Game stickiness (David Perry game design White Paper)

Addiction
Game stickiness

Rarely will you find a game which can be replayed over and over because of its game mechanics.
Example, having a certain system of spells will not add to a game's replayability (most of
Time) Just by itself. There need to be other factors influencing a player's interest in continuing
To play a game for a long time...

Few games can be repeatedly played by players over and over again. The problem lies in the game mechanism. For example, the game's magic system is fixed, so players
I am not happy to play the game again. In the game, some factors are required to motivate players to play the game for a long time ......

The Content Factor
Factors in the game

Massive levels and tons of content, like in oblivion, can make a game very addictive.
A large number of levels and massive content, just like in an Oblivion game, can make the game very sticky.

Token
Exploration

One of the first reactions when starting up a new game is to take on a very inquisitive mindset:
Who, what, where, when, why, how... things that are unknown (when not scary) are very interesting
And naturally grab your attention. So a game that can provide lots of opportunities for registration
Will naturally be that bit more addictive. The registration can be of varous lands, meeting new
Characters, finding all sorts of accessories and items, Etc... as long as there is a lot to discover, the interest will stay. the key here is making a game big, but at the same time allowing
The player to complete it without having to do everything. If the game is completed, but the player
Knows that there were more optional things to do, the game experience feels incomplete, and so is
Worth replaying!

When a player starts playing a new game, his heart is full of curiosity: What role, what content, what scenarios, what times, what
How to play... all things are unknown, so they seem interesting. Naturally, they can attract players. Therefore, a game can provide a lot of Exploration
The opportunity is naturally attractive. Allows gamers to explore different continents, meet different roles, and find all the equipment components and sequences.
And so on... the more things you can explore, the more fun you have to play this game. The secret is to make the game bigger, but make it unnecessary for players to find the game at the same time.
Every detail of the game allows the player to end the game. If the game is complete, but the player knows that there are still many branches not done, the game experience will feel
After that, the game will be started again.

Software Engineer and game design theorist Martin C. Martin has suggested that learning and
Events are key to addiction in games. Where the player fails or meets resistance, the player
Is too red to learn a new skill to adapt. For example, in a shooter a player must learn to move,
And then must learn to aim, and then to coordinate the actions, and then to adapt that coordination
To different environments, weapons, enemies, Etc., and each adaptation is rewarded with vicement.
World of Warcraft is "pure learning curve," as the entire experience is spent earning new abilities
That must be adapted into the player's skill set. Needing to constantly adapt and relearn, Martin
Suggests, is a key factor in understanding how games can be addictive. The other side of this is
The consideration that if there is no need to adapt to a new situation, a player will continue
Using the same strategy and never feel should red to improve, and likely become bored of repetition.

Martin C. Martin, a software engineer and game design thinker, once suggested that learning and exploration are the key to stickiness in the game. When a player fails
Or, the player is expected to learn new skills to deal with it. For example, in a shooting game, players must learn to move, aim, and
Cooperate with each other in different environments, weapons, and enemies, and so on. Wow
It is a "pure learning curve", so the player experience is dependent on acquiring new capabilities, and then enriching the player's skill slot. Frequent gamer needs
After learning it over and over again, Martin suggests that it is a key factor to determine whether the game is stuck. On the other hand, the designer must consider
In the new situation, players will continue to use the same game strategy, and will never have the passion for improvement, so they will feel bored and repetitive.

Secrets
Secret

Very similar to the authentication element are the frequently-used 'game secrets'. You 've probably
Played a few games which used this in various ways (if you haven't, you haven't played enough
Games !!). Some games feature secret levels, which can be unlocked through a complicated series
Events as you progress in the game (or upon completion). Other Games feature unlockable characters.
Some games have hidden treasures in each level, which take some skill to find. The basic idea
Behind all this is that secrets appeal both to the desire to launch e the game, as well as
Desire to beat the challenge involved in getting the secret rewards.

"Secrets in the game" are similar to exploration factors. You should have played some games to allow gamers to perform customs clearance in a variety of ways.
Not enough games ). Some games contain secret checkpoints, and only when you trigger all the conditions will you enter (or as a review ). Others
The game contains secret roles. Some games have hidden treasure boxes on each level and need to be found with special skills. The existence of secrets can stimulate Exploration
The desire of the game also inspires players to complete the challenge and earn hidden rewards.

It often helps to make one or two secrets early in the game fairly easily accessible, and steadily
Increase the difficulty as the game progresses. Alternatively, make the secrets visible in
Game, but make getting to them the hard part. In this way, the player will know that there are
Secrets and will be tempted to get them. Otherwise, they may just play through the game
Ever finding the hidden rewards! However, if the player finishes the game, but knows that there are
Secrets that are still to be found, it is more than likely that the game will be replayed because
Of the remaining secrets.

A common practice is to place one or two very easy-to-find secrets in the game, and then gradually increase the difficulty as the game goes deeper. Meanwhile, keep the game secret
The prompt appears in the game, but it is really difficult to unlock the secret. In this way, players will perceive the secrets and try to unlock them. Otherwise
They will ignore secrets and rewards during the game process. However, if a player finishes the game but knows there are other secrets not found, they can
Can play the game again to find out the secret.

Variety
Change

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the more variety there is terms of level
Generation, spawns, items, Etc... in any given play of the game, the more reason there is to replay
The game. Although too much randomness can sometimes take away from the fun of the game, adding
Some random elements will allow the game to feel less linear in terms of game-play.

Another important factor that must be remembered is that many game elements, such as checkpoints, equipment, and so on, will change and make players
Play this game again. Although too many random factors sometimes make the game fun, adding some necessary random factors will make the game
It is no longer monotonous, but a game of fun.

Something that is closely related to game-play variety is its continuity. Haven't you been in
Situation where you just can't stop playing a game because as soon as you finish one part, another
Part is immediately available? You want to keep going, because there's still more to go! This can
Be a very powerful tool to make a game more addictive. As long as content is continuously available
To the player, its presentation is visual enough to be clearly noticed, and it isnt repetitive,
The gamer will want to keep playing the game!

A word that is similar to the game fun change is "playing next" (continuity ). Have you ever encountered such a situation that you are about to enter the next Customs Clearance
It is absolutely unwilling to stop playing games. You need to continue playing, because more game content will be available soon. This is a powerful weapon that makes the game more sticky ,. When the game keeps providing new content for players to "continue playing", the next goal of the game is clearly displayed to the players, and the players feel that
There is no repetition at all, and we are willing to continue playing this game.

The social factor
Social factors

Especially with the growing popularity of multiplayer and massively-multiplayer games,
The social factor in a game's addictive value is particle ly important. So what is it about?

Specifically, for MMO games, social factors play an important role in game stickiness. So how can we do it?

If a player's actions in a game, whether real-time or post-hoc, are witnessed by another person,
The player is operating in a social game environment. There are certain influences that other
People can exert on the player, most of the time unwillinly...

The player's behavior in the game, whether real-time or lagging, will be witnessed by other players. players are all in a social game environment.
Everyone can feel the existence of others, even if they don't want...

Impressive performance
Profound Behavior

Imagine a group of player's in an MMORPG, on a quest or dungeon raid, and one of the players
Manages to pull off a move or series of moves that just make you say "Whoa! ". The Player cocould
Have taken out 5 strong enemies attacking him at once, or stored med one of the coolest and hardest
To get attacks in the game... whatever.

Imagine that a team of MMORPG players are completing tasks or raid, and then one of them organizes the sequence of action for everyone. You can see
A player can attract attacks from five strong enemies, or play the coolest attack in the game together...

The point is that a player's actions in a game can seem impressive to others, and this can be
Very rewarding experience. Knowing that other's are even a little impressed by your actions can
Make you keep doing those things, and more, to continue the impressive performance-positive
Reinforcement. Being able to impress can be addictive.

A player's movements in the game can touch other players and give them an extraordinary experience. This kind of experience will encourage gamers to continue the game.
Get even a small similar experience. More importantly, in order to continue this experience, the game will produce stickiness to players.

Competition
Competition

This is one of the most addictive elements that a game can have. Most people like to compete.
They like to test their skills and beat opponents. The easiest way to promote competivenes is
To include some sort of scoring system. By defeating other players, or by running Ming certain
Actions, players can see that they rank higher than other players. This is rewarding. At the same
Time, seeing other players having higher ranks will give something to look forward to. Two Ways
Keep the player addicted!

Competition is one of the most viscous elements in the game. Most players like competition. They like to test their skills to defeat their opponents. Simplest Competition
The ranking system is introduced. If you defeat another player or complete a specific action, the player will find that the player ranks first. This is an honor.
At the same time, it is also an incentive to see the higher rankings of other players. Both of these aspects will increase the stickiness of the game.

Competitiveness can take a different form. A player may like the fact that he can keep improving
His skills, so the competition wowould actually be against himself. They are trying to find out what
The highest level they can reach, either in the game or with their abilities. The knowledge or
Even a simple feeling that you can still improve your skills can be enough to make a game
Addictive.

Competition can take different forms. Players generally like a way to constantly improve themselves. In this way, the players themselves will directly compete in the competition.
They like to try the highest level they can achieve, whether it's game performance or personal ability. I learned and even simply felt my skills
Improvement will produce enough game stickiness.

Socializing
Social networking

This is probably the most overlooked factor in game design, mostly in multiplayer games,
Also to a degree in singleplayer games. Adjust people like being in a group, chatting about various
Things, Etc... in general: They like to socialize.
This is a negligible factor in the game, especially in multiplayer games. People like to team up and discuss things together... Generally, you all like
Social networking.

This may manifest in various ways of course. Some may socialize by joining an FPS clan and compete
In ladders and tournaments. Others may socialize simply by being relatively idle, and just talking
In the lolobby. In singleplayer games, a group of friends may socialize simply by taking turns on
The game and have a good time, laughing, cheering each other on, or making fun of each other's
Mistakes.

This is obviously the case. Some players like to join the FPS team and pass the competition together. Some players just enjoy chatting in the hall. In
In single player games, players can experience social networking, laugh, encourage each other, or make fun of each other by playing in turn.

If a game, especially a multiplayer game, provides plenty of opportunities for varous ways
Socialize, players will have more of an incentive to keep playing the game, even if not very
Actively: the social value of the game will be liked.

In games, especially multiplayer games, there are many ways to help gamers socialize. As a result, players are motivated to play games, even if they are not active,
They will also like social networking in games.

What you shoshould watch out for is making people socialize in some way. For example, they have no
Choice but play in a team. This may be because the game is designed that way, or because playing
Alone is way to difficult. This can produce reactance. reactance is a fairly well-known
Psychological phenomenon. It's simple, but far-reaching: take away some small freedom from
Person, however small, and that person will react negatively to the loss of the Freedom. So try
To avoid forcing players to do something they wouldn't want to do (this applies to just about
Every aspect of a game, not just socializing ).

What designers need to do is to help gamers communicate with each other. For example, it is difficult for gamers to play a single game. players must team up to complete the game.
In this way, interaction is a recognized psychological requirement. It should be noted that, if a player is given a small limit
This will lead to negative interactions. At the same time, remember not to force players to do things they are not willing to do (this is a factor to be considered in all designs, no
Only in the social part ).

Competitive games like counterstrike are some of the most addictive games there are!
Competing games similar to CS are very sticky games.