Replayability

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Replayability or replayability (Engl. Replay value or replayability ) is a term from the development and evaluation of games , particularly computer games . It describes the property of games that after being played through for the first time, they can also be fun in new attempts.

Disambiguation

The replay value is of particular importance in the single player mode of computer games in which the player plays alone at the computer. Board games have a high replay value right from the start, because you play with other people and so every game is different. The situation is similar with multiplayer computer games.

A related but distinctive term is long-term motivation , which is also particularly important in solo computer games. This is especially true for games without an actual end of the game, such as SimCity .

Criteria for a good replayability

Below is a list of game features that promote replayability. As stated above, these criteria mostly relate to solo computer games. Combining these criteria in one game generally increases replayability.

Less complex properties are listed first.

High scores

Highscore tables increase the replayability of games as they correspond to a kind of indirect multiplayer mode . Older games in particular often have no immediate natural end to the game, that is, the aim of the game is to hold out as long as possible. The end of the game is defined by the demise of the game character - game over . Especially in arcades, high scores challenge players to keep improving their gaming performance in order to maintain their place in the high score list. This means that high scores have a competitive character. Examples: Pac-Man , Tetris , pinball machines .

Different ways of victory

Especially in strategy games , the replay value increases if there are different ways to win the game, for example a peaceful and a military approach. So you can approach a game in a completely different way in order to win it. Examples of this are Civilization or Age of Empires .

Variable level of difficulty

Computer games for the beginner can often only be mastered with a simple level of difficulty at first. After playing through, the player can then try a higher level of difficulty. Examples: Civilization , Diablo II .

Collecting experience points

In contrast to the high scores, experience points influence the course of the game. Usually the experience points are converted into an experience level . For each further level more experience points are required or opponents of the same strength bring less experience. With increasing level or experience points, certain skills (spells, attack techniques) are unlocked. Furthermore, the experience level increases some basic parameters, e.g. B. Attack Value and Defense Value. Experience points indirectly adjust the level of difficulty of the game to the skills of the player. If a game world is too difficult, you gain experience despite defeat, so that it becomes a little easier when you try again. If the accumulation of experience is not unlimited, then this component loses its value at the end of the game. Examples: Pokemon , Gemcraft.

Collect a currency for upgrades

Closely related to the experience points is the collection of a currency (money, mana, raw materials) with which the skills can then be improved: e.g. B. The spells do more damage or the engine uses less fuel. At the end of the game, however, the upgrades are usually limited, making the currency redundant. Some games feature both experience points and a currency. Examples: Upgrade Complete.

Similarities with the experience points

  • are collected over the course of the game
  • Unlock skills
  • Lowering the level of difficulty after defeat
  • There's no need to collect when there are no more upgrades

Collecting items

A clear fun factor is when you can collect items with different attributes. There are mostly frequent, cheap items that only provide the necessary values, and there are rare, expensive items for which the necessary values ​​such as armor bonus are particularly high and have additional skills. The same level can therefore be played through again to randomly receive a rare item. The player has the opportunity to optimize his equipment before the level. If the game does not offer infinitely rare items, so that at some point you have seen all the rare items, then the desire to collect disappears. Examples: Monsters Den.

Collecting achievements

By awarding virtual awards (so-called " achievements ") for the achievement of goals or certain actions in computer games, the replay value should be increased. Since these tasks usually do not affect the game, they represent additional meta-goals to the actual game framework. B. the desire of the players in additional experiments, challenges or collecting and exploration tasks can be aroused. In addition, players can aim for a high total number of accumulated achievements, which is usually shown by a progress indicator, and compete with other players.

Hidden secrets

A popular element are secret rooms, secret levels, hidden treasures, bonus items and so-called Easter eggs . These invite you to continue browsing the game world after the main story has ended. Examples: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas , Quake .

Improvement of the game character

In various computer role-playing games, there is the option of exporting the player character after the end of the game and playing it again in the game. This enables the player to further improve the equipment of his character, to learn new skills and / or to reach higher levels of character development. Examples: Diablo II , Sacred .

Different characters

Computer role-playing games or hack-and-slay games often offer a selection of different characters, some of which have very different skills. Playing again with a different character requires a different approach to the tasks of the game. Example: Diablo .

In computer strategy games, there are often different races / peoples to choose from, which have different skills, sometimes only special units, which allow different approaches to solving the game. Example: Warcraft 3 .

Non-linear level design

Non-linear level design gives the player several options to choose from to move from one area within the level to the next. This can be implemented, for example, by alternative routes between the individual room sections, or by freely choosing the sequence for tasks to be completed. Non-linear level design has a direct effect on the course of the game within a level, not necessarily on the course of the higher-level plot (see below). Examples: Deus Ex , Far Cry , Morrowind .

Non-linear course of action

Games in which the player's decisions influence the course of the plot have a higher replay value. This is especially true if not all decision options can be used in one playthrough.

This applies in particular to computer role-playing games and adventure games in which the player unlocks certain storylines through decisions, but at the same time blocks others. Examples: Baldur's Gate 2 .

Variable playing field

In terms of their replayability, games can live from variable playing fields on which the actions come into play. The game world is generated randomly at the start of a new game or during the game, which means that landscapes, cities or dungeons look different for each game. However, this often causes the disadvantage of a generic graphic and usually means additional work in developing the game. Randomly generated game worlds can be used in various computer game genres, such as role-playing games ( Rogue , Diablo ), strategy games ( Civilization , Heroes of Might and Magic ) or economic simulations ( Transport Tycoon ). Several board games also use variable game worlds, including The Settlers of Catan , The New Explorers and Carcassonne .

New game with changed values

As a New Game Plus is called a game mode that is only unlocked if the player has a game once played at least or a specific value (eg. As to experience points ) has reached in the game. The mode enables the player to restart the game with changed framework conditions or results, so that the player can discover differences in the game world or notice changes in the gameplay when playing again . Many games use the mode to tell the story (from a different perspective) or to reveal backgrounds or to create new challenges and incentives. Examples of such changes are a higher level of difficulty, alternative storylines, the introduction of a new playable character or the receipt of special items or achievements . Depending on the game, some values ​​or items can also be transferred to the new game status.

Level editors

Many computer games come with a level editor . The player can create his own levels in order to make them available to other players - usually via the Internet. With changed game content, but the same basic game or "game framework", he can then play the game again. Examples: Neverwinter Nights , Age of Empires , Jagged Alliance 2 , Quake , I, Counter Strike .

Similar to variable field games, some of these games have the disadvantage of generic graphics and sounds. With games like the Quake series or the Unreal Tournament series, in which good modifiability is part of the basic concept and a large editing community exists, this problem does not exist, however, and the replay value is retained for years through newly emerging levels.

Modifications to the software of the game ( mods )

Subsequent changes to the game's software, so-called mods , can also contribute to replayability. These changes or additions are often made by tech-savvy players. As described for level editors, it is possible to play through again with changed game content, but the same basic game. Examples: Neverwinter Nights , Half-Life , Quake , Unreal Tournament .

Criteria of poor replayability

Frustration factor

If the frustration factor of a computer game is high, the replay value is inevitably low. If the player loses interest in the game early due to a level of difficulty that is too high, technical inadequacies (for example so-called bugs or uncomfortable controls) or inappropriately high hardware requirements, it is often uninstalled before the first game . However, a level of difficulty that is too low also counteracts the replay value, since the challenge is no longer applicable.

Linear course of action

Narrative games, especially adventure games, often have a linear course of action that would have to be followed again when playing again. Since the game would then already be known to the player, the replayability of such games is low.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Staffan Bjork, Jussi Holopainen: Patterns in Game Design , 2005, ISBN 1584503548 . In it: "Replayability: The level to which a game provides new challendes or experiences when played again."
  2. ↑ GameSetWatch: Three Kinds of Replay , September 25, 2008, in: "Replay value comes from many things, and one of them is the ability for the game to let players have a different experience each time they will play. This breadth of experience means that players who enjoy a game the first time can experience more entertainment from the game by replaying in various ways. "
  3. ↑ Francois Dominic Laramee: Game Design Perspectives , 2002, ISBN 1584500905 . In it: "Most designers must rely on replayability to increase the perceived value of their games. […] Alternate victory conditions; Repeated visits to a familiar setting; Alternate tools; Randomized content; Differentiating between victory and perfection; Multiplayer ".
  4. ↑ Gamasutra: Replayability Part 2: Game Mechanics , July 3, 2001.
  5. ↑ Gamasutra: Replayability Part 1: Narrative , May 21, 2001. Therein: "If the narrative is linear, as in Starcraft or Diablo, once you know the story, it doesn't provide much motivation to play the game again."

literature

  • Peter Dobrovka (Ed.): Computer games. Design and programming. mitp-Verlag, Bonn 2003, ISBN 3-8266-0920-4