Give Players a Fair Chance to Succeed
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Adequately Simulate Aspects of Real Life
When designing game mechanics, it is often necessary to simulate real-world behaviors. These can range from simple activities, such as walking, to more complex operations, such as piloting an aircraft. Before developing these mechanics, it is essential to define how they will mirror their real-world counterparts. Below are several illustrative examples of such mechanics:
Walking
In the majority of games, the player character’s gait is straightforward to control. Typically, this involves pressing a single button, manipulating a stick, or selecting a destination point for the character to reach. As a result, players are not required to manage the placement or movement of the character’s feet when taking steps. This simplification is often desirable in games that do not aim to simulate walking with precision. It allows players to concentrate on other, more engaging mechanics necessary for progression, such as combat or platforming challenges.
Example:
In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Anomaly, the player character must occasionally pause walking and rest when stamina is depleted.
Sprinting
In reality, the ability to sprint is heavily influenced by lower-body strength and pulmonary efficiency. In games, however, sprinting is not typically governed by these physiological factors. Nevertheless, the sprinting mechanic has a direct effect on gameplay pacing. For instance, if the player character were equipped with the capabilities of an elite athlete, they could sprint across vast distances with minimal restrictions, resulting in a fast-paced experience. Conversely, if the character had to slow down or stop frequently after short bursts, gameplay would feel significantly slower.
In Sniper Elite 4, the player character can sprint without any impact from gear weight. The character maintains balance during running, never needs to rest, and can continue sprinting even when the heart rate remains elevated over extended periods.
Credit: Rebellion Developments. Footage captured by the author.
Chasing
Pursuit remains emotionally engaging as long as the character being chased—whether a non-player character or the player character—does not move too far away from the pursuer. To maintain the tension and excitement of the chase, various techniques can be employed. For instance, when the player is the pursuer, the movement speed of the pursued character can be slightly reduced. Conversely, when the player is being pursued, the pursuer’s speed can be slightly increased to heighten the sense of urgency.
Jumping
Consider a game in which players must leap from one rooftop to another, from a ladder to a cliff, or between various platforms. In the real world, such actions are highly demanding, as jumping requires precise coordination of both the hands and feet—during both takeoff and landing. The moment of impact is especially critical, as it involves maintaining balance, securely gripping the landing surface, and avoiding a fall.
In Rogue Legacy 2, the player character can jump as frequently as desired, as there is no stamina limit.
Credit: Cellar Door Games. Footage captured by the author.
In video games, jumping mechanics can be made more forgiving through the implementation of techniques such as “coyote time.” This feature allows players to execute a jump even if they have visually stepped slightly past the edge of a platform from which a jump would normally be impossible. A similar mechanic can be applied upon landing, permitting the player to complete a jump even if they touch down just beyond the intended landing zone.
In Rogue Legacy 2, the player character is able to initiate a jump even when positioned slightly off the platform, enhancing the fluidity and responsiveness of movement.
Credit: Cellar Door Games. Footage captured by the author.
Spatial Awareness and Enemy Detection
Artificial Sensors
Imagine a modern battlefield in which commanders require the most precise and accurate data regarding enemy positions and movements. These commanders rely on information about identified targets—such as vehicles, aircraft, and ships—for the purpose of planning and directing the maneuvers of allied forces in order to accomplish their strategic objectives. However, the reliability of this information is not always absolute, particularly when the systems providing it are based on statistical methods.
A prime example of such a system is multilateration systems, which deliver data about enemy aircraft—such as their identification—based on probabilistic assessments. These systems are used to detect the presence of signals emitted by enemy transmitters, such as combat radars. From these signals, operators are able to estimate, with a certain probability, the nature of potential targets, including whether they are fighters or bombers. It is important to note that this data is inherently inferential and can never be considered entirely certain.
These systems are inherently complex, involving both automated processes and manual analysis by trained operators. Some assessments are made through algorithmic computation, while others require human interpretation of detected signals. The resulting intelligence is thus a synthesis of probabilistic evaluations and expert judgment.
In real-world operations, various units transmit sensor data to a central command, where it is analyzed to form a complete tactical picture. In modern real-time strategy games, it is generally unnecessary to replicate this process.
Players typically prefer to focus on offense, defense, and resource management rather than interpreting statistical detection probabilities. Consequently, games often provide fully accurate enemy information. For example, enemy positions marked on the map are definitive and never misleading. If an enemy aircraft appears, it is always correctly identified as such, rather than being mistaken for a ship. This certainty facilitates rapid and confident decision-making.
If the objective is not to develop a simulation with probabilistic detection, then simplifying these systems—as described—makes the game more approachable and cost-effective to develop.
Example:
In Supreme Commander, enemy icons indicate specific types—such as structures, factories, or units. Unit icons specify their roles (e.g., bomber, fighter, gunship, ground vehicle, sea vessel, or submarine), and may include white tabs denoting their technological tier. This identification is always completely accurate. However, the presence of enemy units equipped with radar jammers can create false radar echoes, obscuring both the location and number of units.
Sight
In a similar manner, target detection can be conceptualized in terms of whether targets are visible to the observer. Consider, for instance, a soldier assigned to guard a specific area. If we treat the soldier’s eyes as sensory instruments, he would, in theory, be capable of seeing targets only in the direction he is facing. However, in certain video games—particularly real-time strategy games—this directional aspect is often omitted for the sake of simplicity. As a result, the game assumes that such a soldier will detect any target within a predetermined radius with 100% certainty. This probability subsequently decreases from 100% to 0% once a target moves beyond a defined threshold distance.
In Stronghold Crusader 2, the game does not simulate individual characters’ fields of view for detecting other characters. Consequently, players can rely on the game to consistently display all enemy units both on the screen and as dots on the mini-map.
Credit: Firefly Studios. Footage captured by the author.
Example:
In Company of Heroes Blitzkrieg Mod, every unit under the player’s command is capable of detecting enemy units with 100% probability, provided the enemy enters that unit’s line of sight.
Example:
In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, when the player character is crouching in darkness, enemy characters are unable to detect him unless they are in very close proximity.
Hearing
When considering the sense of hearing, an enemy equipped with functioning auditory perception should, in a real-world context, be capable of detecting the presence of an opponent at least over short distances. This detection is feasible for several reasons:
The adversary may be wearing clothing or various items of equipment that produce noise with even the slightest movement. The degree of sound generated depends on the materials from which the equipment is made.
The opponent may be in possession of an object that generates noise independently of movement, such as a vehicle with a running engine.
As the adversary moves and makes contact with surfaces—such as the ground, water, or other objects—sound is produced. The volume and distinctiveness of this sound will vary according to the nature of the surface being touched.
These auditory cues grow progressively louder as the adversary increases the pace of their movement. Furthermore, the enemy’s ability to detect these sounds is also influenced by the ambient noise level. If the surrounding environment is noisier than the sounds made by the opponent, the enemy will be unable to hear the opponent’s movements.
In video games, it is possible to simulate all of these auditory dynamics. However, in order to streamline development and simplify gameplay, it is often unnecessary to implement a comprehensive hearing system for non-player characters. This is particularly applicable to games that do not involve stealth mechanics, such as minimizing noise, sneaking, or avoiding detection. In contrast, for stealth-based games, these auditory elements are essential to the core gameplay experience.
To enable players in stealth games to move and act covertly, enemy sensitivity to sound should not be as acute as it would be in a realistic scenario. For instance, the game design should permit the player to perform the following actions from a minimum safe distance without alerting nearby enemies:
Move slowly.
Use various items or tools.
Change or equip different weapons—such as replacing an automatic rifle with a knife.
Adjust their stance or posture—such as transitioning from a standing to a crouching position.
Once the player approaches the enemy very closely—even from behind—the game may allow the enemy to detect and react to the player’s presence. This approach has several benefits:
It enhances the realism of the enemy’s behavior.
It introduces a high-stakes situation in which the player must act quickly to neutralize the enemy, thereby intensifying the dramatic tension within the gameplay.
Survivability
Combat situations in the real world are inherently perilous. Both machines and personnel can be destroyed in a matter of moments, necessitating that commanders take proactive measures to prevent attacks on their units. To achieve this, it is crucial to gather as much intelligence as possible about the enemy. Relevant information includes, but is not limited to:
The enemy’s current location.
The direction in which the enemy is moving.
The objective of the enemy’s mission.
The number of units at the enemy’s disposal.
The types of weapons the enemy is utilizing.
The tactics commonly employed by the enemy.
The defensive mechanisms in use.
The quantity of resources the enemy possesses.
The identity of the enemy commander.
The enemy, however, will not act passively. On the contrary, he will make every effort to eliminate his adversary as swiftly as possible. For instance, he may adopt one or more of the following tactics:
Launching an attack when the opponent least expects it, such as from behind.
Attacking with overwhelming force, leaving the opponent no opportunity to mount a defense.
Employing long-range weaponry that leaves the opponent with no viable option for survival other than to close the distance and attempt to eliminate the threat.
Covertly observing the opponent during combat to better coordinate subsequent attacks.
Initially disabling the opponent’s key weapons or equipment, thereby compromising their defensive capabilities.
If combat were to be simulated in video games with complete realism, and the player assumed the role of the opponent, such scenarios would likely result in the player’s irreversible failure. Therefore, in order to enhance the player’s chances of survival or to artificially prolong combat encounters, various design strategies may be implemented. Consequently, combat in games must possess more forgiving characteristics than that observed in real-world engagements:
If a game features a large number of AI-controlled enemies capable of attacking the player simultaneously, it is advisable to limit the number of attackers at any given time. The remaining AI units should be assigned alternative tasks to avoid idly waiting for their turn to engage.
Ensure that only those AI opponents within a defined proximity to the player initiate an attack.
Design AI behavior such that only those enemies within the player’s field of view will launch an attack.
Grant the player additional health or reduce the health of AI opponents.
In Sniper Elite 4, the player character is capable of sustaining more damage than a real soldier could endure.
Credit: Rebellion Developments. Footage captured by the author.
If the player is nearing death, implement at least one of the following adjustments covertly:
Decrease the amount of damage dealt by AI opponents.
Provide the player with additional health.
Enhance the player’s damage output.
Extend the reaction time of AI-controlled enemies.
Prohibit the enemy from secretly tracking the player’s location.
Prevent the enemy from targeting and destroying the player’s most powerful units first.
Restrict the use of attacks that would leave the player with no feasible means of defense.
Shooting
Eliminating targets using firearms can be a complex task, particularly at long distances. In real-world shooting scenarios, several factors must be considered, including trigger control, stable aiming, recoil, ballistic trajectories, and other related phenomena. In video games, players may be required to master one or more of these factors, depending on the level of shooting simulation incorporated into the game.
In arcade-style games, these phenomena are typically disregarded, and players are only required to align the center of the aiming reticle with the enemy’s on-screen position and pull the trigger. As a result, shooting in such games is straightforward and highly accessible.
Example:
In Unreal Tournament, shooting is significantly easier than in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and vastly easier than in Arma 3.
In semi-arcade games, players are required to account for certain factors such as maintaining a steady aim and managing weapon recoil. Although shooting in these games is more demanding than in purely arcade-style games, it remains relatively accessible and does not pose significant difficulty.
Example:
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, the mechanics of shooting are more sophisticated than in Unreal Tournament, yet still less complex than those found in Arma 3.
In simulation-oriented games, shooting can be considerably more demanding. Players must not only maintain a steady aim and manage recoil, but also account for the ballistic trajectory of projectiles and the reduced inherent accuracy of their firearms. If the goal is to allow players to use firearms effectively, it is essential to ensure they are required to master only as many of these factors as necessary to maintain engagement and enjoyment.
In Sniper Elite 4, players on the highest difficulty level must consider several variables when firing weapons, including ballistic curvature and wind. Conversely, on the lowest difficulty level, these factors are either minimized or not taken into account at all.
Credit: Rebellion Developments. Footage captured by the author.
Example:
In Arma 3, bullet trajectory is influenced by multiple variables, such as muzzle velocity, aerodynamic drag, and gravitational pull.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
When players are confronted with weapons of mass destruction, they must be given a fair opportunity to survive; escape should not be the sole method of avoiding total annihilation. If a player or an AI-controlled enemy obtains such a weapon, the opposing side must have viable means to prevent its use, seize control of it, or destroy it.
In real-world scenarios, weapons of mass destruction inflict extensive damage over a wide area and can cause long-lasting harm, such as radiation exposure. In games, however, allowing such a weapon to replicate real-world effects would result in the destruction of an entire level—or even the entire game world—after a single deployment. Therefore, the area of effect must still be substantial, yet not excessively large, in order to preserve the opponent’s chance of survival after an attack.
Example:
In Empire Earth, Titan Bombers are equipped with atomic bombs that possess a significant area of effect. A single bomb can destroy numerous buildings or units. Players intending to deploy an atomic bomb must ensure that the Titan Bomber is not shot down en route, as the aircraft is very vulnerable to anti-air weapons.
Regardless of whether intercepting ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads is feasible in the real world, it can serve as an effective gameplay mechanic for neutralizing imminent threats in the game world.
Example:
In Supreme Commander, players can construct strategic missile defense systems to intercept incoming nuclear missiles. Nuclear weapons are indicated by a radioactive symbol, while anti-nuclear countermeasures are represented by a yellow circle with a black “X” at its center.
History
If your game is designed to depict historical events involving conflicts between multiple nations, it is essential to ensure that players do not feel disadvantaged by their choice of nation. Each nation and its military forces should offer compelling advantages, even if they were historically at a disadvantage. Some units were notably dominant in historical conflicts, such as the English longbowmen during the Hundred Years’ War or the formidable German Tiger tanks during World War II. While it is appropriate to include such units in your game, they should not be overwhelmingly powerful in all situations; some form of balance must be maintained.
Example:
In Company of Heroes: Blitzkrieg Mod, the firepower of Tiger tanks is immense. However, it is essential to ensure that Tigers are supported by other units since Tigers are vulnerable to ambushes by fast-moving Allied tanks or anti-tank infantry units.
Example:
In Age of Empires II, Longbowmen are highly effective units capable of firing from behind walls. Nevertheless, players must ensure these units are supported by other friendly forces—such as infantry or cavalry—to avoid being overwhelmed by enemy cavalry or skirmishers.
Example:
In Company of Heroes: Blitzkrieg Mod, the V2 rocket is extremely powerful, but it is also costly to deploy.
For more information about balanced options, see Maintain a Balanced Set of Options.
Building and Constructing
To make building and construction engaging within a game, it is first important to determine which construction phases will be implemented. Generally, there can be up to four distinct phases.
Site Survey
In the first phase, the player is expected to perform a site survey. Identifying a suitable location for construction within the game world should be nearly instantaneous, in contrast to the real world, where such activities demand significantly more time and effort. Therefore, if you want players to place buildings quickly and intuitively, the game should provide visual indicators showing whether construction is permitted at specific locations. During this phase, players should also be able to select the desired orientation of the building.
The game Frostpunk visually indicates whether a building can be placed on a given location.
Credit: 11 bit studios S.A.. Footage captured by the author.
In Stronghold Crusader 2, players can determine if a structure can be placed at a specific site. Before finalizing the location, they may also rotate the structure to their desired orientation.
Credit: Firefly Studios. Footage captured by the author.
Example:
When players activate construction mode in The Settlers 4, the game displays colorful indicators showing whether construction is possible and what the estimated effort (i.e., time) will be, based on the accessibility of the terrain.
The process of connecting a building or part of a building to other objects can be greatly simplified in games by allowing these elements to snap to the terrain or nearby structures. This makes placement quick and intuitive, unlike in the real world, where no such automatic alignment exists.
In Stronghold Crusader 2, placing new structures is especially easy because they snap efficiently to previously constructed buildings.
Credit: Firefly Studios. Footage captured by the author.
Terrain Modifying
The second phase involves simulating the processes necessary to prepare the construction site by modifying the terrain to support the intended structure. These processes may include:
Removing undesirable objects or environmental features.
Leveling the terrain to create an even surface suitable for construction.
Example:
In The Settlers 4, diggers handle terrain leveling operations until the site is ready for the next phase of construction.
Preparing Construction Material
The third phase involves simulating the transportation and delivery of necessary construction materials to the building site.
Example:
In The Settlers 4, carriers locate construction materials anywhere within the player’s controlled territory and transport them to the site after the terrain leveling has been completed.
Construction
In the final phase, several important aspects of construction should be considered.
The first aspect is the duration of the building process. Structures may be built either instantaneously or over a specified period of time.
Example:
In The Settlers 4, builders arrive at the site once materials are available and work continuously until construction is completed.
The second aspect is whether the building process requires specific units or machinery, such as construction workers, bulldozers, or other equipment.
Example:
In Command & Conquer: Generals, the Chinese faction uses dozers to construct all buildings. If the dozer is destroyed or instructed to leave the construction site, the process is paused until another dozer resumes construction.
Statistics
If your game incorporates probabilistic mechanics and presents these probabilities to players, it is essential that the probabilities behave in a manner consistent with player expectations. Players are not concerned with what is mathematically possible; they simply want the stated probabilities to feel accurate. For example, if the game indicates a 33% chance of hitting a target with a projectile weapon, players expect approximately one out of every three projectiles to hit. While it is mathematically possible for all three shots to miss, such outcomes can feel unfair. Therefore, probability in games should not always reflect real-world mathematical randomness but should instead be implemented in a way that provides a consistent and satisfying player experience.
Ensure Fairness in Relation to Game Difficulty
Begin by clearly identifying your target audience before commencing game development. When determining how challenging your game should be for players to master, it is essential to ensure that the level of difficulty is fair for all intended users—be they casual gamers, hardcore gamers, or a combination of both. If you choose to focus exclusively on a single player demographic, your task will be more straightforward, as you will only need to tailor the challenges, rewards, AI behavior, and level design to suit that particular group. However, complications may arise if you aim to accommodate multiple player segments, especially given the wide range of skill levels among them.
In Sniper Elite 4, each difficulty level includes a description that provides players with an indication of the associated challenge.
Credit: Rebellion Developments. Screenshot captured by the author.
Many aspects of the game can be customized according to the chosen difficulty level. Some designers opt to adjust only those elements that are simple and inexpensive to modify, as this approach saves both time and resources. Commonly altered components include:
Player hit points.
Number of lives.
Damage dealt and received.
Quantity of resources available for construction.
These designers may choose to leave other elements unchanged across all difficulty levels. Such elements may include:
Core game mechanics.
Artificial intelligence behavior.
Level design, including the placement of enemies.
In such cases, the game is typically balanced for a standard difficulty level—such as “Normal”—while higher difficulty levels involve changes like:
Reduced player hit points.
Fewer lives.
Lower damage output by the player.
Enemies possessing increased hit points.
Now consider a scenario in which players complete the game or a specific level on an easier or intermediate difficulty setting and later attempt to replay it on a more challenging setting. If the game was designed as described above, players may perceive that the AI is unfairly advantaged, resulting in a sense of imbalance or frustration.
To mitigate this risk, consider adopting a more nuanced approach to the design of both higher and lower difficulty levels.
Take, for example, a scenario in an action game where the player encounters a formidable enemy prepared to attack. Due to the threat posed by this adversary, the player cannot simply aim and eliminate the enemy without employing the correct tactics. On a normal difficulty setting, the enemy is positioned far enough from the player to allow adequate time for strategic preparation. On higher difficulties, however, the game incorporates the following adjustments to ensure that the challenge remains fair:
Enemy weaponry: Rather than arbitrarily increasing the enemy’s damage output, developers equip the enemy with a more powerful, yet contextually appropriate, weapon.
Enemy behavior: The enemy adopts a more aggressive approach, favoring offensive strategies over defensive ones.
Enemy placement: The enemy moves dynamically throughout the level and begins at a location farther from the player, providing additional time for the player to prepare for the initial encounter.
Level design: Additional cover is introduced within the environment, enabling the player to hide and plan a safer approach to the enemy.
For those interested in fine-tuning game difficulty, whether to make a game more accessible or more demanding, numerous other examples and methodologies are available for further exploration.