2004 Web and Downloadable Games White Paper 

IGDA Online Games SIG 

with  real  players.  In  addition  to  increasing  the  pace  and  the  number  of  targets,  also  offer  new 

challenges,  power ups,  special  moves,  goals,  obstacles,  behaviors,  and  strategies.  Have  the 

game  change  over  time  so  there  are  always  new  things  to  learn;  such  as  the  addition  of  new 

elements as play progresses. Examples: bombs in 

Collapse

 or coins and gems in 

Rocket Mania

. 

Player  needs  and  preferences  change  as  they  become  better  at  playing.  Offer  mastery  and 

accomplishment and progress to a goal in a way that the specific player type enjoys. Consider 

allowing experienced players to skip the intro levels or provide difficulty settings. If the beginning 

levels do not offer enough challenge, players may leave the game because it takes too long to 

get  to  the  game  play  they  enjoy.  For  experienced  players  offer  new  challenges,  not  just  more 

targets  with  less  time.  For  example, 

BookWorm's

  burning  letters  add  challenge  with  a  new 

dimension to gameplay; but later in the game the board fills with  U s and  Y s which makes play 

nearly impossible    not just challenging. 

Remember the player's score and name if appropriate and allow them to achieve a new personal 

best. 

Encourage Immersion 

I'm not into keeping scores and competing with people. I like the sound of cards shuffling and the 

rhythm of dealing them out.    A Casual Solitaire Player

In addition to challenge games, offer an opportunity to become completely focused on an activity. 

Many people play to stimulate their senses and their mind. Some play to take their mind off things 

for  a  while.  The  process  of  immersion  offers  a  counterpoint  to  challenge  where  it  encourages 

mental  engagement  without  as  much  effort  or  skill.  Often  this  feeling  of  immersion  has  a 

meditative quality as players focus their attention on the experience for its own sake. The moves 

are  often  short  and  repetitive  with  sound  effects.  These  aspects  reward  closer  examination  of 

detail such as in 

Bejeweled

. The sound effects and artwork bring pleasure through use as in the 

sound of 

BookWorm

 eating the letter tiles. All of these factors help suck the player into the game. 

Just  as  players  enjoy  different  types  of  challenges,  players  also  enjoy  different  aspects  of 

immersion.  The  controls  and  game  objects  should  fascinate  the  player  and  feel  so  good  and 

satisfying  that  the  player  would  interact  with  them  even  if  there  were  no  game  involved.  Make 

successes such as clearing the board look, sound, and feel good in addition to score. 

Collapse

fills the empty squares with bonus tiles while playing sound effects and ends with a bowling alley 

pin clearing sound effect. 

Inspire a wide range of emotions 

The  primary  benefit  of  playing  on line  games  is  an  emotional  experience  in  the  player.  People 

play  to  change  their  emotional  state,  whether  it  is  to  feel  amusement  and  excitement,  to  feel 

empowered and better about themselves through success, to express their workday frustrations, 

or to calm themselves after a hard day. Within bandwidth constraints, a higher realism in artwork 

and audio offers the opportunity for more emotional realism in the player. 

Many player emotions come from success in game. Game design must balance frustration and 

anger  with  positive  emotions  to  keep  players  engaged.  If  they  stop  mastering  new  challenges 

they will stop playing. Create emotions through doing and experiencing, not just from animations 

or  high  scores.  More than challenges; enjoyment also comes from the pleasure of experience, 

sensory  behavioral  and  reflective  emotions  coming  from  the  game's  art,  aesthetics  story,  and 

ownership. Not just better quality graphics, audio, and sound; but media elements that integrate 

with  the  game's  theme  and  enhance  the  player's  experience.  Use  art,  concept,  and  sound  to 

create emotions in the player such as collecting jewels in 

Diamond Mine

. 

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