding Racing to an end

Riding

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Escaping from the dungeon

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Escaping from the dungeon

Anger

Revenge

Survival

Race to an end Fighting

Running Jumping Biting

Curiosity

Excitement

Exploring Listening to Spirits

Moving around, digging Using wolf “senses”

L.A. Noire

Identification Color Appreciation

Curiosity

Excitement

Roam City Look for clues Interrogate suspects

Drive Manipulate objects Review evidence Evaluate answers

L.A. Noire

Identification Color Appreciation

Curiosity

Excitement

Roam City Look for clues Interrogate suspects

Drive Manipulate objects Review evidence Evaluate answers

Collecting 20 badges 50 movie reels vehicles

Aggressiveness Chasing criminals Street cases

Protection Save hostages

Pride

Joy

Analyzing a game, step by step

Play the game

Determine the main emotional experience by using

the „6-11 Framework“

Relate instincts to gameplay

Explore how gameplay is obtained (i.e. identify

actions)

Not sure? Go back to Step 1! ;)

Designing a game: Where to start?

Actions Gameplay Experience

Conclusions

• Game design needs some well defined analysis methodology

• Gaining insights

• Teaching, sharing experiences

• MDA was the first model to define a pragmatic approach

• Still, lack of common jargon made things very difficult

• AGE as evolution of MDA

• Narrow but clear definitions

• Easy to relate the different layers

• Emotional experience seen in terms of easily understandable

components (6-11 Framework)

• Straightforward to learn and adopt in a variety of contexts

Thanks for

Your attention!

roberto.dillon@jcu.edu.au

twitter: rdillon73