“From the Devs”: The Importance Of First Impressions On Player Retention, by silky_dev
Player engagement is a hot topic in game development, and rightfully so. With thousands of games fighting for players’ attention, standing out can impact your game’s performance dramatically. Making a good first impression can often be your only chance to show players what your game has to offer.
When a player first stumbles across your game, they will likely be curious to check it out and see what it is all about. Greeting them with an inviting first-time experience and quickly showing them the ropes can hook them into your game. Not only does this first experience drive engagement, but it will also directly impact player investment and retention.
Immediate Engagement
Often players will only play a game once, typically for a brief period, before they move on to something new. It is critical to get them engaged as early as possible and involved in your game’s offerings. Because many players have short attention spans, if you fail to interest them quickly they may become bored and easily distracted. All of the hard work you put into developing your game could easily go to waste if your game does not capture the attention of your players.
One great way to visualize this first impression is to consider a player’s first 5 minutes in your game. Generally, a first-time player will not be likely to stick around for a while. By designing your game with this in mind, you can work to engage them immediately and hook them past their initial curiosity.
Focus on exposing your players to the fun aspects of your game as soon as possible. Attempt to grab their attention; you want them to stick around and continue playing. For example, in my newest game Destruction Simulator, I immediately expose my players to the exciting gameplay. As soon as they join, they are greeted with satisfying explosions. This experience stands out; it is unique and unlike other games. As a result, players are encouraged to stick around and want to experience more of what my game offers.
Tutorials
Another useful tactic to draw players in is to use tutorials. Tutorials can help teach new players how to play your game and even showcase your game’s features. This can be very beneficial to new players who may not know what to do upon joining your game. Done right, you can address any confusion a player might have and pique their interest. Consider the following when creating tutorials:
1. Keep it short and device specific. The worst thing you can do with a tutorial is to overwhelm your players with information. If it is too long, they might be scared off and left with a negative first impression. Additionally, be sure to consider how it will work across different devices. Add proper support for each device’s controls and think about challenges they may encounter.
2. Make it interactive and give choices. Involve your players in the process, don’t force them to follow a rigid series of instructions. Provide your players options so they feel like they are in control. Allow the player to put your teachings into practice along the way. Something equally important to consider is allowing players to opt out; some may dislike tutorials and enjoy figuring things out on their own.
3. On the flip side, you don’t always need a tutorial. Many games are intuitive by nature, so they won’t need any explanation and are easy to grasp. For example, my game Destruction Simulator is pretty straightforward; you simply blow stuff up with rocket launchers or bombs, sell your bricks, buy new items, and repeat.
Progression
Easily overlooked, another factor to consider when designing for an appealing first impression is progression. While developing, you may tend to reserve unlockables and premium content until a player has played for a while. There is nothing wrong with this; in fact, this is a great way to keep players coming back. However, as discussed earlier, the first 5 minutes are what really matter. After all, if you lose your players right away, what good does all that content you made do if no one ever sticks around to unlock it?
Used effectively, progression can play an essential role in a player’s first impression of your game. Creating a rewarding and satisfying first experience can boost retention, leading more players to want to return and progress further. Consider offering achievements tied to the player’s first actions in your game. The key here is to involve the player; you want them to feel like they are in control of the outcome.
While blindly giving out rewards and freebies may seem like a good idea, this does not evoke the same investment as requiring players to work for them. By following a challenge and reward model, players will feel like they earned their reward and it will mean more to them. For example, if you choose to employ a tutorial, consider rewarding the player for completing it. Alternatively, you can give the player quests and achievements, each with their own unique rewards.
Player Investment
Lastly, consider how invested you can make your players feel after their first play session. Retention can be directly tied to how involved and invested players feel in your game. Ideally, your players will be invested in the progression system discussed earlier. The achievements and rewards they receive should leave them feeling accomplished and help build dedication.
One great way to build this investment is by clearly showing the player what they can unlock or earn next. This will encourage them to return in an effort to maintain all the progress they have already made. For example, in Destruction Simulator I kept users coming back by always having a new item to unlock available. As soon as players upgrade, they immediately start trying to get the next best item, creating a continuous feedback loop.
Conclusion
Hopefully these ideas help you improve your game’s first impression for new players. As you develop your game, continue thinking about how you can maximize a player’s first 5 minutes to grab their attention. Getting your players invested right away is an excellent start to boosting your game’s retention. If you don’t nail it right away don’t worry, there are always plenty of ways to re-engage users in the future. Good luck and happy developing!
Thanks to silky_dev for his insight! Silky_dev is know for his games Destruction Simulator and Lucky Block Battlegrounds. Follow silky_dev on Roblox or Twitter to keep up with his work and updates to his games!
