---
key: mechanic/engagement-retention--family-04
type: mechanic
id: engagement-retention--family-04
lang: en
title: 'Goals, completion and visible remainder'
summary: >-
A meter, list or collection shows completed and remaining progress. The
visible remainder helps direct the next action.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-04/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-04.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-04.md
aliases:
- Goals and visible remaining progress
tags:
- 'Engagement, retention and addictive patterns'
- Mechanics catalog
sourceIds:
- source-1696c3167e4356ed
sources:
- id: source-1696c3167e4356ed
title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: engagement-retention
id: family-04
title: 'Engagement, retention and addictive patterns'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/engagement-retention/#family-04'
categoryIds:
- section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Goals and visible remaining progress
description: >-
A meter, list or collection shows completed and remaining progress. The
visible remainder helps direct the next action.
image:
src: images/mechanics/hollow-knight-charms.webp
width: 1440
height: 810
crop:
x: 113
'y': 143
width: 1237
height: 562
game: Hollow Knight
sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
originalUrl: >-
https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/367520/ss_33a645903d6dd9beec39f272a3daf57174a6cc26.1920x1080.jpg?t=1776125684
credit: Team Cherry
rights: © Team Cherry. All rights reserved.
caption: Found charms and empty spaces
alt: >-
Hollow Knight: a collection displays acquired charms and empty positions
for missing finds.
markers:
- x: 33
'y': 55
label: An acquired charm fills its collection slot
- x: 49
'y': 55
label: An empty position represents an undiscovered object
tips:
- Allow optional goals to be hidden and resumed later.
examples:
- title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
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
---
# Goals, completion and visible remainder
id: engagement-retention--family-04
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/engagement-retention--family-04
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-04/
A meter, list or collection shows completed and remaining progress. The visible remainder helps direct the next action.
## At a glance
[Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/) · © Team Cherry. All rights reserved.
1. An acquired charm fills its collection slot
2. An empty position represents an undiscovered object
- Allow optional goals to be hidden and resumed later.
- [Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/)
## How it works
Unfinished goals and visible remaining work draw attention to continuation; consider the opportunity to stop calmly.
## Variants
### Variants and applications
- Progress bars: show how much time is left until the result
- Breaking down a big goal: turning a long task into a sequence of small achievements
- Several goal horizons: nearby there are tasks for a minute, an evening and a month
- Achievements lists: provide an explicit list of what has not yet been accomplished
- Completion Rate: Turns completing an entire game into a measurable goal
- Stepped grades: stars, medals and ranks encourage you to improve what you have already completed
- Pre-progress: part of the scale or set is given out immediately, creating a goal in progress
- Show the next goal in advance: before the end of the current task, the next attractive result is already visible
## Context and limits
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.
## Connected materials
## Sources and 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.
- [Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/) (id: source-1696c3167e4356ed)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors