{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/engagement-retention--family-03","type":"mechanic","id":"engagement-retention--family-03","lang":"en","title":"Progression and empowerment","summary":"Progression unlocks new actions and creates a sequence of attainable goals. The player can see what their effort changed.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-03/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-03.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-03.md","aliases":["Progression and new possibilities"],"tags":["Engagement, retention and addictive patterns","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-7f09c8a736762f4f"],"sources":[{"id":"source-7f09c8a736762f4f","title":"Slay the Spire","url":"https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Development opens up new opportunities and creates a sequence of achievable goals."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-03-variants\"></a>\n\n- Experience and levels: each lesson brings a noticeable stage of development closer <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-01\"></a>\n- Stat growth: numbers show accumulated power <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-02\"></a>\n- Skill Trees: The Next Node Promises a New Opportunity <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-03\"></a>\n- Gradual discovery of mechanics: the game regularly expands the range of available actions <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-04\"></a>\n- Unlocking territories and modes: progress gives access to the next layer of content <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-05\"></a>\n- Development of a base or settlement: changes are saved and become a visible result of investments <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-06\"></a>\n- Parallel leveling: character, weapon, profession and faction are developed simultaneously <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-07\"></a>\n- Continued growth after the main ending: additional levels and systems leave long-term goals <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-03-08\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A map of 160 techniques for analyzing interest, returns, costs and pressure on the player. Involvement in itself does not mean dependence; the presence of separate mechanics does not determine the diagnosis or prove causation. This is the author's classification for critical analysis of design, and not a scientifically established list of the causes of gaming disorder. Assess context, audience, voluntariness of participation, and opportunity to stop."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"engagement-retention","id":"family-03","title":"Engagement, retention and addictive patterns","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/engagement-retention/#family-03","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Progression and new possibilities","description":"Progression unlocks new actions and creates a sequence of attainable goals. The player can see what their effort changed.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/slay-the-spire-unlocks.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Slay the Spire","sourceUrl":"https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/","originalUrl":"https://www.megacrit.com/images/ss20.jpg","credit":"Mega Crit","rights":"© Mega Crit. All rights reserved.","caption":"Permanent card unlocks for future runs","alt":"Permanent card unlocks for future runs","markers":[{"x":50,"y":45,"label":"New elements expand future action options"}]},"tips":["Unlock meaningful possibilities rather than only increasing a number."],"examples":[{"title":"Slay the Spire","url":"https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/engagement-retention"}}