Defining and tracking goals and tasks.
Having objectives for the players is a fundamental part of many games.
An objective system is a fundamental tool for game designers to control the player experience. It’s not just about what the player does, but why they do it, and how that “why” shapes their journey. A robust objective system serves multiple crucial functions:
- Pacing: Objectives can be used to control the pacing of the game, introducing new mechanics and challenges at a deliberate rate.
- Tutorials: Early-game objectives often serve as tutorials, implicitly teaching players the core mechanics and rules of the game.
- Narrative Delivery: Objectives can be interwoven with the game’s narrative, driving the story forward and revealing information to the player.
- Content Gating: Objectives can be used to gate access to new areas, items, or abilities, creating a sense of progression and rewarding exploration.
- Replayability: Different types of objectives (main quests, side quests, achievements, collectibles) can encourage players to replay the game and explore different aspects of the world.
- Choice and Agency: Well-designed objectives can offer the player meaningful decisions, allowing them to decide what to do.
A poorly designed objective system, on the other hand, can lead to:
- Confusion: Players don’t know what to do or why.
- Frustration: Objectives are too difficult, too obscure, or too repetitive.
- Lack of Motivation: Players feel no sense of purpose or accomplishment.
- Linearity (if undesired): A rigid, overly-prescriptive objective system can make the game feel too linear and restrict player freedom.