Level Exploration: The Closest Unexplored Area in Sight

𝟬𝟰 – 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁

While level exploration is not an exact science and every player behaves differently, there are general behavior patterns that can be considered when designing a free-navigation level. Players tend to be attracted to areas they perceive will provide the greatest and most immediate reward.

In this example, the player needs to find and collect 4 boxes in any order. The question is: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹?

The player has the following information:
𝟭. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗲
𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀
𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁

The player’s brain rewards them in two key moments: first, when they locate a box, and second, when they collect it. Interestingly, locating a box but leaving it behind often provides a smaller sense of reward than the anticipation of finding and collecting another box just around the corner.

Based on this, here’s a typical exploration path the player might take:

𝟭. They see Box D clearly in the distance with no mystery about it—”Great, I know where that is” (partial reward)—but they don’t necessarily head straight for it.

𝟮. Instead, they decide to check the corner immediately to their left and find Box A. Great! Seems like there might be boxes hidden around corners.

𝟯. Remembering the more distant corner to the right, they backtrack and collect Box C.

𝟰. With no further clues in sight, they now head for the sure thing: Box D.

𝟱. With all visible areas explored and no new visual cues, they enter “search mode”.

𝟲. Turning around, they notice something they hadn’t before: the skyline opens up between two nondescript buildings, revealing a path to an unexplored area.

𝟳. Following this path, they soon discover the fourth and final box, Box B.