Progression, rewards and retention
Progression changes player options and goals; rewards should explain new decisions and preserve useful stopping points. 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
1Unlocking abilities and expanding available actionsOverview and example ↗Unlocking an ability expands legal actions and allows previously inaccessible challenges to be reconsidered.4
Mechanic variants
- A new verb enables another type of interaction.
- An upgrade removes an existing action constraint.
- Knowledge reveals an already available capability.
- Shared access transfers an unlock to other characters.
Design example. Carrying electrical charge opens a door and also enables rerouting a power network. Prototype check: Test whether an unlock enables at least two different applications understandable from the ability's rule.
2Collections, albums and set completionOverview and example ↗A collection turns separate findings into a visible set whose missing entries guide further searches.4
Mechanic variants
- Silhouettes suggest the shape of a missing entry.
- Categories connect items through a shared feature.
- Trading turns duplicates into a path toward gaps.
- Discovery history preserves location and circumstances.
Design example. A plant album's empty mountain category suggests exploring at a different altitude. Prototype check: Test the final collection entries: completion should have a clearer path than endless blind repetition.
3Achievements, challenges and masteryOverview and example ↗A challenge sets a separate mastery criterion and recognizes execution beyond ordinary objective completion.4
Mechanic variants
- Medals distinguish levels of execution quality.
- Restrictions remove a familiar powerful tool.
- Records preserve the best result of an attempt.
- Streaks test consistent execution without mistakes.
Design example. A level allows an ordinary route, while a separate medal requires avoiding stationary platforms. Prototype check: Test immediate feedback for a broken challenge rule and retrying without unnecessary waiting.
4Loot, rarity and reward distributionOverview and example ↗A loot system distributes rewards through conditions and probabilities, connecting uncertainty to a clear search direction.4
Mechanic variants
- Loot tables connect sources to possible rewards.
- Weights alter an item's relative frequency.
- Guarantees limit unsuccessful attempts.
- Duplicate protection narrows an unfinished collection.
Design example. A station can drop a needed module, while ten tokens allow obtaining it directly. Prototype check: Test long failure streaks and guarantee clarity; do not present an average wait as a promised completion time.
5Idle, incremental and offline progressOverview and example ↗Accumulation continues with limited player attention while upgrades periodically change the production structure.4
Mechanic variants
- Automatic production replaces repeated manual input.
- Storage caps limit accumulated output.
- Offline simulation accounts for an elapsed interval.
- Bottlenecks change the best next purchase.
Design example. A workshop runs unattended until storage fills and calls for a new allocation of goods. Prototype check: Test clock changes and repeated loads so one interval is not rewarded twice or converted into negative income.
6Prestige, resets and renewed progressionOverview and example ↗A voluntary reset trades some current progression for persistent changes to the next development cycle.4
Mechanic variants
- Multipliers shorten already mastered growth stages.
- New branches open another development route.
- Partial resets preserve a chosen project.
- Diminishing gains change the best restart timing.
Design example. Restarting a factory removes machines but preserves a blueprint for combining operations. Prototype check: Show losses and retained progress before confirmation; test for new decisions beyond waiting through another cycle.
Sources and examples
Sources support particular techniques or methodology, not every family variant. Design examples and mechanic combinations are illustrative.
- Robert Nystrom: State
The author’s original discussion of states and transitions; rule implementation context, not evidence for every editorial variant.
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