🔍Engagement

Engagement means more than just whether a player finds your game "fun." It's about how invested they become in the experience, whether it grabs their attention, and how strongly they desire to keep playing. High engagement is essential for player retention and the long-term success of your game.

Pinpointing What Creates Engagement

• Moment-to-Moment Gameplay: Is the core gameplay loop inherently enjoyable and satisfying? Are individual actions (combat, puzzle-solving, exploration) engaging on their own?

• Pacing and Variety: Does the game offer a balanced mix of action, downtime, puzzle-solving, and other elements to prevent boredom?

• Challenge and Reward: Does the game strike the right balance, making players work for achievements without feeling unfair or overly frustrating?

• Narrative Hook: If applicable, does the story, its characters, or the world itself make players curious to discover more?

• Emotion: Does the game evoke a range of emotions – excitement, humor, tension, triumph – that deepen the player's connection to the experience?

• "Just One More Turn" Factor: Do players find themselves wanting to keep playing even when they initially intended to stop?

Types of Feedback to Collect:

• Quit Points: If players quit before finishing, why did they stop? Was it boredom, frustration, or outside factors?

• Replayability: Do players express a desire to replay the game or certain sections?

• Time Distortion: Ask players if they lost track of time while playing, a sign of deep immersion.

• Specific Highlights: Encourage players to pinpoint the exact moments or elements that were most engaging for them.

• Downtime: Note if players express boredom or disinterest in specific sections.

Additional Notes:

• Engagement can be subjective, so test with a variety of players.

• Consider a player's "energy level" throughout the test. Does their enthusiasm wane over time, indicating potential long-term engagement issues?