--- key: mechanic/engagement-retention--family-06 type: mechanic id: engagement-retention--family-06 lang: en title: 'Randomness, anticipation and excitement' summary: >- Uncertain outcomes change anticipation and risk choices. Attempt cost, probability transparency and loss limits matter. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-06/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-06.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-06.md aliases: - Randomness and anticipation tags: - 'Engagement, retention and addictive patterns' - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-a0ef9dfb2942be1b - source-127368020a891d54 sources: - id: source-a0ef9dfb2942be1b title: Zendle and Cairns url: 'https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0206767' verifiedAt: null - id: source-127368020a891d54 title: Dicey Dungeons url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/861540/' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: engagement-retention id: family-06 title: 'Engagement, retention and addictive patterns' url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/engagement-retention/#family-06' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: Randomness and anticipation description: >- Uncertain outcomes change anticipation and risk choices. Attempt cost, probability transparency and loss limits matter. image: src: images/mechanics/broad-dicey-dungeons-00.webp width: 1440 height: 810 game: Dicey Dungeons sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/861540/' originalUrl: >- https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/861540/ss_34c9e63f73c668bcde5dd4671e944c09e1c169b5.1920x1080.jpg?t=1761845135 credit: Terry Cavanagh / Terry Cavanagh rights: © Terry Cavanagh / Terry Cavanagh. All rights reserved. caption: A rolled value is assigned to an eligible ability alt: A rolled value is assigned to an eligible ability markers: - x: 48 'y': 34 label: Duplicate accepts a die with a value of at least four tips: - Do not present a random outcome as proof of skill or guaranteed value. examples: - title: Dicey Dungeons url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/861540/' 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 --- # Randomness, anticipation and excitement id: engagement-retention--family-06 type: mechanic key: mechanic/engagement-retention--family-06 lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/engagement-retention--family-06/ Uncertain outcomes change anticipation and risk choices. Attempt cost, probability transparency and loss limits matter. ## At a glance ![A rolled value is assigned to an eligible ability](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/broad-dicey-dungeons-00.webp) [Dicey Dungeons](https://store.steampowered.com/app/861540/) · © Terry Cavanagh / Terry Cavanagh. All rights reserved. 1. Duplicate accepts a die with a value of at least four - Do not present a random outcome as proof of skill or guaranteed value. - [Dicey Dungeons](https://store.steampowered.com/app/861540/) ## How it works The Pity system can limit bad luck, and randomness can add variety to the game. Risk depends on the cost of trying, the transparency of probabilities, limitations, and combination with other systems. For paid loot boxes, studies have found that spending is associated with problem gambling behavior; A correlational study does not by itself establish the direction of causation. Zendle and Cairns. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Random reward: it is not known in advance what exactly will be received - Rare big win: among the usual results there is a particularly desirable one - “Almost hit” demonstration: framing a loss to create the impression of being close to winning - Gradual reveal of the result: opening a chest or summon extends the wait - Guarantee after a series of failures, pity system: the counter creates a separate goal until a guaranteed reward - Re-generating the result, reroll: you can try to replace the unsuccessful reward - Improvement with probability of success: invested resources can give an increase or a loss - The decision “take or risk”: the winnings already received can be bet for more ## 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. - [Zendle and Cairns](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0206767) (id: source-a0ef9dfb2942be1b) - [Dicey Dungeons](https://store.steampowered.com/app/861540/) (id: source-127368020a891d54) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors