Measure
Discernible outcome
You might say: I can tell what my action did
An outcome is discernible when the player can identify the relevant change and connect it to the action. Observe whether the player can explain the result, not merely whether a flashy effect played.
- What it does
- Lets the player revise a mental model and make a better-informed next choice.
- Ask
- Can a target player tell what changed, which action caused it and whether it helped?
- Typical
- Record correct causal explanations, missed changes and time until recognition; compare channels and feedback delay.
- Trouble
- A health change is buried in noise, delayed feedback is attributed to the wrong action, or a celebration hides a bad tactical result.
What to look for
- A relevant change after an action
- Health changing with the action
- The result tied to its cause
Connections
- See also: Result feedback
- See also: Feedback signals
- See also: Player mental model
Sources
- Jesper Juul, Design (MIT CMS.608 lecture, 2008), slide 8
Meaningful play: When relation between action and outcome is discernable and integrated
- Daniel Cook, Building Tight Game Systems of Cause and Effect, Strength of Feedback; Noisiness; Pacing
A clear signal of effect that is related to the cause.
Use it on your project
teardown-apply: hold "Discernible outcome" (choice-result-readability) from the teardown at https://teardownatlas.com/game-design/ against my project
Paste it into a coding agent that has the teardown skills.
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