Balancing Player Promises: The Key to Successful Game Design

1. Understanding Player Promises

At the core of every game lies the notion of player promises. These promises represent the essential experiences and expectations that a game offers to its players, such as excitement, adventure, or camaraderie. As game developers, it’s our duty to ensure that we not only meet these promises but also harmoniously integrate them into the gaming experience. Imagine player promises as promises an author makes in their book—fulfilling those promises keeps readers engaged and satisfied. The same goes for video games.

Player promises can be divided into two components: the experience players seek (how the game feels during play) and the objectives they aim to achieve (the goals that drive them to engage with the game). Balancing these two components is complex, and failing to do so can lead to what we call "curse problems."

1.1. Curse Problems: What Are They?

Curse problems are unsolvable design challenges rooted in conflicting core player promises. These challenges are significant because they often create situations where the gameplay experience is compromised, leading to player dissatisfaction. For instance, if a game promises both intense combat mastery and social or political gameplay, these two experiences may end up clashing. This results in players feeling frustrated or deceived.

An illustration of this can be seen in free-for-all games, where the desire for competitive integrity may conflict with the chaotic nature that often arises from multiplayer interactions. Developers must recognize these curse problems early on to avoid the pitfall of dragging teams into unproductive design phases.

2. Identifying Curse Problems

To avoid falling into the trap of curse problems, developers should aim to identify these issues as early as possible. A useful strategy is examining your game's core player promises and considering whether any of them are fundamentally incompatible. Definitions of curse problems often come down to two lists: experience-related promises and objective-driven promises.

2.1. Common Examples of Curse Problems

1. Free-for-All Politics: In a game focused on intense combat nevertheless involves politics, players may manipulate one another instead of focusing solely on skill and mastery. This duality leads to a skewed experience where the game's core mechanics are overshadowed by social manipulation.

2. The Quarterbacking Problem: In cooperative games, one player might dominate decision-making, reducing the overall experience for others. While the game aims to encourage teamwork, if one player takes control, it transforms into a single-player experience among teammates, thus creating a curse problem.

TIP:

As you design your game, frequently reassess your player promises. Look for conflicts between experience and objective that could result in curse problems.

3. Addressing Curse Problems

Once a curse problem has been recognized, it’s essential to address it effectively. While there may not be a definitive solution, there are techniques to alleviate the design conflict. These techniques largely involve making necessary sacrifices to resolve the conflict while keeping the essence of the game intact.

3.1. Techniques for Managing Curse Problems

There are four primary techniques to consider when addressing curse problems:
- Barriers: Introducing constraints that limit players' actions can help eliminate undesirable behaviors. For example, in competitive games, removing direct political manipulation (like alliances) can refocus players on technical skills.

• Gates: This involves making certain objectives harder to achieve, thus nudging players towards the intended gameplay experience. For example, if players easily team up against the strongest competitor, consider masking individual scores to detract attention from strategic targeting.

• Carrots: Encouraging new objectives that draw focus away from the conflicting ones can help regain balance. For instance, adding meta-game rewards that aren’t strictly tied to competition may allow players to explore and enjoy diverse gameplay despite underlying conflicts.

• S'mores: Developers can also lean into the conflicting elements by making them fun, giving players the freedom to engage with those aspects more deeply. By introducing elements of social gameplay that allow for political maneuvering but packaging them within a creative and entertaining framework, you can convert frustration into enjoyment.

4. Applying the Concepts in Game Design

The techniques discussed above can be directly applied to numerous popular titles, thus offering developers a robust framework for avoiding curse problems. Let’s dive deeper into each technique and explore practical applications.

4.1. Barriers in Design

Creating barriers ensures players can't engage in actions that break the game's promise. A historical example of this can be found in the battle royale genre, where players are scattered across a large map, and the high-stakes environment makes it nearly impossible to engage in political play. By removing the opportunity for alliances, the gameplay focuses on mechanics rather than social manipulation.

4.2. Gates for Game Restriction

In social deduction games like “Mafia,” limiting how much information players have about each other prevents them from forming alliances based purely on strategy. Implementing stakes that revolve around performance rather than winning also helps to lessen conflict.

4.3. Carrots for New Objectives

Player engagement can be enhanced by introducing creative objectives that still resonate with their goals. For example, various video games encourage players to express their creativity through building or designing while also competing. By mixing objective-driven gameplay with creative expression, games can foster a harmonious experience.

4.4. S'mores: Embrace the Chaos

Sometimes it's best to simply lean into the chaos of the game experience. Titles like “Among Us” turn social deduction into the core mechanic, allowing for a fun and chaotic experience. This design actively embraces the political play and social intrigue, thus allowing players to enjoy the social aspects rather than trying to eradicate them.

5. Conclusion: Navigating the Design Landscape

Navigating the complex landscape of game design can sometimes feel like a journey through shifting sands, but understanding curse problems and the associated design techniques will equip you to create more engaging and fulfilling games. Embrace the idea that not all problems can be solved outright. Instead, focus on adapting your Promises in response to the challenges you encounter.

As you continue your journey as a game developer, keep an eye on balancing your player promises, and don’t shy away from courageously addressing conflicts when they arise. Doing so will significantly enhance player experience and ensure your game resonates with your audience long after launch.

So why not get started on examining your game promises and ensuring a successful game design journey? If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Final Tip: If you want to learn more about this subject, I recommend this amazing Talk HERE, that I used as the main reference for this blog post.