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It's a fact that we have users here who are gamers, but when ever someone makes a thread just about our favorite video games it usually doesn't go far. So instead of doing just that, I'll bring into discussion the MDA framework and talk about the "Aesthetics of Play." I might make a long post here but this is gonna be interesting to players as well, so join me gamer ladies and gentlemen alike.
MDA (standing for Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics) is a short paper taking a formal view on game design, talking about games and the connections of their Mechanics (Rules), Dynamics (Interaction between the rules and the player;Gameplay), and Aesthetics (Desired emotion and experience;Fun).
Basicaly, you can describe the desire of playing almost every video game or game genre with two or three out of the eight "Aesthetics of Play." Look at the list and then take for example Super Meat Boy, The desire of playing that game for most people is the Challenge and Sensation of its Platformer gameplay, not so much for its "Girlfriend is Kipped, Save her" Narrative.
And rear games like Minecraft can do well on more then four because their like multiple games in one, Your able to just play survival mode by yourself for a challenge, build with other players for fellowship and expression, tell a narrative like the Yogscast:Shadow of Israphel, or some combination of those three play styles and more.
For optional reading and watching, you can read the paper here if your interested in game design, and you could also watch this Extra Credits episode on the aesthtics as well as this Game/Show episode.
Here is the list of aesthetics.
Its when you play for 'sense pleasure,' it could be the music, The tactile feeling of its controlls, the atmosphere, or you just really really like the visuals. (Also to clarify; Graphics aren't the same thing as visual Aesthetic, but that's not to say you can't love the graphics of modern games.)
You'll find it in Rhythm games, Horror games and even certain Action games like Bullet-Hell Shooters or Games with Rhythm-Like Combat (The Batman:Arkham Series, Sleeping Dogs), Sensation can also include things like playing for a rush of adrenaline, getting "In the Zone," the feeling you get of subconsciously doing actions faster then you can think, or immersive VR Devices like the Oculus Rift.
Examples:Rez, Rhythm heaven, DanceDanceRevolution, Amnesia:The Dark Descent, Touhou Project, Limbo, This can also be physical sports in general, like Boxing or Martial arts.
It's when you play a game for make-believe, Being able to you do whatever you want to do, including stuff you probably can't (or shouldn't) do in real life without the difficulty of reality.
This is in the core of most Sports-Video Games and Simulator games, (and dating sims as well.) There are also some games you could play as a "Virtual Punching-Bag) or a power fantasy, and many other games that involves doing things that are cool or intersting to you,.
Examples:NFL Blitz, Call of Duty, Drawf Fortress, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Eve Online, Rock Band.
It's when you play for the Drama, It comes in many different methods and various levels of being Voluntary and Interacive.
This could also include unscripted narratives as well, Leaving it to the game and its players to write the story like The Sims, DayZ, and EVE Online.
Almost every game has a narrative but not all of them are focused on their narratives, Adventure Games, Visual Novels, and RPG games are usually the games to have Narrative in their core.
Examples:The Walking Dead by TTG, The Sims, Final Fantasy, Mass Effect, Planescape:Torment, DayZ, Journey.
It's playing to over come obstacles. You could say this is exceedingly common in games because it's a core of games in many genres, but not unlike narrative, its not mandatory for every game to focus on Challenge.
(I will also clarify that this is not the same thing as difficulty;While Dark Souls is very noticeable to be about Challenge because of the Difficulty, This aesthetic is vaild on more simple or "easier" games like Angry Brids or Flappy Bird.)
This is common in Action/Shooter Games, Arcade Games, Sports Games, Strategy Games…
…I'm pretty sure you get the point.
Examples: DARK SOULS! Super Mario Bros, Cave Story, Touhou Project, Super Meat Boy, Ikaruga, and many others.
It's playing to bond and cooperate with other players, its very common in multiplayer games. Whether or not its Online/Lan, "PvP" or "PvE", even playing with Bots/AI instead of Players, You're playing to become part of a Team.
This is a part of FPS, MMOs, MOBAs, Party Games, And it also applies to Team Sports like Association-Football/Soccer and Basketball.
Examples: Team Fortress 2, World of Warcraft, Dota 2, the Nintendo Land 5-Player Games, Mafia/Werewolf or Trouble in Terrorist Town, and Journey.
It's playing to Out-Do other players in a competitive environment, anything you can do someone else is trying to do better. Its sort of a unofficial Aesthetic as its mention in MDA but not one of the eight that are listed, (you could also consider it to be a combo of challenge and fellowship) but some people like to treat it as a separate aesthetic.
Like Fellowship, Its common in multiplayer games, and common in E-Sport Games and Sports, Be it 1on1, Free-For-All, or Team-Play. This also applies to other games that just have keeping up with other players as an incentive.
Examples:Team Fortress 2, Super Smash Brothers, Call of Duty, Dota 2, Many other Multiplayer games and nearly any sport you could name.
It's playing to Uncover the new and Explore the unknown. Things like seraching every part of the Dungeon, Keeping an eye out for collectible items, Second Playthroughs to find what you didn't in the frist, Finding new ways to play with the system, Or just the desire to explore the game world, things like that are Discovery.
Adventure Games, RPGs, and Action-Adventure Games can do this very well, and many games that involve things like Open Worlds.
Examples: Skyrim, The Legend of Zelda, Drawf Fortress, Super Metroid, Fez, Castlevania:SotN.
It's just that, You have the freedom to express some part of yourself into a game. It could be what class or gameplay style you choose, what appearance you go with, and asking not "If you could" but "How you will" handle a situation.
You'll find this in any game that focuses on Non-Linear Elements like Branching Story-Lines, Open-world Design, or just Sandbox Gameplay.
Examples:Minecraft, Scribblenauts, Little Big Planet, Deus Ex, Garry's Mod, The Sims.
It's simply when you just want to "Zone-Out." You've just had a long day, You feel bored and uninterested in doing anything difficult and all you want right now is to do something simple just to tune out, this is when you'll want to play something for Abnegation.
Puzzle and Casual Games aim to do this, but you'll also find this when you're doing something in a game that isn't very focused on the "doing" part, or when your playing any game because of that "One More Turn" feeling that's almost like reading TVtropes, RPG Grinding is the most well known example.
Examples:Farmville, Candy Crush, Bejeweled, Peggle, 2048.
So now KYM I ask you, Which of these types of fun are the ones you enjoy the most?
