Slides for the presentation given at the Game Solution Centre, Singapore, 18th October 2012

1. 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

3. Overview
 Why and how shall we analyze games?
 MDA ( Mechanics – Dynamics – Aesthetics )
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
 The A.G.E. Model
 6-11 Framework
 Examples (Casual, Social and AAA games)
 Conclusions

4. 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.

5. 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”

6. 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)

7. Example: Commerce Game
 Mechanics
 Setting up the world
 Regulate in-game economics
 How to Buy
 How to Sell
 How to Travel
 ...
Anno 1404 © 2009 Ubisoft
 Dynamics
 Travelling to different towns to trade goods
 ...
 Aesthetics
 Fantasy / Challenge / Submission

8. 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?

9. 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
FUN
players during the game.
http://www.igda.org/newsletter/2012/09/30/teaching-games-through-the-a-g-e-framework/

10. 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“??

11. „6-11 Framework“
Reference: Roberto Dillon:
“On the Way to Fun: an Emotion Based Approach to Successful Game Design”
AKPeters / CRC Press, 2010
 „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

12. 6 Emotions (1)
 Fear

13. 6 Emotions (2)
 Anger

14. 6 Emotions (3)
 Pride

15. 6 Emotions (4)
 Joy

16. 6 Emotions (5)
 Excitement

17. 6 Emotions (6)
 Sadness

18. 11 Instincts (1)
 Survival

19. 11 Instincts (2)
 Self Identification

20. 11 Instincts (3)
 Revenge

21. 11 Instincts (4)
 Aggressiveness

22. 11 Instincts (5)
 Curiosity

23. 11 Instincts (6)
 Protection / Care

24. 11 Instincts (7)
 Greed

25. 11 Instincts (8)
 Collecting

26. 11 Instincts (9)
 Competition

27. 11 Instincts (10)
 Communication

28. 11 Instincts (11)
 Color appreciation

29. Analysis Framework
 In general:
 Emotions can trigger instincts
 Instincts push the player to act in the game
 Easy to link instincts to game gameplay and
actions
Escaping Hiding
Fear Survival Avoiding danger Running
Chasing Running
Anger Aggressiveness Kicking
Fighting
Casting a spell

30. 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

31. Angry Birds (Rovio 2009)

32. Millionaire City (Digital Chocolate)
Real Estate CEO
Identification
Share results
Communication
Curiosity Collecting Protection
New daily prizes! Help friends
What happens next? Pride
Greed
We’re getting rich!
Joy Competition
You can do
better than
your friends!
Excitement
GamePlay Actions
Buy properties
Build and upgrade stuff
Sign contracts
Territorial Acquisition
Grab money and gifts
Plan Development
Etc.
Find presents and rewards

33. And for more complex games?
•Simple, core sequence
•Gets expanded through different…
•Missions and Quests
•Levels

34. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Identification
Protection
Pride
Joy

35. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Identification
Collecting
Protection Survival
Curiosity
Pride
…
Joy

36. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Hoard Goats
Collecting
Herding
Racing to an end
Pride
Riding
Joy

37. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Escaping from the dungeon

38. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Escaping from the dungeon
Curiosity Survival
Race to an end
Fighting
Exploring
Listening to Spirits
Anger
Moving around, digging Running
Using wolf “senses”
Revenge Jumping
Biting
Excitement

39. L.A. Noire
Color Identification
Appreciation
Curiosity
Roam City
Look for clues
Interrogate suspects
Drive
Manipulate objects Excitement
Review evidence
Evaluate answers

40. L.A. Noire
Color Identification Collecting
Appreciation 20 badges
50 movie reels
vehicles
Curiosity Protection
Save hostages
Aggressiveness
Chasing criminals
Street cases
Roam City
Look for clues
Interrogate suspects Pride
Drive
Manipulate objects Excitement Joy
Review evidence
Evaluate answers

41. 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! ;)

42. Designing a game: Where to start?
Actions Gameplay Experience

43. 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

44. Thanks for
Your attention!
roberto.dillon@jcu.edu.au
twitter: rdillon73