- How important is a novel movement mechanic?
- Importance: Games like Overwatch are known for their hyper activity which naturally translates to movement. I’m thinking Tracer’s blinks, Wrecking Balls cables, and Genji’s wall climbs. These distinct movements definitely adds joy to the game.
- Prototype Type: A minimal map with a few obstacles featuring a character with the new mechanic. See how the mechanic aids in general movement + avoiding the obstacles.
- Prediction: At least for Overwatch, the specific movements could be map-specific so there could be a learning curve there. However, I anticipate this would be a fun experience.
- What is the correlation of reward frequencies and player motivation for single-player games?
- Importance: Players need some sense of “leveling up” to keep them engaged. You can’t do this too often since that would obviate the need to grow but you also can’t do it too infrequently because that will lead to boredom.
- Prototype Type: A game prototype with adjustable parameters for reward frequency, allowing for testing different intervals.
- Prediction: Regular rewards may initially increase player engagement, but over time could reduce how valuable these rewards feel, indicating the importance of finding a balanced reward strategy.
- Does cooperative mode improve player satisfaction compared to solo play?
- Importance: Humans are social creatures and naturally value cooperation. To what extent does introducing this in a game enhance player enjoyment?
- Prototype Type: A game that would solve specific “tasks” with solo and cooperative multiplayer modes. We would measure how long each task takes and how many tasks were completed in total.
- Prediction: The multiplayer mode will take more time to coordinate initially but might pay off in the end. Just due to the social awkwardness, I imagine more people might initially prefer solo play.
