PROGRESSION MECHANICS

Level 2

David MullichGame MechanicsThe Los Angeles Film School

What Are Progression Mechanics?

Progression

The ongoing procedures after the game’s set-up, leading to a desired resolution.

Difficulty

The amount of skill a player needs to achieve the game’s goals.

Progression Stair

FlowFlow is the mental state in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in the game.

Over time, game challenges increase as the player’s skills increase.

FlowMost games tend to build up each level to a boss battle of some type to test if they are ready for more difficult challenges.

When players pass this test, they progress through the game.

Progression Systems

Extra Credits: How Good Games Avoid Skinner Boxes

What Was The Main Message Of This Video?

Analyzing Progression

Are your choke points appropriately difficult? Are users getting stuck on certain levels unexpectedly? Which levels are users having the most fun playing and repeating?

TRACKING PROGRESS

Score

The numerical representation of the player’s success in the game, often not only representing the success but also defining it.

Why Designers Use Scores Progress Indicator Supports Race, Collection, Gain Ownership

Goals Trans-Game Information for Metagaming Extra-Game Consequences (High Score

Lists and Tournaments)

Score Design Considerations Which actions or goals give points? How many points are awarded? Are points based on when they are

achieved? Can players reload saved games? Are player scores hidden? Are there tie breakers?

More Ways To Balance Scores

Less Difficult Pick-Ups

More Difficult Handicaps

High Score Lists

Give players the chance to rank themselves against other players who have previously played the game.

Why Designers Use High Score Lists Replayability Competition in Single-Player Games

High Score List Design Considerations How many scores are saved? How are handles supported? How are ties displayed?

Levels

Part of a game in which all player actions take place until a certain goal or end condition has been fulfilled.

Why Designers Use Levels Progress Indicator Game World Boundary Closure Point Narrative Structure Promotes Exploration Balances Complexity and Difficulty

Level Design Considerations How many levels in the game? How do they relate to each other? How are they different? How are they completed?

More Ways To Balance LevelsLess Difficulty Clues Save Points

More Difficult Obstacles Enemies Bosses Inaccessible Areas

More/Less Difficult Spawn Points Controllers

MORE ON ACTIONS CONTROL

Improved Abilities

The player’s chance of succeeding with an action, or its calculated effect, is increased.

Why Designers Use Improved Abilities Empowerment Rewards Supports Gain Competence and Gain

Ownership Goals Balances Avatars, Skills, Competence

Areas

Improved Abilities Design Considerations What ability is improved? How is it improved? Is the chance to succeed improved? Is the effect improved?

More Ways To Balance Improved AbilitiesMore Difficult Time Limits Diminishing Returns Decreased Abilities

New Abilities

Gaining new abilities during gameplay.

Why Designers Use New Abilities Empowerment Rewards Varied Gameplay Smooth Learning Curves Competence Areas Supports Gain Competence and Gain Ownership

of Tools Goals Balances Characters, Units and Team Members

New Abilities Design Considerations What ability is given? Is the ability temporary? What focus loci is it given to? Can player choose the ability? Does player have to give up a current

ability?

More Ways To Balance New AbilitiesMore Difficult Budgeted Action Points Time Limits Ability Losses

MORE GAME OBJECTS

Pick-Ups

Game elements that exist in the game world and can be collected by the player, usually by moving an Avatar or Units in contact with the Pick-Up.

Why Designers Use Pick-Ups Resources Risk/Reward Decisions Promotes Strategic Locations Promotes Collecting, Maneuvering, Gain

Ownership, and Delivery Goals

Pick-Up Design Considerations What does it do? Where is it located? How is it produced? How limited is it?

Tools

Game elements that enable a player’s Avatars and Units to perform actions otherwise unavailable to them.

Why Designers Use Tools New, Improved and Privileged Abilities Empowerment Rewards Balances Avatars and Units Promotes Races and Competition to Get

Tool Supports Collecting, Gain Ownership and

Gain Competence Goals

Tool Design Considerations What new, improved or privileged abilities

does it give? What avatars or units can use it? What skills/resources are required to use

it? Can it be combined with other tools?

More Ways To Balance Tools

More Difficult Aim & Shoot to use it Privileged Ability to use it Transfer of Control

Power-Ups

Game elements that give limited-time advantages to the player that picks them up.

Why Designers Use Power-Ups New, Improved and Privileged Abilities Empowerment Tension Promotes Strategic Locations Balances Skills Promotes Races and Competition to Get Power-

Up Supports Collecting, Maneuvering, Gain

Ownership and Gain Competence Goals

Power-Up Design Considerations What advantage does it give? How long does its effect last? Where is it located? How is it produced? Can players trade it?

How Are Power-Ups and Tools Different?

Controllers

Game elements fixed in particular locations in the game world that allow player to perform actions that would not otherwise be possible.

Why Designers Use Controllers Obstacle Resource Location Strategic Location Area Control Ultra-Powerful Event Level Completion Supports Gain Ownership Goals

Controller Design Considerations What privileged abilities does it allow? Who can use it? What skills/resources/tools/extended

actions are required to use it? Is it part of a large machine or system?

More Ways To Balance Chargers

Less Difficult Tips for using it

More Difficult Aim & Shoot to use it Privileged Ability to use it Transfer of Control to other players

Chargers

Locations in the game world that affect the player’s resources when they are on the location.

Why Designers Use Chargers Resource Location Resource Generator Balance Complexity Risk/Reward Decisions Supports Resource Gathering, Gain

Competence, Traverse, and Gain Ownership Goals

Charger Design Considerations What resources or improved/new/privileged

abilities does it provide? Where is it located? How long does it take to charge?

More Ways To Balance Chargers

Less Difficult Tips for using it

How Are Controllers and Chargers Different?

MORE GOALS

Gain Competence

Gaining the ability to perform a certain action in a game.

Why Designers Use Gain Competence Goals Reward Smooth Learning Curve Varied Gameplay Character Development Promote Tactics Supports Gain Ownership, Overcome,

Race

Gain Competence Considerations

What is the action obtained? How is the action obtained? Is the action limited?

Race

A competition between players to be the first to reach a certain goal, often being the first to a certain location along an approved route.

Why Designers Use Race Goals Conflict Competition Supports Delivery, Stealth and Rescue

Goals Prevents Eliminate and other goals

Race Considerations Is this the single goal of the game? Which game elements are racing? How many players are competing? Does each player start at the same time? Are there movement limitations? Do players’ know each other’s position? Can players interfere with each other? Are there chargers or pick-ups? Are trailing players given advantages? How is the end determined? Is there a time limit?

More Ways To Balance Racing

More Difficult Maneuvering Require Strategic Knowledge Handicaps Tie Breakers

Choose one of the following games to play:

+Around World 80 Days (3-6p, 50-70m) Aton (2p, 30m) |Ave Ceasar (3-6p, 30-60m) Candyland (2-4p, 15-30m) *Can’t Stop (2-4p, 30-40m) Citadels (2-7p, 20-60m)

*Eno (2-5p, 60m) Hey, That’s My Fish! (2-4p, 20m) |Power Grid:First Sparks (2-6p, 60m) +Snowtails (2-5p, 45m) *Thunderstone (2-5p, 45m)

Group Quest

Design an analog game prototype using mechanics supporting one of the following goals: Gain Competence Race

Research and use the LMS to report on games using progression tracking elements discussed in class.