How To Design An Effective Tutorial For Your Game

It has seemingly become commonplace over recent years for games to ditch the traditional tutorial format and go for something completely different. Gone are the days of going through a tutorial separate to the rest of the game, where an ominous voice instructs you on which keys to press and when. These days, a more effective method has arisen.

This format is simple: Drop the player right in and slowly introduce more concepts over time. This has clearly done wonders for getting a player involved, as it brings them into the action without leaving them in the dark. Simply look at Angry Birds, Color Dash for example. There’s no tutorial to speak of, but rather a continuous flow of levels and stages wherein a new concept is introduced every now and then.

There’s an art to this and getting it right could make or break your game.

Less Reading, More Action

In a fast-paced world where the average attention span of a human being is slowly dwindling, it’s difficult to have someone do a lot of reading, especially in a digital environment. Text has its advantages. You can cram tons of information into a small amount of screen space, but this loses its novelty after a while, especially in more action-packed games.

The general consensus is that actually “doing” what you intend to learn as opposed to just reading about it is significantly more effective. Introduce new concepts in the form of tasks, missions, and objectives with the help of some audio or a minimal amount of text where no substitution is possible.

Don’t Overwhelm

Ensure that throughout the tutorial, a single objective remains the focus of the player’s attention. Don’t randomly bring in additional information or a character backstory, as all it’ll do is overwhelm the player with information overload. In the same light, keep a relatively basic format. Simple music, subtle level design that doesn’t distract too much.

However, it’s worth noting that you shouldn’t simply leave the tutorial looking like a monotonous grid. Use it as an opportunity to showcase some great visuals to entice the player for what lies ahead.

Leave Something To Be Desired

Very few, if any modern games explain every aspect of their intricate design right within the game. Take Minecraft, for example, there’s very little in terms of tutorials and explanations. A huge advantage of this is that the information gets placed elsewhere on the web by avid players and enthusiasts.

This promotes the creation of a community and discussion forums. Websites such as gameguideworld.net start making articles explaining aspects of your game that aren’t otherwise apparent within the game. This benefits them by bringing in curious viewers and your game gets free promotion.

Conclusion

Creating an effective tutorial means striking a balance between providing enough information to stop your player from becoming frustrated and not so much that they become overwhelmed or uninterested in studying the game further. The tutorial should entice the player and give them a reason to continue with the game. It is an art that may take some time for you to master, but the end result is completely worthwhile.