Keep Players Happy With Rewards
โa common game dev mantra.
It makes sense,
but have you ever wondered why?
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There’s a scientific theory behind it:
Reinforcement Theory.
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In simple terms,
it means that the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future depends on the consequences that follow it.
1) ๐ฃ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: In games, positive reinforcement happens when players receive rewards after completing an action. This motivates them to repeat that action.
โณ For example, giving a reward when a player finishes a level motivates them to complete the next one. Or, in a slot game, hitting a mega win pushes the player to keep searching for the next mega win.
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2) ๐ก๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: This increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated by removing an unpleasant situation. In other words, something the player doesn’t like goes away after they perform a certain action, encouraging them to repeat it.
โณ Remember the police or monster chasing you in Subway Surfers or Temple Run when you stumbled? Escaping them by staying careful for a while teaches players how to react in such situations.
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3) ๐ฃ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ต๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: This decreases the chance of a behavior being repeated by introducing an unpleasant consequence after that behavior.
โณ Simply put, if you donโt complete the level, you canโt move on to the next one. Or, if you cheat in PUBG, you get banned.
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4) ๐๐
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: If a reward is taken away after a behavior, the likelihood of that behavior being repeated decreases.
โณ Players want to feel rewarded for their time. If you reduce the rewards for daily tasks, and the player finds it pointless, they might stop trying and look for other strategies to earn more rewards.
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TL:DR
Positive Reinforcement:
โณ Reward It –> Behavior Increases.
Negative Reinforcement:
โณ Remove Pain –> Behavior Improves.
Punishment:
โณ Bad Consequence –> Behavior Stops.
Extinction:
โณ No Reward –> Interest Fades.
This theory isnโt just for training players;
That can be used to teach anything or anyoneโincluding pets.
(Theory owner B. F. Skinner originally tested it with a rat)
