How to Help Your Players Stop Saving All The Time Randy Smith rsmith@ea.com Electronic Arts Los...

How to Help Your PlayersStop Saving All The Time

Randy Smith rsmith@ea.comElectronic Arts Los Angeles

Montreal International Game Summit 2007

A Theory on Save/Load Compulsions

Part One – Some ContextDefinitions and Research

Design Goals and parameters

Math type stuff

Specific design techniques

Part Two – Some Theory

Part One – Some Context

What is a

Save/Load Compulsion

?

ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder

This “security feeling” is broken in people with OCD.

Sufferers feel the need to check / wash repetitively.

Most drives have natural completion points that trigger goal satisfaction.

Safety drives don’t, so humans developed feedback to know when to stop.

OCD andSave/Load

Compulsive saving = Save doesn’t make players feel safe enough.

Might not be a disorder, as games are different than life – risk and predictability.

“Safety” equally relevant to Save/Load.

Leveling Compulsion Loop

Get More Loot and XP

AbleTo Kill

Harder Monsters

Kill Monsters

Psyche Terms

Positive Reinforcement

Reinforcer stimulus

+

+

+

Save/Load Compulsion Loop

Reload Is Cheap

SaveOften is

Reinforced

SaveOften

+

+

+

Positive Reinforcement

+Reload is

Cheap

Save Often

Negative Reinforcement

-Reload is

Expensive

Save Often

Psyche Terms

Negative Reinforcement

Aversive stimulus

Unified Theory

Expensive reload = aversive stimulus which negatively reinforces Saving Often

“Security feeling” = feedback you’ve saved recently enoughNo “Security feeling” Compulsive Saving

Concepts Going Forward

Player Psychology(Note game worlds different than real world)

Risk and Loss

Cost and Value, e.g. – lost progress

Story Time

…and now…

Ye Olde

Legend of Save/Load

In the beginning, games didn’t need save/load

As games grew longer, save/load was introduced as a “magical bookmark”But then players used this magic to…

Ye Magic of Save/Load

Redo the Past

Eliminate Loss

Strive for Mastery

Explore Possibility

Replay & ye Interactive Medium

Ye Fantasy of “What If… ?”

…this company hadn’t given me a job?

…I had broken up with this girl to be with this girl?

…I’d never moved to this town?

?

?

?

Ye Psychology of Ye Gamer

ye Gamer“What If…” Lack of Commitment

?

Ye Point

Exploring Possibility is at the heart of our art form.

Save/load is a player tool we design that shapes how players experience Replay.

Replay is a way to Explore Possibility.

Types of Save/Load

Save Anywhere – Chaos Theory

Checkpoints – Medal of Honor

Location Bound – Metroid

Resource Limited – Resident Evil

Bookmark – Rogue

No Save – Tekken

Limited

Unlimited

The Danger of Limiting Save/Load

Technology

Compulsive Save/Load = Bad

Unbalances the game

Players don’t enjoy it

Takes attention outside the game

Limiting Save/LoadCan Make Games Better

King Kong

Type:Automatic CheckpointsAdvantage:Felt bound to a seamlessly immersive experience.

Save managed for me.

System Shock

Type:Self-Enforced Checkpoints

Advantage:Felt committed to consequences of own successes and failures

ADOM / Nethack

Type:Bookmarking

Advantage:Enforced learning of huge possibility space via failure.

Enabled a new type of replay experience.

In Pursuit of “What If…”

Unlimited save/load exacerbates. Limiting can help fix.

Eliminate Loss

Strive for Mastery

Explore Possibilityvs.

“What If…”

How at odds?

Most games present clear judgments about “better” and “worse” play.Players replay to strive for Mastery.Loss is imperfection, “worse."

Players are conditioned to load whenever they experience Loss.

Accepting Loss is Crucial to “What If…”

By choosing one thing, you sacrifice another.

If you could get both, or if one was objectively better, then that choice would be more valid.But when players sense loss, they feel urge to reload.

Hypothetical ExampleAdventure game with “What If...” choicesThis girlfriend or that one, then the rest of the game is impacted by that decisionPlayers would feel:

There might be a “right” choice

The loss of one girl triggers urge to reloadThey should use save/load to try out both options

But If You Limit Save/Load

Players forced to commit to decisions

Learn that the game supports consequence

Reverses the “reload at loss” conditioning

Part One, in closing

Reducing compulsions is good, regardless of load/save design

Part Two – Some Theory

Risk and Loss analysis players do

What players gain and lose in the moment to moment

Key

Save Impulse

Load Impulse

Game Time

Size = Strength of Impulse

Save Event

Load Event

Threshold

Impulses strong enough to cause Event

Impulses not strong enough to cause Event

( play without Save/Load )

Loss

Load

Accept Loss

Save

Accept Risk

Risk

or or

Loss Analysis

Chunk 2: Reload

+30

Hit Point delta: -10 / min. x 3 min.

= - 20

= - 30

Chunk 1: Keep Playing

Hit Point delta: -50

=?-

Different Resources

Emotional Value

Prospect Theory

Loss Aversion

Endowment Effect

Context Effect

Anchoring

Transaction vs. Acquisition Value

Framing Effect

Gambler’s Fallacy

Just World Phenomenon

Hyperbolic Discounting

Mental Accounting

Availability Heuristic

Affect Heuristic

Prospect Theory

A sure gain is better than a chance at a greater gain

A sure loss is worse than a chance at a greater loss

Prospect TheoryProspect Theory

Chunk 2: Reload

+30

Hit Point delta: -10 / min. x 3 min.

= - 20

= - 30

Chunk 1: Keep Playing

Hit Point delta: -50

Ways to Reduce Impulse Strength

Math Approach

Psyche Approach

Bias Risk/Loss Analyses Away from Save/Load

Condition Players not to Save/Load

Math Approach

Leverage Psychology to Manipulate Players Away from Save/Load

Psyche Approach

Framing Effect

Gambler’s Fallacy

Loss/Risk In Games vs. Real Life

• Loss is Virtual

• Risk is part of Game Appeal

• Risk is engineered by the Designer

Example Risks

vs.

Players reason about game design

Players are worried about risks to their play experience

Loss Analysis

Chunk 2: Reload

How could I have played, knowing what I know now?

Chunk 1: Keep Playing

How did I play?

Player Values

• Game Resources

• Play Experience

• Real World Time

Regret

Reload Examples

“Screwed up last section anyway” Chunk 1 has low value

Got ambushed Can replay much better after Load

Fell off a ladder, lost progress Lots of Real World Time for Little Play Experience

Loss

Accept Loss Examples

Unique accomplishment ending with resource loss Play Experience vs. Resources

Loss

Loss – Math Approach

• Add Uncertainty– Prior knowledge less applicable– E.g. Wandering monsters

• Telegraphing – Tell them in advance– E.g. Visual language Systems, Audio cues,

Scouting tools

Loss – Math Approach

• Create Emotional Attachment– Systemically recognize dynamic player

accomplishments– Reinforce uniqueness of play experience

Super Smash Bro.s

Loss – Psyche Approach

• Observation = Degree of change in resource more important than amount of resource

• Use many small losses and few large gains

Loss – Psyche Approach

-25

-25

+25

+25

-10-10

-10

-10-10

+50

Loss – Psyche Approach

• Observation = People prefer a “cost of protection” vs. “uncompensated loss”

• Transferable Resources– E.g. – Pay energy points

to restore HPs– Control makes players

feel good, tooX-Wing

Loss – Psyche Approach

• Observation = People like to feel like they got a good dealHow it’s presented makes a difference“Save 200 lives of 600” vs. “400 of 600 will die”

• Present as gains rather than losses– Emphasize gains in trade-offs– Making a come-back feels better than

trying to prevent loss

Reacquire Analysis

Chunk 2: Reload

Chunk 1: Keep Playing Chunk 3: Reacquire

Player Values

• Detour cost

• % chance of success

Reacquire Examples

“Well there’s a 100% health pack right in front of me anyway” Minimal detour, high % chance success

“It’ll be fun to quest for the resources I’m low on.” Chunk 3 has high value of Play Experience

Loss

System Shock

Reload Examples

“I can quest for health potions, but I’ll have to fight more monsters” Iffy % chance of success and resource deltas

Boring Harvesting takes 2 hours Lots of Real World Time for Little Play Experience, Resources

Loss

Reacquire – Math Approach

• Reacquiring = High Play Value

• Allow player to get back on track after detour

• High % chance of Reacquisition

Reacquire – Psyche Approach

• Observation = People assume good things follow bad “I’m due for luck”

• Add +deltas after losses – Expected losses – Level Design– Detected losses – DDA +10

Risk Analysis

Chunk 1: Keep Playing

Chunk 2: Save

• Chunk 2 subtracts out, only Chunk 3 is important

?? ??

Chunk 3: AccomplishmentRisk of

Future Loss

Chunk 1: Keep Playing

Chunk 2: Save• % chance of Loss, Difference in cheapest save/load solution of Chunk 1 vs. Chunk2

Save Examples

X-Com / Heroes of Might & Magic

• Loss = costly (rare / Emotional)

• High % chance of Loss

• Clearly telegraphed save point

Risk

Heroes of Might & Magic

Save Examples

Thief

• High % chance of Loss

• Reacquire path (flee) has less Play Experience value

Risk

Thief

Risk – Math Approach

• We’re screwed

• Saving is always cheaper

• Conditioning:Fewer Reloads Fewer Saves

Risk – Psyche Approach

• Observation = Memorable losses lead to a greater perception of risk

• Make victories vivid and emotional,

Make systemic losses boring

Mortal Kombat

Risk – Psyche Approach

• Observation = Success easy to picture Lower perception of risk

• Phrase Objectives to paint a picture of success “you will succeed like this”

Risk – Psyche Approach

• Observation = People underestimate risks they choose or feel they have control over

• Provide choice about which risks to take, how to take them– Different paths– Configurable Vulnerability / Immunity– Scouting tools Risk assessment

Deus Ex

Risk – Psyche Approach

• Telegraphing upcoming risk– Info helps player manage risk– But advertises itself as save point

• Telegraph if save/load is limited,Otherwise maybe not

Deus Ex

Summary

• Think about player control of Replay when designing Save/Load

• Emphasize Gains, Downplay Losses• Provide Info and Control over Risks• Empower Reacquisition

• Get off on the right foot!

Thanks!

Q & A

Email me for slides:

rsmith@ea.com

Some References

• Psychology of Risk / Decisions / etc– http://www.risktaking.co.uk/concepts.htm – http://www.schneier.com/essay-155.html – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_theory– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioural_economics – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristics– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_management – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion – http://www.k-state.edu/psych/cws/pdf/insurance_paper90.P

DF