Goals, difficulty, learning and feedback
Goals and feedback explain the value of an action, the causes of its result and ways to improve the next attempt. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map.
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Mechanics and variants
1Victory, defeat and alternative success conditionsOverview and example ↗Completion conditions define action value; alternative successes fulfill an objective through different constrained approaches.4
Mechanic variants
- Primary objectives set mandatory completion criteria.
- Alternatives replace combat with negotiation or bypass.
- Draws have distinct results and consequences.
- Failure preserves some useful world changes.
Design example. A settlement can be defended through battle or by evacuating all residents in time. Prototype check: Test simultaneous victory and defeat conditions with an explicit outcome priority.
2Scores, combos, multipliers and recordsOverview and example ↗Scores evaluate actions while combos and multipliers link rewards to sequence and consistent execution.4
Mechanic variants
- Base points weight individual actions.
- Combos require another success before a window closes.
- Multipliers raise the value of keeping a streak.
- Records preserve results under shared mode conditions.
Design example. Varied tricks raise a multiplier while repeating one safe trick gradually loses value. Prototype check: Test indefinite scoring without progress and agreement between displayed and final totals.
3Completion time, speedrunning and route optimizationOverview and example ↗Timed completion turns routing, transitions and execution reliability into a shared duration-minimization problem.4
Mechanic variants
- Splits identify local time losses.
- Ghosts display a previous personal trajectory.
- Routes trade speed against failure probability.
- Categories constrain permitted completion techniques.
Design example. A short jump saves seconds while a longer bypass provides a more reliable no-reset attempt. Prototype check: Test timing across pauses, loading and frame-rate changes so compared runs share the same timing rules.
4Feedback, game feel and state readabilityOverview and example ↗Feedback makes state and action causality readable through coordinated visuals, sound, motion and tactile response.4
Mechanic variants
- Anticipation shows an upcoming effect region.
- Contact feedback confirms a successful action.
- Distinct cues separate blocks from misses.
- Settings reduce intensity without removing meaning.
Design example. A blocked strike changes sound and weapon motion and remains readable without camera shake. Prototype check: Disable decoration and audio separately; essential outcomes should remain identifiable through an available channel.
5Diegetic interfaces and in-world instrumentsOverview and example ↗In-world instruments display state and require character actions, making interface reading part of a spatial challenge.4
Mechanic variants
- Object-mounted gauges require orienting the object.
- Panels permit control only while nearby.
- Instrument screens constrain the field of view.
- Redundant cues preserve essential state access.
Design example. Battery charge appears on a handheld instrument that must be raised instead of a weapon. Prototype check: Test gauge readability at low resolution and alternatives when instrument placement hides essential information.
6Inventories, maps and interfaces as play spacesOverview and example ↗Interfaces become play spaces when placing, connecting or interpreting their elements directly changes a challenge's solution.4
Mechanic variants
- Packing connects item shapes to storage space.
- Maps permit rearranging connections between rooms.
- Windows hide or reveal parts of a world.
- Panels connect commands into executable sequences.
Design example. A player rearranges map rooms and changes actual doorway connections in a dungeon. Prototype check: Test visible links between interface operations and world changes, with undo before creating a dead end.
Sources and examples
Sources support particular techniques or methodology, not every family variant. Design examples and mechanic combinations are illustrative.
- Game Accessibility Guidelines
The guideline authors’ primary reference on motor, sensory and cognitive accessibility.
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