Increase the Difficulty Over Time
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Learning how to improve at playing a particular game is comparable to acquiring any other real-life skill, such as learning to play a musical instrument, enhancing drawing abilities, or studying a foreign language. At the outset, one must possess sufficient motivation simply to begin and should establish a desired level of proficiency to achieve. It is essential that the individual enjoys the activity most of the time. Certainly, moments of boredom or frustration may arise when tackling more advanced elements; however, one must remember that such unpleasant phases should not become a source of discouragement, provided they occur infrequently.
Players Become More Familiar with Your Game Over Time
Continuing from the previous point, a game should naturally increase in difficulty over time in order to maintain a level of challenge for the player. This is due to the fact that players gradually become more familiar with various game elements, and the more adeptly they learn to use these elements, the more skilled and effective they become.
An example of how players may progressively discover and master new units in a real-time strategy game.
Players Acquire Increasingly Powerful Rewards
Certain games allow players to collect and utilize rewards throughout gameplay, such as in-game currency, gear, abilities, and powers. At the beginning of these games, players are presented with only a few reward options. Consider the following example:
Example: The story in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
The primary objective of the game is to locate and eliminate a specific NPC. The gear initially provided to the player is sufficient for confronting early enemies. For example, players begin with a basic pistol and limited ammunition and test its effectiveness against low-level enemies, who are also equipped with similarly basic gear. However, players would have little chance of survival if they attempted to explore the deeper parts of the game world at this early stage.
As players progress, they acquire additional ammunition and medical supplies, making it increasingly easier to defeat basic enemies. Over time, players also encounter adversaries who possess superior gear. By defeating them, players can claim better weapons, medical supplies, and other valuable items. Furthermore, players learn useful tactics such as taking cover and stealth, which further ease encounters with similar types of enemies. If the game did not account for the growing strength and equipment of the player, it would eventually become tedious due to a lack of challenge. To prevent this, developers progressively introduce greater concentrations of enemies and increasingly hazardous environments. Players must then rely on enhanced weaponry and increased use of ammunition and medical supplies to survive. These resources can be obtained either by looting defeated enemies or through purchase from vendors. As the player delves deeper into the game world, they will encounter vendors offering more advanced gear.
Summary:
The overall difficulty steadily increases as the player must confront a greater number of enemies, more powerful adversaries, and navigate increasingly dangerous environments.
Occasional difficulty spikes may occur when the player enters areas for which they are not adequately prepared. Nonetheless, the game remains fair, as players are given sufficient time and freedom to improve their equipment before proceeding.
Example: A skirmish against an AI opponent in Company of Heroes: Blitzkrieg Mod
In a skirmish scenario (Annihilation mode), the primary goal is to eliminate the enemy. The player begins in their base, where they can initially produce only the most basic units. The base includes a simple defense system that protects the player from the enemy’s early attacks. At this stage, a quick victory is not feasible, as the player must first overcome the opponent’s defensive positions.
As the AI accumulates more resources from captured strategic points, it gradually deploys a growing number of units, including increasingly advanced ones. The AI continuously advances with the objective of capturing all strategic points on the map while simultaneously building a larger army to overpower the player. In order to win, the player must adopt a similar strategy. However, they must outperform the AI, which becomes progressively more difficult as the battle continues and fatigue sets in, whereas the AI’s efforts remain relentless.
Summary:
The overall difficulty steadily escalates as the player is required to manage more units, utilize abilities more frequently, engage with larger enemy forces, combat stronger enemy units, and navigate increasingly challenging battles for territory control.
Minor spikes in difficulty may occur when the AI suddenly deploys a large number of units, yet the game remains fair, as the player has sufficient time to gather the necessary resources to counter these advances.
Every Player Possesses a Unique Skill Level
When players first launch your game, two main scenarios may apply: they may be entirely new to gaming and your game is their first experience, or they may have played other games previously. This starting point can be illustrated using the following diagram, which portrays four players with varying levels of initial experience.
An example of starting points of four players with different gaming experience
In the diagram, the vertical axis represents each player’s general skill level, while the horizontal axis indicates the duration of gameplay. As players continue engaging with your game, they become more familiar with its mechanics and gradually develop proficiency. Just as with real-life skills, some individuals acquire new abilities quickly, while others face challenges and require more time to improve.
The following image illustrates how skill levels evolve differently among players. It is important to note that these four curves are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not represent all possible variations. Each player possesses a unique set of skills, and their progression may differ accordingly.
An example of skill curves of four players with different gaming experience
Gaming skills tend to improve through consistent practice, meaning players become more capable the more frequently they play. Conversely, players may lose some of their acquired skills if they play irregularly. It is not entirely within your control to ensure that players engage with your game consistently. The most you can do is design the game in a way that encourages regular play, ideally making it captivating and engaging. The purpose of the preceding diagram is to illustrate that player skill levels increase over time and that game difficulty should also rise accordingly to maintain engagement and prevent boredom.
Given the unique pace at which each player develops their skills, it is extremely challenging—if not impossible—to maintain a perfect difficulty balance throughout the entire game. To keep players both challenged and motivated, without causing frustration or boredom, the following principles should be applied consistently throughout gameplay:
The player’s skill level should remain above—but not just barely above—the minimum required skill level. Otherwise, there is a risk of frustration due to excessive difficulty.
Good example: Players are able to defeat an opponent within a set time limit without significant frustration.
Bad example: Players can only succeed within the time limit by relying on luck or after excessive trial and error.
The player’s skill level should not be significantly higher than the minimum requirement, as this may result in boredom.
Good example: Players must exert effort to defeat an opponent, as the chosen tactic requires some thought and execution.
Bad example: Players defeat opponents effortlessly because the tactic is overly effective and lacks challenge.
Players should be provided with options to reduce the minimum required skill level when facing excessive difficulty.
Good example: Players can select an alternative tactic from several available ones, making the objective somewhat easier to achieve without removing all challenge.
Bad example: Players are forced to use a specific tactic that is extremely difficult to execute, with no alternative approach provided.
Players should also be provided with options to increase the minimum required skill level when seeking a greater challenge.
Good example: Players may choose a more difficult tactic from several available, leading to a more challenging but ultimately more rewarding experience.
Bad example: Players are forced into using an overly simple tactic that leads to victory too easily, resulting in a reward that feels unearned or of low value.
Players should have the opportunity to continuously improve their skills.
Good example: Players must invest significant time in memorizing levels and improving speed and precision, experiencing a sense of ongoing improvement even after many hours of gameplay.
Bad example: Players quickly master the gameplay mechanics, making the game feel repetitive and boring after a short period.
First-time players should be able to complete initial objectives with relative ease.
Good example: At the beginning of the game, players receive simple objectives along with clear instructions to help them succeed.
Bad example: Players are presented with initial objectives but receive no guidance, leading to confusion and frustration.
The following diagram serves as an example of how the minimum required skill level and the maximum attainable skill level define the boundaries of gameplay.
An example of what skill level is required to make progress in a game
The minimum required skill level is intentionally set at a low threshold to ensure accessibility for a wide range of players. This does not result in simplistic gameplay, but rather an easy and approachable one. Players of all skill levels have ample time to develop and remain above the minimum threshold, as the difficulty does not rise sharply. Experienced players also have the option to raise the required skill level through the following means:
Proper playtesting must verify that the game’s difficulty is designed in an optimal way to maximize enjoyment for the intended target audience.