{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/engagement-retention--family-17","type":"mechanic","id":"engagement-retention--family-17","lang":"en","title":"Extending sessions and removing stopping points","summary":"Continuous events, new tasks and unclear pauses can make a session harder to end.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-17/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-17.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-17.md","aliases":["Extending a play session"],"tags":["Engagement, retention and addictive patterns","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-43a59b91bdde2acb"],"sources":[{"id":"source-43a59b91bdde2acb","title":"Vampire Survivors","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The sequence of events and the lack of convenient pauses can make it difficult to complete a gaming session."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-17-variants\"></a>\n\n- Automatic start of the next match: continuation occurs by default <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-01\"></a>\n- Immediate retry without returning to the menu: there is almost no pause between attempts to solve <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-02\"></a>\n- The next task begins before the previous one is completed: one activity constantly transitions into another <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-03\"></a>\n- Non-synchronous completion of goals: one scale is full, but the other is almost reaching the reward <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-04\"></a>\n- Continuous play bonus: stopping interrupts a useful multiplier <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-05\"></a>\n- Progress is saved only after a long stage: exit requires giving up part of the result <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-06\"></a>\n- No pause in prolonged activity: it is difficult for the player to be temporarily distracted <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-07\"></a>\n- Constantly updated content flow: new tasks appear faster than completed ones disappear <a id=\"variant-engagement-retention-17-08\"></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-17","title":"Engagement, retention and addictive patterns","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/engagement-retention/#family-17","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Extending a play session","description":"Continuous events, new tasks and unclear pauses can make a session harder to end.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/broad-vampire-survivors-00.webp","width":1280,"height":800,"game":"Vampire Survivors","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1794680/ss_6c55afe36be2a7784bf18cb9b3218321ae2d10e5.1920x1080.jpg?t=1787911678","credit":"poncle / poncle","rights":"© poncle / poncle. All rights reserved.","caption":"The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies","alt":"The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies","markers":[{"x":51,"y":52,"label":"The central choice concerns safe positioning among enemies"}]},"tips":["Provide visible stopping points with safe saving."],"examples":[{"title":"Vampire Survivors","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/"}]}},"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"}}