Tracking Player Inspiration in Game Enhancement Strategies

In the fantastical universe of World of Warcraft (WoW), players embark on epic adventures, pretending to be characters in a vast, ever-expanding world. The game, renowned as the most popular Massively-Multiplayer-Online-Roleplaying-Game (MMORPG), caters to a diverse player base, each with unique needs and skill levels.

The lifecycle of a WoW player, according to Amy Jo Kim, can be split into three distinct phases: Rookie, Regular, and Master.

Rookie Phase

Newcomers, or Rookies, are onboarded with "rookie areas" that control opposing players and guide them through activities. These areas provide a sheltered environment for players to learn complex game mechanics, alleviating the initial frustration that often comes with learning a new system.

Regular Phase

As players progress, they enter the Regular phase, where the needs vary as each player requires an increasing level of challenge. The Regular phase requires a bigger challenge, such as exploring the world, forming alliances, and learning more skills.

To prevent player fatigue, it's important to pay attention to each phase of play and design a gamification strategy that keeps players interested and engaged. To achieve this, Amy Jo Kim's system emphasises dynamic pacing through adaptive challenge levels. This approach involves continuous monitoring of player behaviour and learning progress, adjusting difficulty dynamically to maintain optimal engagement, and leveraging game data analytics to provide fast feedback to players.

Master Phase

The Master phase in WoW is reached when a player's character has reached the highest level, visited every dungeon, and killed every boss. Master players possess the highest-grade weapons, pots of money, and all the best spells. At this stage, players can choose to continuously run the same content over and over again to make more money or wait for the next expansion pack, or they can help other players, mentor them, and create their own challenges.

Another example of a game with well-conceived game longevity is Facebook's game Empires and Allies, where players could grow their presence on an island, battle enemies, and forge alliances. Civilization, with its intricate gameplay and strategic depth, is another example where each move takes longer but has more happening in it as the player progresses.

Mastery within games and gamified systems should be a challenging thing to achieve, and World of Warcraft excels at providing a steep challenge to mastery. By tracking player interactions and adjusting challenges to fit their evolving skill level, providing immediate feedback, and ensuring players remain challenged but not overwhelmed, World of Warcraft sustains engagement over time. This approach fosters ongoing motivation, keeping players invested in the game for a period of around 3 years.

In the realm of World of Warcraft (WoW), service design plays a crucial role in catering to the diverse needs of its players.
The Rookie phase for WoW players is initiated with rookie areas, a key aspect of interaction design.
These rookie areas, by controlling opposing players and guiding newcomers, are essential for user experience (UX) design.
The sheltered environment they provide aids in teaching complex game mechanics, an essential aspect of UI design.
As players advance from the Rookie phase, they enter the Regular phase, requiring a dynamic pacing through adaptive challenge levels for design thinking.
This approach is vital in maintaining player engagement, a critical component of gamification strategy.
Data-and-cloud-computing, particularly game data analytics, plays a significant role in this adaptive strategy.
By continuously monitoring player behavior and learning progress, technology ensures challenges are dynamically adjusted.
This strategy, in turn, provides fast feedback to players, fostering a cycle of learning and improvement.
In the Regular phase, players explore the world, form alliances, and learn more skills, demonstrating the importance of user experience.
To prevent player fatigue, lifestyle considerations are essential in game design, ensuring players remain consistently engaged.
The Master phase marks the highest level of achievement, where players possess the best weapons, money, and spells.
At this stage, players can choose from various activities, such as continuously running the same content or helping other players, showcasing the importance of personal-growth.
Facebook's game Empires and Allies is another example of a game with well-conceived game longevity, due to its emphasis on forming alliances and battling enemies.
Civilization, with its strategic depth and intricate gameplay, is another game where mastery requires time and skill, much like in WoW.
Artificial-Intelligence, technology, and design thinking combine in WoW to create a challenging yet rewarding experience.
Relationships, whether forging alliances or mentoring others, are essential aspects of the WoW gaming culture.
Travel, whether to explore new territories or battle enemies, is a key component of the gaming experience in WoW.
Cars, either as part of the landscape or as a means of transportation, can also be found in the vast World of Warcraft.
Books, essays, or guides on World of Warcraft and its strategies are essential resources for players seeking to improve their skills.
Education-and-self-development resources are vital in helping players master the game.
Casino-and-gambling, particularly casino-games like poker, blackjack, and slots, can be seen as a form of entertainment that shares some similarities with WoW.
Like in WoW, responsible-gambling is essential in casino-culture to ensure players do not become overwhelmed.
Gadgets, such as gaming controllers or voice-chat devices, can enhance the WoW player's experience.
Sports, such as basketball, soccer, or football, can provide a refreshing break from the intense World of Warcraft gaming sessions.
Sports-betting is another area where elements of WoW, such as strategic thinking and risk-taking, can be applied.
Movies-and-tv shows based on WoW or featuring similar themes can serve as a source of inspiration for players, further fueling their interest in the game.