Games MDA

MDA

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I learned about the process of making games and different points of view of the output. There is a difference between what the developer sees and what the player sees. But I'll get to that later. First let's talk about the MDA. It's the formal process of making games, it stands for Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics. To summarize it you want to know what your game is supposed to be and start with the Mechanics, that describes the particular components of the game, at a level of data representation and algorithms. Dynamics are the next step, that refers to the run-time behavior of the mechanics acting on the player inputs and each others outputs over time. Aesthetics are the emotional responses evoked in the player when they interact with the game system, they set a tone for the player experience.

The developer refers to this order to make a good game experience. The players first impressions are the aesthetics. That is why this order is important, so the player can experience the output of a well structured development.

In conclusion MDA allows us to recognize design goals and to think about the changes and how they'll impact the final result. Understanding the dynamic system helps us develop a more interesting and engulfing experience for later titles.