Finding the Perfect Balance

Searching for that sweet spot between challenge and reward

Finding the Perfect Balance

Searching for that sweet spot between challenge and reward

Hello!

This week we answer a question new and veteran game developers alike face when creating a game, and we get to share a candid conversation between Dead Space Creative Directors.

How do I balance difficulty and fun in my games?

Whether you’re working on your first game or your 10th, game devs can always expect to encounter the puzzle of making gameplay challenging and enjoyable for the player. In fact, right now we’re continuing to test and iterate as we develop our debut game, Immortals of Aveum™. We ask ourselves, how can we find that perfect level of challenge that engages players, puts them into flow state, and gives them a sense of achievement without too much frustration? How do we do this while also appealing to a diverse group of players with different gaming play styles and skills? Here’s one perspective from our Senior Level Designer, Daedra Christopher:

“When striking a balance between fun and difficulty, I take into account things like player progression, current mechanics, narrative plot points and the pacing of the game. Once I understand all of the factors involved, I play through the space in a multitude of ways, usually with a particular playstyle or goal in mind. For example, I might play as someone who wants to just focus on the main objectives. Then I ask myself, is this fun? Alternatively, I will then play as someone who wants to collect everything and explore every nuance. I again ask, is this still fun? I vary the challenges to take into account player skill levels and repeat my playthroughs. I try to give players a rewarding sense of achievement that further arms them as they progress through other areas of the game.”

Daedra Christopher, Senior Level Designer at Ascendant Studios

We’ll be sharing more ideas on this topic in a future blog post, but until then, how do YOU balance fun and difficulty in games? We would love to hear your thoughts; just reply to this newsletter to share!

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Where do you even start when remaking a project that was brilliantly designed by someone else? Find out in this bonus Rise Above podcast episode, featuring a one-on-one conversation between the Creative Directors of the 2008 Dead Space and the 2023 Remake!

In the Press

VICE’s Waypoint Radio podcast chats with Ascendant’s Bret Robbins, Creative Director of the 2008 Dead Space, and Roman Campos-Oriola, Creative Director of the 2023 Remake, about what it was like to recreate the beloved space-horror survival game.