Abstract
Although the Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics (MDA) framework is probably the most widely accepted and practically employed approach to game design, that framework has recently been criticized for several weaknesses. Other frameworks have been proposed to overcome those limitations, but none has generated sufficient support to replace MDA. In this chapter, we improve the MDA framework , place it on new pillars and thus present the Design, Dynamics, Experience (DDE) framework for the design of computer and video games.
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Notes
- 1.
According to Stonehouse (2014), “spatial” refers to user interface elements that may break the narrative, but are still a part of the game environment. “Meta” refers to user interface elements which do not fit into the geometry of the game environment and must therefore be displayed separately (usually in a 2D hub plane), yet still belong to the game’s narrative. “Diegetic” refers to UI elements existing within the game world (fiction and geometry); “non-diegetic” is UI elements and events, which occur outside the game’s fiction and geometry.
- 2.
In the DDE framework, everything that is displayed on screen or can be heard through the speakers is—along with any other feedback to the player—considered part of the game’s interface, because it translates the abstract layer of code into something the player can understand. This has certain implications that will be addressed later in this chapter.
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Walk, W., Görlich, D., Barrett, M. (2017). Design, Dynamics, Experience (DDE): An Advancement of the MDA Framework for Game Design. In: Korn, O., Lee, N. (eds) Game Dynamics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53088-8_3
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