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Lesson 6: Player Engagement Loops

Let's talk about the glue that holds it all together and keeps players invested over the long haul: Player Engagement Loops. These are the cycles of activity and reward that motivate players to keep coming back, hour after hour, day after day.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define "Player Engagement Loops" and their significance in long-term game design.
• Distinguish between core loops, progression loops, and meta-loops.
• Identify the components of a successful engagement loop (e.g., action, reward, motivation).
• Analyze how different game genres utilize various engagement loops.
• Begin to design simple engagement loops for a game concept.

Key Concepts

Core Loop (Revisit): The fundamental, repeatable action-reward cycle (e.g., "Kill enemy -> Get loot -> Get stronger -> Kill stronger enemy").

Progression Loop: A longer-term cycle tied to player advancement (e.g., "Gain XP -> Level up -> Unlock new abilities -> Tackle harder content").

Meta-Loop: The overarching cycle that encompasses the game's entire experience, often involving social, competitive, or long-term goal-setting elements (e.g., "Play matches -> Climb ranks -> Earn seasonal rewards -> Prepare for next season").

Motivation: The intrinsic and extrinsic factors that drive players to engage (e.g., mastery, achievement, social connection, novelty, reward).

Variable Reinforcement: Delivering rewards unpredictably to maintain engagement (think slot machines).

Flow State: The immersive experience where a player is fully absorbed and challenged at an optimal level.

Grind: Repetitive actions required to progress, which can be part of an engagement loop but needs careful balancing.

Activities

Discussion Starter: The Loop of My Life Think about a game you've played for a very long time (hundreds of hours). What kept you coming back? Try to map out the different loops that kept you engaged. Share your insights with the class.

Class Activity: Deconstructing Engagement Loops Let's break down the core loop, progression loop, and meta-loop of a popular RPG like Diablo or World of Warcraft. How do these different loops interlock to keep players invested over time?

Group Activity: Engagement Loop Components For a simple casual game like Angry Birds or Subway Surfers, identify the primary action, the immediate reward, and the long-term motivation that keeps players playing. Discuss how these components form a compelling loop.

Design Challenge: Gardening Game Engagement Loops You're designing a new casual mobile game about gardening. In your groups, propose what would be its core loop, and what kind of progression loop and meta-loop you could implement to keep players engaged over weeks or months.

Homework

Loop Analysis: Choose a game-as-a-service (e.g., Fortnite, League of Legends, Genshin Impact, or a popular mobile game). Analyze its various engagement loops – core, progression, and meta. Describe how they interlink and what psychological principles they leverage to keep players engaged.

Further Reading: Read "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal (focus on the Hook Model). While not exclusively about games, its principles are highly relevant.

Further Watching: Search for GDC talks on "retention," "player psychology," or "game loops."

Conclusion

Engagement loops are the long game of game design. They're about creating compelling cycles of activity and reward that tap into fundamental human motivations. By understanding and intentionally designing these loops, you can transform a fun short experience into a beloved long-term obsession. Keep these principles in mind as you move forward with your own designs!

   

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Going from Paper to Prototype in Games

Ideas on paper are just that – ideas. The real magic happens when you start bringing them to life, even in the simplest forms. In this lesson, we're bridging the gap between concept and playable experience: moving from paper to prototype. This is where your designs start to breathe!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Understand the purpose and value of prototyping in game development.
• Identify different types of prototypes (e.g., paper, digital, vertical slice).
• Learn best practices for rapid prototyping and iteration.
• Translate core game mechanics from conceptual ideas into tangible, testable forms.
• Appreciate the "fail fast, fail often" mentality in prototyping.

Key Concepts

Prototyping: Creating a simplified, playable version of a game or a specific game mechanic to test assumptions and gather feedback.

Paper Prototype: A non-digital prototype using physical components (cards, tokens, dice, drawings) to simulate gameplay. Excellent for testing core loops and rules quickly.

Digital Prototype: A playable version created using software, focusing on specific mechanics or interactions. Can range from very rough to more polished.

Minimum Viable Product (MVP): The simplest possible version of your game that still delivers its core value proposition. Prototyping often aims for an MVP.

Iteration: The cyclical process of designing, building, testing, and refining. Prototyping is central to this.

Playtesting: Observing players interacting with your prototype to identify issues and gather feedback.

Scope Management: Keeping prototypes focused on testing specific questions, rather than building a full game.

Activities

Discussion Starter: Why Prototype? As a class, let's list all the reasons why prototyping is crucial before you even write a line of final code. Think about finding flaws early, getting feedback, and communicating ideas effectively.

Class Activity: Paper Prototype Showcase I'll show some examples of simple paper prototypes (e.g., a card game, a board game mechanic). We'll discuss what specific questions each prototype is designed to answer and how it achieves that.

Group Design Challenge: Paper Prototype a Mechanic In your groups, choose one of the core mechanics we discussed last week (e.g., a jumping mechanic, a resource gathering system, a simple combat encounter). Your task is to design a paper prototype that allows us to test that mechanic. Think about what materials you'd use and how you'd simulate the action. Be ready to present your design.

Discussion: "Fail Fast" Mentality What does "fail fast, fail often" mean in the context of prototyping? Why is it a good thing for game development, and what are the dangers of not embracing this philosophy?

Homework

Build a Paper Prototype: Take one of your game ideas (or a new simple one) and create a functional paper prototype. It should be playable by at least two people. Document your prototype (photos/video) and write a brief (200-300 words) explanation of what core mechanic/loop it tests and what you learned from playing it yourself.

Further Reading: Read "Game Design Workshop" by Tracy Fullerton (Chapter 10: "Prototyping").

Further Watching: Search for GDC talks on "rapid prototyping" or "paper prototyping." Many designers share their early development processes.

Conclusion

Prototyping is your secret weapon. It allows you to test your riskiest assumptions, find the fun, and discover the flaws before you've invested hundreds of hours into development. Embrace the messiness, embrace the rapid iteration, and always remember: the goal of a prototype isn't to be perfect, it's to answer a question. Next up, we'll talk about how to keep players coming back for more with engaging loops!

     

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Brainstorm Methods for Games

Where do initial sparks of ideas come from? How do you move beyond "I want to make a game" to "I have a unique concept with compelling mechanics"? In this lesson, we're diving into the art and science of brainstorming – generating a flood of ideas, good and bad, to find the gems.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Understand the importance of structured brainstorming in game design.
• Learn and apply several effective brainstorming techniques.
• Foster a creative environment conducive to idea generation.
• Critically evaluate brainstormed ideas for potential and feasibility.
• Collaborate effectively in group brainstorming sessions

Key Concepts

• Divergent Thinking: Generating as many ideas as possible without judgment.
• Convergent Thinking: Evaluating and refining ideas to select the most promising ones.
• Quantity over Quality (initially): The principle that more ideas lead to better ideas.
• No Bad Ideas (during generation): Suspending criticism to encourage free flow.
• Idea Association: Connecting seemingly unrelated concepts to create novel ideas.
• Mind Mapping: A visual technique for organizing thoughts and ideas around a central theme.
• SCAMPER Method: A checklist for idea generation (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify/Magnify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse/Rearrange).
• Random Word Association: Using random words or images as prompts to spark new ideas.

Activities

Warm-up: The Paperclip Game In pairs, list as many non-traditional uses for a paperclip as you can in 2 minutes. This gets our divergent brains warmed up and ready for creative thinking!

Class Brainstorming Session: "A Game About [Random Object]" As a class, let's pick a completely random object (e.g., a toaster, a sock, a cloud). Now, using free association, let's brainstorm as many game concepts as possible centered around or inspired by that object. Remember: no judgment, just ideas!

Group Activity: Applying SCAMPER In small groups, take a classic game (e.g., Pac-Man, Chess) and apply the SCAMPER method to it. How could you Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, or Reverse/Rearrange its elements to create a new game concept?

Individual Exercise: Mind Mapping Individually, choose a game genre you enjoy (e.g., RPG, platformer, strategy). Create a quick mind map, starting with the genre in the center, and branching out with sub-genres, mechanics, themes, and potential new ideas.

Homework

Personal Brainstorming Challenge: Over the next week, dedicate 30 minutes each day to brainstorming game ideas using a different method each day (e.g., Monday: Mind Map, Tuesday: Random Word, Wednesday: SCAMPER, etc.). Keep a journal of your ideas. Select your top 3 most interesting concepts and briefly (1 paragraph each) explain why you think they have potential.

Further Reading: Search for articles or videos on "design thinking for games" or "ideation techniques in game development."

Further Watching: Look for GDC Vault talks on "concept generation" or "pre-production."

Conclusion:

Brainstorming isn't just about having a "eureka!" moment; it's a disciplined process of generating volume, suspending judgment, and then refining. The more diverse your ideas, the higher the chance of striking gold. Don't be afraid to be silly, to be wild – the best ideas often come from unexpected places. Once we have those ideas, the next step is to get them out of our heads and onto something tangible. 

     

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Core Mechanics in Games

The absolute bedrock of any game are its core game mechanics. These are the fundamental actions and systems that players engage with repeatedly. Get these right, and you have a solid foundation; get them wrong, and the whole house of cards can tumble. Today, we're defining, identifying, and appreciating the elegance of core mechanics.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define "core mechanics" in game design.
• Distinguish core mechanics from secondary mechanics or features.
• Analyze how core mechanics drive gameplay loops and player engagement.
• Identify the core mechanics of various popular games across different genres.
• Begin to articulate how core mechanics can be refined and iterated upon.

Key Concepts

Core Loop (or Gameplay Loop): The repeating cycle of actions a player performs, driven by the core mechanics. (e.g., Pac-Man: Eat pellets -> Avoid ghosts -> Eat power pellet -> Chase ghosts -> Repeat).

Atomic Actions: The smallest, most fundamental player inputs and system responses.

Verbs of Play: The actions players can perform (e.g., jump, shoot, collect, build, negotiate).

Systems Design: How different mechanics interact and influence each other.

Elegance: When a small set of simple mechanics can lead to deep, emergent gameplay.

Feedback Loops: How the game communicates the results of player actions.

Activities

Discussion Starter: Deconstruct the Classic Let's take Super Mario Bros. What are its absolute core mechanics? (e.g., running, jumping, stomping, collecting coins/power-ups). How do these simple actions combine to create a compelling experience?

Class Activity: Identify the Core I'll name a game (e.g., Tetris, Minecraft, Chess, Candy Crush), and you, as a class, will identify its primary core mechanics. We'll discuss why those are central and what would happen if they were removed.

Group Activity: Core Loop Mapping In small groups, pick a simple game (e.g., Flappy Bird, Snake). Draw out its core gameplay loop, identifying the player actions, system responses, and the motivation to repeat. Be ready to share your loop diagrams.

Design Challenge: Refining a Mechanic Imagine the core mechanic of "throwing a ball" in a game. In your groups, brainstorm how you could add subtle variations or layers to this single mechanic to make it more interesting without making it overly complex (e.g., different types of throws, environmental interactions, aiming challenges).

Homework

Core Mechanic Analysis: Choose a game you love and identify its 2-3 most fundamental core mechanics. Describe each mechanic in detail and explain how they interact to form the game's core loop. Provide specific examples of how these mechanics are used throughout the game. (300-400 words).

Further Reading: Read "Rules of Play" by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman (Chapter 10: "Mechanics").

Further Watching: Look up "GDC Microtalks" on core loops or atomic mechanics.

Conclusion: Core mechanics are the heartbeat of your game. They're what players will be doing most of the time, so they need to feel good, be understandable, and offer depth. Don't get lost in features before you've nailed your core. Speaking of nailing things, next time we'll talk about how to generate those brilliant ideas in the first place: brainstorming!

     

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Meaningful Choice in Games

What keeps players invested long-term? the power of meaningful choice. A game where every decision feels impactful, where players genuinely weigh pros and cons, is a game that fosters deep engagement and replayability. Today, we're going to unpack what makes a choice "meaningful" and how to weave them into your designs.

Learning Objectives

• By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
• Define what constitutes a "meaningful choice" in game design.
• Distinguish between meaningful and trivial choices.
• Identify different types of meaningful choices (e.g., strategic, tactical, narrative).
• Analyze how consequences, clarity, and player agency contribute to choice meaningfulness.
• Brainstorm ways to integrate meaningful choices into various game genres.

Key Concepts

Player Agency: The feeling that the player's actions genuinely matter and have an impact on the game world or outcome.

Consequences (Immediate & Long-Term): The direct and indirect results of a player's decision. Meaningful choices have clear, discernible consequences.

Trade-offs: When a choice forces a player to give up one benefit to gain another. This is often at the heart of meaningful decisions.

Information Asymmetry: When players don't have perfect information about the outcome of a choice, adding tension and risk.

Illusion of Choice: When a player thinks they are making a choice, but all paths lead to the same outcome. This can be detrimental if overused.

Narrative Choice: Decisions that impact the story, character relationships, or world state.

Strategic/Tactical Choice: Decisions related to gameplay, resource management, combat, or progression.

Activities

Discussion Starter: "Would You Rather?" (Game Design Edition) I'll present a series of "would you rather" scenarios related to game design (e.g., "Would you rather have a powerful but slow character, or a weak but fast character?"). We'll discuss why these choices are meaningful and what trade-offs they present.

Class Activity: Identify the Trivial Let's look at some games. Can you identify choices that feel like choices but ultimately have no real impact? Why might a designer include these, and when is it acceptable or problematic?

Case Study Analysis: Mass Effect Paragon/Renegade vs. The Witcher 3 Moral Dilemmas How do these games approach moral and narrative choices? Which feels more "meaningful" and why? Consider the ambiguity and long-term repercussions of decisions in each.

Design Challenge: Roguelike Deck-Builder Choices You're designing a new roguelike deck-builder. In your groups, propose three distinct types of meaningful choices a player might encounter during a run (e.g., card selection, pathing, event decisions), and describe the trade-offs for each.

Homework

Play & Analyze: Play a game known for its choices (e.g., Disco Elysium, Fallout: New Vegas, Stardew Valley). Identify at least three moments where you felt you made a truly meaningful choice. Describe the choice, its immediate consequences, and any long-term impacts you observed.

Further Reading: Read "The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses" by Jesse Schell (Lens of the Player's Choice, Lens of Meaningful Choices).

Further Watching: Search for GDC talks on "player agency" or "narrative choice."

Conclusion: Meaningful choices are the backbone of player investment. They transform passive consumption into active participation, making players feel truly connected to the game's world and its outcomes. Always ask yourself: "What are the consequences of this decision?" and "What is the player giving up to make this choice?" Next, we'll strip games down to their essence and talk about core mechanics.

     

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One of the most critical aspects of getting players hooked: the First Time User Experience, or FTUE. Designers only get one chance to make a first impression. In games, that impression can determine whether a player sticks around for hours or uninstalls after five minutes. This lesson will dissect what makes a great FTUE and why it's so vital.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Define First Time User Experience (FTUE) in the context of video games.

• Identify the key goals of an effective FTUE.

• Recognize common pitfalls in FTUE design.

• Analyze examples of strong and weak FTUEs from existing games.

• Propose strategies for improving the FTUE in a given game scenario.

Key Concepts

• Onboarding: The entire process of getting a new player acquainted with your game.

• Tutorialization: The specific methods used to teach game mechanics (e.g., guided tours, tooltips, interactive sequences).

• Player Retention: How likely a player is to continue playing your game after their initial session. A good FTUE is crucial for this.

• Cognitive Load: The amount of mental effort required to understand new information. A good FTUE minimizes this.

• Pacing: How quickly new information and challenges are introduced.

• Motivation & Hook: What immediately grabs the player's attention and makes them want to continue.

Activities

• Discussion Starter: Your First Impression Recall a game you recently started playing. What was your initial experience like? What did the game do well or poorly in introducing you to its world and mechanics? Share your thoughts with a partner, then we'll discuss as a class.

• Group Brainstorm: Bad FTUEs In small groups, list some common mistakes games make during their FTUE. Think about overwhelming information, unclear objectives, or frustrating early challenges.

• Case Study Analysis: Portal 2 vs. Dark Souls We'll briefly look at the opening sequences of these two games. How do they approach FTUE differently, and why are both considered successful despite their contrasting methods? What do they prioritize in their initial moments?

• Design Challenge: Mobile Puzzle Game FTUE Imagine you're designing a new mobile puzzle game. In your groups, propose three core elements you'd focus on for its FTUE to ensure players understand the game quickly and feel engaged. Be ready to share your ideas.

Homework

• Play & Analyze: Choose two games you've never played before (one highly rated for its tutorial, one that's notorious for a bad one, if you can find it!). Play each for at least 30 minutes, focusing only on the FTUE. Write a short analysis (250-300 words) for each, detailing what worked, what didn't, and why.

• Further Reading: Read "The Art of Onboarding" by Celia Hodent (chapters 1-3).

• Further Watching: Find a "first 10 minutes" gameplay video of a game you're interested in and critically evaluate its FTUE.

Conclusion Things to remember: the FTUE isn't just a tutorial; it's the player's entire first impression. It's about teaching, yes, but also about engaging, motivating, and setting the stage for the rest of their experience. Get this right, and you're well on your way to player retention. Next time, we'll talk about how to keep those players thinking deeply with meaningful choices!

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Designers need to understand the underlying mechanics that drive the fun and action in games they love. Use these practical steps to explore game mechanics in action...

IN THIS LESSON WE WILL COVER:

Inspo Activity - deconstruct a familiar mechanics

• Encourage students to explore game mechanics through a familiar game classic
• Invite students to share favorite ideas aloud

Combine - unify game mechanics and themes

• Find out what questions to ask to know if games are fun
• Encourage students to pair up and explore familar games to practice playtesting for fun

STEP 1

DECONSTRUCTING RULES

PROMPT: Let’s explore the core mechancis of a game like Candyland...you can mimic these rules or recombine in your own way

Use the following examples to explore:

Racing in a board game is ususally across a path with winner finishing first. Draw a path for players to find their way to the finish!

Turn taking is a common mechanic in multiplayer games. In Candyland, players use meeples to represent each player

Card drafting is a game mechanic used in turn taking games to advance gameplay each round by selecting cards from a pool.

STEP 2

RECONSTRUCTING RULES

ASK: How might we recombine these mechanics into a different game concept?

ACTIVITY: In pairs, invite students to ideate new concepts by describing ways to recombine mechanics explored above. Write down rules and how mechanics are used. Describe core gameplay.

SHARE: Regroup together and share out ideas and concepts of recombined mechanics. Ask each to 1) describe core game concept and 2) how they are using each mechanic

GOT MORE TIME?

INVITE STUDENTS TO BEGIN PROTOTYPING GAME CONCEPTS WITH PAPER, PENS, STICKERS AND SMALL OBJECTS

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GAME IDEATION AND CONCEPTS

Designers need easy ways to generate new game ideas - but few have practical ways to get there. Explore our methods for brainstorming new game ideas...

IN THIS LESSON WE WILL COVER:

3 minute brainstorm - get ideas out of your head!

• Simple, low stakes warm up activity
• Time boxed to encourage rapid and blunt ideas

Inspo Activity

Deconstruct a familiar mechanics

• Encourage students to explore game mechanics through a familiar game classic
• Invite students to share favorite ideas aloud

Combine - unify game mechanics and themes

• Find out what questions to ask to know if games are fun
• Encourage students to pair up and explore familar games to practice playtesting for fun

STEP 1 WARM UP 

(3 mins) 

On white board as a group or individually with a pen and paper, invite participants to make 3 lists of the following things

“Things that are FUN, things that are GROSS and things that are COOL.”

Anything goes, no wrong answers!

STEP 2 GET INSPO

(15 mins) 

PROMPT: Game Mechanics are the core of game design...and come in all forms

DISCUSS: Let’s draw inspo from Candyland which uses game mechanics RACING and TURN TAKING to “race” to the finish. The goal of the game is to finish first, like a race.

ASK: In which ways have you seen RACING and TURN TAKING in a game (tabletop or digital)?

STEP 3 COMBINE

(12 mins) 

ASK: How might we combine mechanics RACING and TURN TAKING with ideas generated in Step 1?

PROMPT: Recombine items from each column with one or both game mechanics.

SHARE OUT: Regroup together and share aloud 1) the idea of game and 2) which mechanics they will include

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IN THIS LESSON WE WILL COVER:

Creative Prompt - get juices flowing on fun in games

• Simple, low stakes warm up activity
• Invite students to think aloud, share ideas with group

Ideation Activity - practical ways to explore fun

• Encourage students to write ideas down, capture concepts in sketchbooks
• Invite students to share favorite ideas aloud

Playtest - practical ways to test for fun in games

• Find out what questions to ask to know if games are fun
• Encourage students to pair up and explore familar games to practice playtesting for fun

STEP 1

WARM-UP PROMPT

(5 mins)

PROMPT: What makes a game fun?

How can we tell if a game is fun?

Invite participants to share ideas out loud to the group

STEP 2

FINDING THE FUN IN GAMES

(10 mins)

EXPLAIN: We can’t always be sure ideas will be interesting or fun. Iterating on early prototypes is a way to ensure game concept and actions are fun.

Here some ways to explore different types of fun:

• Recombine add new game mechanics. Modify, remove or add new rules
• Change play space, platform or game environment
• Increase or decrease speed or session time

PROMPT: Consider a favorite game...how would you improve it?

Write ideas down individually in notebooks or sketch paper and then show and tell ideas aloud with the group

STEP 3

TESTING FOR FUN

(15 mins)

ASK: How do we know if our game is fun in testing?

Below are questions to help measure the fun factor

• On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the game?
• What was the most fun part of playing the game?
• Were there any moments that felt tedious or bored?
• Would you want to play this game again?
• What's one thing you remember about this game?
• How did playing the game make you feel?
• Did you feel a sense of accomplishment?
• Were there any moments that surprised you?
• Is this a game you would recommend to a friend?
• What would you say is the best part of the game?

PRACTICE: In pairs, ask students to run a game test session (interview format) on a familiar game. Ask them to use questions from list above to explore why they are “fun”

SHARE OUT: Regroup together and share aloud 1) the name of game and 2) what responses they uncovered