Playability
Use the following guidelines to make your Experiences more immersive, polished, and player friendly!
Experience Page
An Experience page should include visuals:
A trailer/teaser
At least 5 screenshots (re-used in the description w/ GIFs for mechanics)
A video of raw gameplay footage
A great thumbnail to invite player to open their page (including title of the exp)
The top side of one experience page is the extension of the thumbnail and must be inviting & intriguing to have the player press “Play.”
We recommend using AI if no artist is available to create a proper banner.
An Experience page should include written information:
An explanation of your game (game type & lore)
The main mechanics
A brief overview of what players can expect
Example:
Kravir Pocket Camp’s description
In order to drive traffic, creators are setting up competitions with SAND prize pool for the winners.
This is another piece of information that will drive traffic if done properly.
Make sure:
It's visible by creating visuals dedicated to the event in your experience page
Uses colors that match with the theme of your experience
The reward and how to win or earn it is quickly understandable
To make the submission system smooth, it is recommended to create a form for your players to fill in order to deposit a screenshot of their score.
A clever way to do it is to have QR codes for the links of:
Upload results
Leaderboard
If you are willing to go the extra step, it would be recommended to have a leaderboard asset inside your experience where you can display the names of every week’s winners. It would simply require a quick weekly update.
Display Information in Your Experience
Display Text in Voxel Assets
Display information using moving assets or GIFs & pictures to catch the attention of the players.
This makes it easier to understand what action can be done and how to carry it out.
Text can also be integrated into the asset's design. Pixel/voxel fonts resource: dafont.com.
Example:
Create Assets as Menus & "Screens"
Asset
You can pop up information for the player's available actions using an animated asset's list of animations. This maintains immersion and reduces clicks from using other logic for text.
"Screen"
You can display a game "screen" with a menu of options by creating a simple room where the player is teleported and made unmovable. With the player's position in mind, their field of view is filled with carefully positioned elements. This requires testing to ensure elements are positioned correctly when the player is teleported.
The player's view can include:
a background made of blocks or NFT image displayed
formatted indicator text for keypress triggered options the player can choose from
visual elements for the "screen" made of still or animated assets (without collisions)
Example:
Instructions & Feedback with Assets
Provide instructions for keys or mouse actions with animated assets representing those actions.
Provide player feedback through a progress bar built as an animated asset, which responds to the player's keypresses or mouse clicks.
Mouse: Mouse clicks are used for attacks on assets with a health component or can be set up via Game Rules to send a message when a certain button is pressed or released.
Keys: WASD can be used with avatar tag detection on nearby items, or you can use Game Rules to send a message when a certain number 0-9 is pressed or released.
Example:
Introduction & Tutorial
It is really important that the player quickly understand where he/she has landed.
Depending on the Experience, either an introduction to the Experience, a tutorial, or both is necessary.
Examples:
Donut Play (how to play)
A room is dedicated to providing information to the players on how to play before jumping into the action.
Chicago Noir (Background story)
The game starts with a scene using animated assets that give the story background to the players.
Unlockable Content
In order to increase the retention of players, a solution is to provide them with unlockable content so they have a reason to play over and over again.
This will be improved when The Sandbox integrates a progression system that includes inventory data.
In the meantime, giving a reason for players to play your Experience or its mini games within it multiple times can be easily done through a coin system:
When playing a game, players receive coins based on their results
After collecting enough coins, players can use them to purchase boosts or wearable items (only available in the Experience)
This rewards players for playing and gives them a reason to stay and start again.
You can also provide rewards for NFTs players own to gain equipment or spawn useful items, visual effects, etc. in the game.
First 60 Seconds of Play
In order for your players to properly start their gaming experience and reduce the likelihood of them quitting early, we recommend that you follow this set of rules:
Players should always start with a clear view in front of them. You must orient the spawning point correctly.
No immediate hazard should be possible in this area.
Have an NPC ready to welcome players to provide essential information, but avoid overuse of text boxes to provide information.
If your experience has specific mechanics, provide a section to serve as a hands-on tutorial. If you combine mechanics, break down practice into bite-sized sections.
Example:
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