Make Your Game More or Less Challenging - Gameplay
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Gameplay Mechanics
Understanding the gameplay mechanics is essential to completing the game. Requiring players to memorize and apply a greater number of mechanics at once may decrease the game’s accessibility.
Easier difficulty
Harder difficulty
Mastery of a small number of gameplay mechanics is required.
Example:
Players must master the following to progress to another level:
Fighting with heavy swords.
Healing.
Mastery of a large number of gameplay mechanics is required.
Example:
Players must master the following to progress to another level:
Fighting with heavy swords.
Using spells.
Healing.
Using cover.
Utilizing teleportation skills.
Mastery of a set number of gameplay mechanics is required over a relatively long period.
Example:
- Players must master five gameplay mechanics before reaching the tenth level.
Mastery of a set number of gameplay mechanics is required over a relatively short period.
Example:
- Players must master five gameplay mechanics before reaching the fifth level.
Saving and Loading Player's Progress
Knowing that the game state has been saved gives players a sense of security, encouraging them to take risks since they can reload if mistakes are made. Reducing the frequency of saving opportunities increases player vulnerability, thus raising the difficulty.
Easier difficulty
Harder difficulty
Saving the game state is either unrestricted or only minimally restricted.
Examples:
Players can use numerous locations as save points.
Players can manually save their progress as many times as they wish.
The number of save slots is unlimited.
Saving the game state is significantly restricted.
Examples:
Players can use only a few locations as save points.
Players can manually save their progress only a limited number of times.
The number of save slots is very limited.
Manual saving is possible.
Manual saving is not possible.
Saving the game state does not require valuable resources.
Example:
- Players can save without spending any in-game currency.
Saving the game state requires valuable resources.
Example:
- Players must spend in-game currency to save their progress.
Autosaving is performed frequently.
Autosaving is performed infrequently.
The ability to correct mistakes is either unrestricted or minimally restricted.
Examples:
Players have many or unlimited attempts to restart from the last checkpoint after a mistake.
In a racing game, players can rewind gameplay as many times as they desire to correct mistakes.
The ability to correct mistakes is significantly restricted.
Examples:
Players have only a few attempts to restart from the last checkpoint.
In a racing game, players can rewind gameplay only a limited number of times to correct mistakes.
Game Speed
Performing actions while time progresses at a normal pace is already challenging; however, increasing the game speed further raises the difficulty.
Easier difficulty
Harder difficulty
Pausing gameplay in a single-player game is possible.
Example:
Players can open certain menus to pause gameplay, including:
Crafting menu.
World map.
Inventory.
Pausing gameplay in a single-player game is not possible.
Example:
Players can open certain menus, but gameplay continues in real time, such as:
Crafting menu.
World map.
Inventory.
Game speed is normal.
Game speed is accelerated.
Time can be slowed down.
Example:
Players can slow down time to:
Aim more accurately.
React better to enemy movements.
Evade obstacles.
Exercise better control over the player character.
Time cannot be slowed down.
Example:
Players are unable to slow down time to:
Aim more accurately.
React better to enemy movements.
Evade obstacles.
Exercise better control over the player character.
Resources
Resources are critical for progression. If players run out of resources, it often indicates they are losing the game. Slowing the acquisition of resources increases the game’s difficulty.
Easier difficulty
Harder difficulty
Starting resources are abundant.
Example:
- Players begin a match with an ample supply of resources for construction and purchases.
Starting resources are limited.
Example:
- Players begin a match with a scarce supply of resources for construction and purchases.
Gathering resources is relatively unrestricted.
Examples:
Players have access to abundant resources.
Many locations are rich in resources.
Players can gather resources at any time.
Accessing resource locations requires minimal effort.
There is no time limit for resource availability in a location.
Resources remain available after restarting the level.
Gathering resources is considerably restricted.
Examples:
Players have access to limited resources.
Few locations offer resources.
Players can gather resources only under certain conditions.
Considerable effort is needed to access resource locations.
Resources become unavailable after a certain period.
Resource locations may change after restarting the level.
Health and Taking Damage
Depleting the player’s health results in failure, requiring a restart either from the beginning or from a saved checkpoint. Accelerating health loss increases game difficulty.
Easier difficulty
Harder difficulty
Invincibility is activated.
Examples:
The player character is immune to impacts, explosions, projectiles, and magic, thereby preventing health loss.
The player’s vehicle is indestructible against explosions, projectiles, and impacts.
Invincibility is not activated.
Example:
The player character is vulnerable to impacts, explosions, projectiles, and magic, leading to health loss.
The player’s vehicle can be damaged or destroyed by explosions and impacts, impairing performance or causing destruction.
Damage results only in health reduction.
Example:
- Health decreases immediately upon taking damage without additional negative effects.
Damage results in health reduction and other adverse effects.
Example:
Health decreases upon taking damage, and additional effects persist until players:
Stop bleeding caused by bullets, shrapnel, falls, or impacts.
Cure illnesses.
Neutralize intoxication or radiation.
Repair mechanical malfunctions.
Health regenerates quickly.
Health regenerates slowly.
Consumables restore all lost health.
Consumables restore only a portion of lost health.
Health regenerates automatically.
Health does not regenerate automatically.
Safe methods exist to regenerate lost health.
Example:
Players can regenerate health using:
Med-kits.
Health recharge stations.
Only dangerous methods are available to regenerate health.
Example:
Players must:
Defeat enemies to obtain med-kits.
Reach enemy-guarded areas containing health recharge stations.
Taking damage is minor.
Examples:
Players lose health slowly when attacked.
Explosives have a small area of effect.
Taking damage is severe.
Examples:
Players lose health quickly when attacked.
Explosives have a large area of effect.
Consuming food, water, or medicine has no negative side effects.
Examples:
Drinking contaminated water does not cause radiation sickness.
Eating does not dehydrate the player character.
Taking medicine does not lead to addiction.
Consuming food, water, or medicine causes negative side effects.
Examples:
Drinking contaminated water causes radiation exposure.
Eating leads to dehydration.
Taking medicine may cause addiction.
Friendly fire is disabled.
Example:
- Players cannot harm, kill, damage, or destroy friendly or neutral units.
Friendly fire is enabled.
Example:
- Players can harm, kill, damage, or destroy friendly or neutral units.