Like the opening credits of a film, the tutorial is often a wasted opportunity. Regardless of how easy you think your game is, the tutorial is the player’s first experience with your game, and it counts. 75% of mobile users who download a game only open it once. Here are four ways to put your game in the other 25%.
Show, Don’t Tell
- Don’t teach your players, let them teach themselves.
- Tangential Learning: People will educate themselves on a topic if it is presented to them in a context they already enjoy.
Maintain Player’s Flow
- Build your tutorial with flow in mind by:
- Giving clear objectives.
- Limiting the array of stimuli.
- Giving instant feedback.
- Keeping pace with the player’s skill level.
Consider Styles of Learning
- The VARK model covers four basic learning styles: visual, auditory, physical, and social.
- To accommodate these styles:
- Represent ideas as images.
- Use audio feedback.
- Let players learn through trial and error and the examples of others.
- Make the most important information easily accessible throughout the game.
- To accommodate these styles:
Balance Their Experience
- Game dev Asher Vollmer believes every tutorial must:
- Comfort players by keeping things simple, clear, and letting them experiment.
- Excite players by showing them the possibilities of the game.
- Respect players by asking instead of telling.
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