About the author
Anton Slashcev
Almost 10 years of experience in Product Management, Business Strategy, and Narrative Design. Consulting in Match-3 / Casual Narrative / Hybrid-casual market.
10 Rules every game designer must follow
10 rules every game designer must follow:
๐ญ. ๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐
โณ Players hate losing something they worked hard for.
โข It feels unfair if itโs taken without their input.
โข Let them give it up only by choice (e.g., selling or swapping).
๐๐
๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: During the FTUE, you can give something cool & powerful to hook them and then take it away. Players are fine with this because they didnโt ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป it.
๐ฎ. ๐ฏ ๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ
โณ Players should always know what to do next.
โข The path can be hard, but the goal must be obvious.
๐ฏ. ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ
โณ Avoid confusing win/lose conditions.
โข Players need to understand how they can succeed, and why they failed.
โข Visual cues like progress bars or danger symbols (e.g., red or sharp objects) help a lot.
๐ฐ. ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐
โณ If players wander off the main path, make it worth their time.
โข Hidden treasures, story snippets, or rare items keep exploration exciting and rewarding.
๐ฑ. ๐ค ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐
โณ When you offer choices, honor them.
โข Outcomes should match expectations.
โข Forcing players into a โrightโ choice ruins immersion.
๐ฒ. ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ, ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
โณ Nobody likes a dull tutorial.
โข Help players learn through subtle hints, not drawn-out lessons.
โข Let them discover solutions on their own.
๐ณ. ๐ฃ๏ธ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐
โณ If players are bored, frustrated, or confused, thatโs on the design.
โข Listen to feedback. Players usually point out real issues.
๐ด. ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
โณ No amount of rewards, content, or story will matter if the core gameplay isnโt fun.
โข Make fun the starting point for every design decision.
๐ต. ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐
โณ Patterns build trust.
โข If the โexitโ button is always top-right, keep it there.
โข Never break the rules youโve taught players.
๐ญ๐ฌ. โ๏ธ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ
โณ Unfair moments break the experience.
โข Enemies shouldnโt cheat, like teleporting or breaking game physics.
โข Everyone (even the game itself) should follow the rules.
Good design is about respecting the player.
