Photo by Debby Urken / Unsplash

From the series — the necessary steps that will make your game make sense

It all starts with an idea that is whirling in our heads and pushing us to act. However, he often dies in the very seed, because we do not know how to put it into practice and it puts him in a drawer. Be motivated enough that we implement it, but it does not achieve the expected success. Why, then, is this happening? Sometimes it simply lacks basic elements that we did not take into consideration when designing the game.

Combination of motivation and commitment

Motivation is the driving force behind human behavior and actions. However, if you add your commitment to it, then an ideal mix arises, which makes your game make sense in the eyes of the potential player. Therefore, it is our duty to just excite such emotions.

It is worth mentioning that the way of motivating should be chosen depending on who we want to motivate, that is, the target group to which we direct our product. Why is it so important? There is no universal rule that will make the game suitable for every player. It is clear as the sun that for some, the title will be attractive, because it will have the opportunity to play with other players and compete with them, or vice versa — joint cooperation in order to achieve a common goal. Others will expect a lush plot with considerable flair, and the latter will “skip” narrative content, only to go to the point where you can click endlessly without order and composition. Some expect more from the creator of the game, others the opposite — not too much.

In order to arouse motivation and commitment, the player must know the rules, and they determine the readiness to take action. Therefore, this stage can be called the identification of the purpose in which we desire to achieve the goal imposed by the game system. It is often a well-prepared tutorial in which we show what we can really achieve in this game and how we can achieve it. Motivation is never greater than when the player considers the goal of the game as his own. However, the “tutorial” can not be too long, because at the beginning it can arouse bitterness because of the inability to start the game, and then the frustration caused by the ignorance of basic information about the mechanics inside the game. Also described frustration can trigger too short tutorial and disinformation. Therefore, everything should be created with head and prudence. It would also be good if the player had a substitute for control and thus had the option of skipping / abandoning the “tutorial” and returning to it whenever he desired.

Use quests. Create a list of tasks that the player will have to perform to achieve his goal. A series of difficult challenges or simple steps to fulfill their inner satisfaction. This is a relatively important interaction that is designed to engage and motivate people.

What do we have so far?

1. Specific target group;
2. Identification of the purpose through a tutorial;
3. A series of tasks at your fingertips

Now one of the most important principles that I left at the end. The reward system in the game must be simple and understandable for the potential player. All this comes from a measurable sense of effectiveness of your effort. I realize that this is still the most difficult thing to do. We do not always manage to adjust the reward system to the needs and expectations of the player. If the system turns out to be too mild and the same will be extremely generous — then the player will not get the incentives to call for a long-term focus on the game, but if it is too sharp, it can cause a sense of injustice and dislike and thus a decrease in motivation and commitment. In this case, you need to carefully monitor the players’ activities and respond to their needs accordingly.

To help us create more free stuff, consider leaving a donation through Patreon where you can vote for the next asset pack and get access to future packs & articles earlier. Sharing knowledge is our passion. Unfortunately, keeping a team of professionals costs a lot that’s why we are constantly taking on new opportunities.
​
​We’ll be publishing any news on the following outlets:

• Patreon
• Twitter
• Instagram

Thanks for reading!