Why A Visible Goal Is Important For Your Game and Studio
Yesterday, during a discussion at Arsanesia about a design we created that felt monotonous and less meaningful, I stumbled upon an article titled “The Objectives Of Game Goals” by David Mullich. The article broadened my perspective on the importance of goals in games. If we’re only asked to chop onions without a purpose, it will turn into a boring activity. However, if we have a goal, such as preparing the best meal for a loved one, or even trying to become a Masterchef champion, the activity becomes meaningful and motivational.
Mullich’s article explains that all games have a goal or objective. These goals can range from catching all Pokémon, defeating an opponent, destroying attacking armies, exploring the world, or solving puzzles. Without a goal, an activity merely becomes a time filler, lacking resolution or a sense of achievement. Goals provide something for the player to strive for. They dictate what a player is expected to achieve within the rules that determine the structure and boundaries of the game. A game might have many short-term goals and a few long-term goals in addition to its main objective.
Based on this article, I felt that the game we’re currently developing at Arsanesia needs visible goals, whether they’re short-term, mid-term, or long-term. This thought made me remember my colleagues who are working hard on creating games. I felt responsible for providing them visibility on why they work every day and make games.
Ideally, every goal in a game should be clear, achievable, concrete, challenging, and rewarding. Players should be given enough information and resources to achieve the game’s goals. After a reasonable amount of effort, players should be able to achieve what the game asks of them. Moreover, goals should increase in difficulty as the player’s skills improve. Players must feel that there is value in achieving these goals. Some objectives provide benefits to players within the game context, like advancing the player towards game completion or revealing more about the game’s storyline.
Taking Pokémon Go as an example, the main goal of the game is clear: “Gotta catch ’em all!” It gives players something to strive for. There are short-term goals like “catching the nearest Pokémon”, mid-term goals like “catching all Pokémon of a specific type”, and the main goal of “catching them all”. With these goals, players get a sense of achievement and satisfaction upon reaching them.
In conclusion, it’s crucial to understand that not only in creating games, but also in life, it’s very important to have short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. By having these goals, we’ll have clear motivation and direction in every activity we undertake, whether it’s in gaming or in life.
Without a goal, an activity is simply a pastime, without any resolution or sense of accomplishment.
Original artikel from my blog: ardisaz.com
