SHORTSTAR'S PROFILE

author=CashmereCat
I've been thinking... what is the right balance of free-roaming and handholding? Do not let them free-roam at first. Tutorial areas disguised as gameplay. For example, you can have a non-linear level. But then where is the direction in this level? Get to the end. Then just don't tell them how to get to the end? And what even is the goal? When there are no goals, people make their own goals and do what they want. And how do you establish said goal?

I'm all about making sure that you're not holding the players' hand, while at the same time ensuring they know exactly what to do at any given moment. Show the player what they can do, then just let them do whatever once you've shown them. But people have 0 patience now and if the game doesn't open up in 10 minutes they'll call it linear. Because you're going to have to hand-hold in some way or another. But as a player, I hate this. I want to be able to figure it out on my own, and when I can't figure out on my own, I blame the developer. Highlight things with lights. Have callbacks. Remember something easy you did in the first level? Do it every so often so they don't forget. It's his fault for not designing it so I can figure it out myself and feel smart. Not just that, but leave tricks to make people think outside the box and feel special when they do things the game makers didn't intend. Metroid comes to mind.

How do you hand-hold the player? Show the player everything they can do and let them go out and do it. You can use that tactic over and over again when you introduce something new.