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The 4 Keys to Creating an Addictive Game
The most enjoyable, time-sapping games are often those that possess addictive qualities. A lot of games of this nature survive without the need for expense that other games require for development. Without all the flashy components, a game can prove just as successful by simply hitting the mark for addictive gameplay.
A simple, enjoyable game mechanic can keep pulling you back time and time again without any of the flash elements that go into a lot of games. Today, with incredible processing power and engine advancements, games tend to favour the hollywood approach to games. These 'Holllywood' games have amazing production values; huge teams of people work on their own specialist areas creating awesome visuals, clever level designs, detailed stories, control mechanics, music scores, voice acting and many more elements that go into these enormous projects. But do developers really need to go to all this expense to make a popular game these days?
Going back a few years, game mechanics were incredibly varied. Simple graphics and limited possibilities meant game designers focused almost entirely on playability and the players interaction with the controls. Player controls were also more limited so this implementation was crucial to a game's success. Tetris is the all consuming master of addictive games and puzzle games in general are often the most addictive, proving a game doesn't need to aspire to be a triple A title to earn a players affection.
-The Tease
The best way to instill that 'just one more go' factor is to use a game mechanic that means the goal always seems within their grasp. If the player is denied a win but a victory always appears achievable, hitting the continue button is incredibly easy. When you feel a loss was just because you lost concentration for a moment or you didn't perform as well as you know you can, you always want to give it another go and do it properly next time. Achieving this is all about balance: making the difficulty progress at just the right pace and keeping the element of luck just on the side of misfortune.
-The Reward
Nothing spurs you on quite like a nice reward for your efforts. One of the most successful systems is point scoring. A measured level of success is very encouraging and the more refined and comparable that measure, the more fun it is trying to achieve a better result. Rewards can come in any shape or form though; role playing games excel at it with up-grades galore while other games give you new items, better weaponry etc that continue to renew your experience and give you a feeling of accomplishment and progress while you play. Regular rewards and targets feed your enthusiam and keep you coming back for more.
-The Controls
By keeping controls simple, it helps with the 'Tease' factor. If you know exactly what you're doing and feel in control but are still falling short of your target, you are encouraged to keep trying. A lack of control can create frustration and a sense of discomfort. Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega 1989) is a good example of simple controls working well. It appears incredibly simple, with the skill element revolving around the players grip of the inertia effect. The player knows exactly what they need to do, so when they fail they are easily enticed into giving it another go.
-The Learning Curve
Pacing the difficulty advancement is crucial to maintaining steady, enjoyable play. If the difficulty jumps up too soon, people will struggle and be deterred from continuing play. If the difficulty level increases too slowly, players will be unchallenged and get bored. There are lots of different elements games employ to challenge a player and using these cleverly can really improve the quality of the gaming experience. Hitting the perfect balance is the key; the best balance allows players to progress steadily with a few peaks and troughs to prevent stagnation.
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