The Problem with Game Tutorials A Developer Discussion
As a result of a Japanese game developer's post on social media, a raging discussion ensued on a common player grievance long tutorials. Many new games spend a lot of time teaching basic actions which, instead of aiding in player retention, might actually work against it.
Firsthand Experience of a Developer
While working on the development of social games, designer Ichi Tatsumi encountered something worth sharing. Players were quitting during the tutorial and he thought they were leaving confused; therefore, he added more instructive texts. However, log analysis showed a completely opposite trend.
What I discovered is that players were hardly reading the explanations... Users weren't leaving because they couldn't understand the process. They were just being kept waiting too long. I think it wasn't the explanations that were the issue, but the pacing.
After this, Tatsumi revised the tutorial, shortening texts, combining steps, and streamlining visuals. This small change helped in dramatically reducing player exits during the tutorial.
Industry Opinion Get to Action
Other developers joined in agreement with Tatsumi's post. Shimaguni Yamato commented that, while managers tend to prescribe too much tutorial content, he actively resists them because he believes in giving players the excitement straight away. Developer Hiroyuki Matsumoto seconded this view and said gamers want to get to the point and do not like tutorials.
An Alternative Learning in the Game
Some discussants suggested that Nintendo's design philosophy is a better way to go. Nintendo games, rather than just pausing action for lengthy blocks of text or deep instructional video clips, usually present mechanics organically in gameplay. Players learn by experience, with new challenges being introduced to encourage experimentation and understanding without cutting the flow of the game.
