Game Fun

 Today I read three reading all about Fun. How it plays a part in games, the definition of fun and how to make games fun by making the player think about what to do in order to get through.

The first reading was "Gamification Design: Whats fun got to do with it?" by Megamification.com.

It reads that games can be described by the three components Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics (MDA) or otherwise stated as rules-system-fun.  

Eight kinds of Fun

 MDA

There are eight types of Fun outlined by the MDA. These eight are both a source of reference and player experience that blend together in many ways, and essentially what makes a game fun and enjoyable. 

To date, the MDA papers define the '8 kinds of fun' sensation, fantasy, narrative, challenge, fellowship, discovery, expression, and submission, remain a source of reference and possibly the most popular list of player interactions combining in various forms to attract each player to a particular game.

Fun

“Fun is a byproduct of good design. It is also not essential for a good gamified system,” by Andrzej Marchewski

There are a variety of definitions to describe the term “Fun”. Both Oxford and Merrian dictionaries define Fun as an enjoyment, delight. But within the context of a game it usually refers to a form of pleasurable entertainment. 

Nicole Lazzaro presents four types of fun that are involved in defining how fun a game can be for different players.

• Easy Fun:  This is essentially for players who are new to a game who want to satiate their curiosity. 

• Hard Fun: It is essentially for people who like a real good challenge.

• People Fun: Amusement from competition and cooperation. Meaning Co-op. 

• Serious Fun: Excitement from changing the player and their world.

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There are different types of “FUN” when discussing it; there’s the type 1 games such as poker, chess etc. which require thinking and different techniques to use to win the game. 

Then there’s the type 2 games that require “reflex based skills” in such things like shooters that require a “sharp reflexes” and in fighter games that require “combo memorisation and the execution". 

Fun has everything to do with learning“Fun is just the dopamine in our brains firing when we it is presented with a new situation to learn from” Raph Koster discussed about this saying that the different patterns that we take in helps our brain especially when it comes to enjoying a video game cause once you mater the many patterns that it offers you your brain has nothing to feed off making it unenjoyable to play anymore “Fun is the feedback the brain gives us when we are absorbing patterns for learning purposes.” 

Balance

When playing chess, we learn about strategy, tic tac toe teaches us about reading people’s mind about their next move and when we play games like civilisation or sim it teaches us resource management. When playing games we should be provided with a balance of fun and challenges. 

“Although a large body of research has investigated the negative effects of playing video games, there has been less examination of the psychological experiences associated with the activity.” (Linda K Kaye, Jo Bryce.2012)

The GameFlow model shows that the inherent structure of games is associated with the experience of flow and enjoyment during gaming, at least for strategy games. 

Conclusion

We come across different types of fun in games that fulfil our amusement. Fun in games is experience in many different ways like through socialising with friends or exploring the game world. People experience different emotions when driven by gameplay