Please note that this topic will be updated regularly.

Also, please note that this topic is not directed at anything other than gaming projects.

Thousands of projects on Scratch break the rules of playability (probably because most people have never even heard of it). This is the exact reason why I created this topic.

What is playability?

Playability is an aspect to make your game fun and interesting, wanting your audience to continue playing your game. There are many components to it that I will mention momentarily.

Is playability necessary?

Of course! One of the first games ever created was called “Pong”. Its graphics were not so great. Two paddles and a square ball? Not great at all! But, it was so fun that the players loved playing it over and over. That's because of the power of playability.

How do you add playability?

I'm so glad that you asked.

1. Controls

Your controls need to be fairly easy. The controls will be how to control your character throughout the entire game, so if it's frustrating, then less people will enjoy the game. If your controls for your game are too hard to play with, then fix them! Ask a friend whether the controls to your project are hard to use.

2. Object

The object, or goal, of the game must be worth playing for. Collecting keys that appear across the screen? Usually not fun. Clicking a cup over and over? It's not worth your fingers getting tired. A platformer with boss fights? Usually, it's very fun! Ask a friend whether your goal is fun to try to achieve, and ask your friend to be honest about it!

(Note: That's just an example. Your game does not have to be a platformer.)

3. Atmosphere

The background of your project must make sense with the game. If you're making a racing simulator, you don't want it to take place in the ocean. If you're making a farming game, it shouldn't be in outer space. Make sure that your project will entirely fit its theme. Otherwise, it will turn out very odd.

4. Difficulty

The game should begin easy. Once the player gets more and more used to the controls, make it slowly harder and harder. Also, make sure each level is possible. I could make an entire list on here of how many projects I've seen where level 1 is a simple plain and level 3 is impossible. (Except that's gossip, which is not allowed!)

5. Graphics

This is what all the sprites and backdrops will look like. They should at least be understandable. The graphics don't have to be fancy, but if your characters look like giant blobs, that's seriously going to make your game less fun. Try going to Requests and find excellent artists!

6. Music

Music controls the feel of the game, and is one of the most effective ways of controlling your emotions. Make sure it is played where it belongs! Add tense music in a haunted house, add happy music in a sunny garden, sad music in an abandoned house, you get the idea. Make sure your music fits the scene!

7. Twists

If a game is too similar to another one, it could discourage fun. Besides, adding your own twists to a game makes it unique and interesting. According to the Community Guidelines, you must be creative. Adding your own twists makes your game different from others: a fun, unique, interesting game with much playability.

8. Story

Some of the greatest games in existence have a storyline. It gives you an explanation of your quest, and a reason to be playing. It is not necessary for games such as puzzles or logic games, but with platformers or choose-your-own-adventure games, those really help to explain the gravity of the situation. Adding cutscenes helps with creating the storyline, but make sure the storyline is understandable! Not all users may grasp your perspective. Everyone thinks differently, but that's okay! Just make the storyline easy to grasp, and with your own creative twists, your game will be stellar.

When you're doing it, try to create a “what if” question. What if robots threatened to destroy mankind? What if evil mushrooms attacked the city? What if dinosaurs came back from the grave? Then, try to create some way for that to be possible in the story. It's these silly questions that cause creativity and greatness to occur!

9. Testing

Show your game to your friends before sharing it to the Scratch Community. Ask them to give you feedback and tips. Constructive feedback from others is the best way to make sure that other people will enjoy your project!

Please refer to the above list if you want your game to have playability!

Why should a project have playability?

I'll use an example of my own this time. Follow this link, please. This is one of my oldest projects. Looking back, I think it's one of my worst. If you don't want your project to have playability, then it will be less fun than you expect, just like me when I was making that project.

So, please, give your project some playability using this topic.

Thanks for your view! I hope that this helps you to improve your games!

—————————————————————————————————————————————————-

-Credits-

Thanks to @Prime689 for hosting the banner!

That's all the credits for now.

Bump!

Bump!

(How come no one's said anything?)

i'm making a game where it's the same enemies, same levels, same bosses every time you play it

but each time you beat it, the game changes in a specific way, such as making it harder

would this be good playability?

Mr_PenguinAlex wrote:

i'm making a game where it's the same enemies, same levels, same bosses every time you play it

but each time you beat it, the game changes in a specific way, such as making it harder

would this be good playability?

Of course! Just don't make the difficulty change too quickly! As I've previously stated, there are so many games where the first level is a simple plain and the third level is impossible. Make the difficulty change slightly with each level.

Super_Scratch_Bros20 wrote:

Mr_PenguinAlex wrote:

i'm making a game where it's the same enemies, same levels, same bosses every time you play it

but each time you beat it, the game changes in a specific way, such as making it harder

would this be good playability?

Of course! Just don't make the difficulty change too quickly! As I've previously stated, there are so many games where the first level is a simple plain and the third level is impossible. Make the difficulty change slightly with each level.

ok

BUMP

This is great! Reporting to be stickied

Can someone help me on what type of games I should make? I am running out of ideas and I want to program more games. Thanks!

flameaqua2 wrote:

Can someone help me on what type of games I should make? I am running out of ideas and I want to program more games. Thanks!

Platformers tend to be fun for me.

By the way, welcome to the forums! You made one tiny mistake, and that is that you should make your own topic if you need help. Don't worry; you're new and I know that it's not your fault.

I'll ask a moderator if they can convert your need into another topic (I think I've seen a moderator do that before, except it was more of a merge. Regardless, I'll give it a try.)

Super_Scratch_Bros20 wrote:

flameaqua2 wrote:

Can someone help me on what type of games I should make? I am running out of ideas and I want to program more games. Thanks!

Platformers tend to be fun for me.

By the way, welcome to the forums! You made one tiny mistake, and that is that you should make your own topic if you need help. Don't worry; you're new and I know that it's not your fault.

I'll ask a moderator if they can convert your need into another topic (I think I've seen a moderator do that before, except it was more of a merge. Regardless, I'll give it a try.)

Unfortunately, that's not something we can do - sorry.

Paddle2See wrote:

Super_Scratch_Bros20 wrote:

flameaqua2 wrote:

Can someone help me on what type of games I should make? I am running out of ideas and I want to program more games. Thanks!

Platformers tend to be fun for me.

By the way, welcome to the forums! You made one tiny mistake, and that is that you should make your own topic if you need help. Don't worry; you're new and I know that it's not your fault.

I'll ask a moderator if they can convert your need into another topic (I think I've seen a moderator do that before, except it was more of a merge. Regardless, I'll give it a try.)

Unfortunately, that's not something we can do - sorry.

Understood. @flameaqua2, please create your own topic for Project Ideas. I'm not trying to be bossy, but you'll get more attention if it's in your own topic.

Bump!

Super_Scratch_Bros20 wrote:

██████╗ █████╗ ███╗ ███╗ ███████╗ ███████╗
██╔════╝ ██╔══██╗ ████╗ ████║ ██╔════╝ ██╔════╝
██║ ███╗ ███████║ ██╔████╔██║ █████╗ ███████╗
██║ ██║ ███████║ ██║╚██╔╝██║ ██╔══╝ ╚════██║
╚██████║ ██╔══██║ ██║ ╚═╝ ██║ ███████╗ ██████|
╚═════╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚══════╝ ╚══════╝


Please note that this topic will be updated regularly.

Also, please note that this topic is not directed at anything other than gaming projects.

Thousands of projects on Scratch break the rules of playability (probably because most people have never even heard of it). This is the exact reason why I created this topic.

What is playability?

Playability is an aspect to make your game fun and interesting, wanting your audience to continue playing your game. There are many components to it that I will mention momentarily.

Is playability necessary?

Of course! One of the first games ever created was called “Pong”. Its graphics were not so great. Two paddles and a square ball? Not great at all! But, it was so fun that the players loved playing it over and over. That's because of the power of playability.

How do you add playability?

I'm so glad that you asked.

1. Controls

Your controls need to be fairly easy. The controls will be how to control your character throughout the entire game, so if it's frustrating, then less people will enjoy the game. If your controls for your game are too hard to play with, then fix them! Ask a friend whether the controls to your project are hard to use.

2. Object

The object, or goal, of the game must be worth playing for. Collecting keys that appear across the screen? Usually not fun. Clicking a cup over and over? It's not worth your fingers getting tired. A platformer with boss fights? Usually, it's very fun! Ask a friend whether your goal is fun to try to achieve, and ask your friend to be honest about it!

(Note: That's just an example. Your game does not have to be a platformer.)

3. Atmosphere

The background of your project must make sense with the game. If you're making a racing simulator, you don't want it to take place in the ocean. If you're making a farming game, it shouldn't be in outer space. Make sure that your project will entirely fit its theme. Otherwise, it will turn out very odd.

4. Difficulty

The game should begin easy. Once the player gets more and more used to the controls, make it slowly harder and harder. Also, make sure each level is possible. I could make an entire list on here of how many projects I've seen where level 1 is a simple plain and level 3 is impossible. (Except that's gossip, which is not allowed!)

5. Graphics

This is what all the sprites and backdrops will look like. They should at least be understandable. The graphics don't have to be fancy, but if your characters look like giant blobs, that's seriously going to make your game less fun. Try going to Requests and find excellent artists!

6. Music

Music controls the feel of the game, and is one of the most effective ways of controlling your emotions. Make sure it is played where it belongs! Add tense music in a haunted house, add happy music in a sunny garden, sad music in an abandoned house, you get the idea. Make sure your music fits the scene!

7. Twists

If a game is too similar to another one, it could discourage fun. Besides, adding your own twists to a game makes it unique and interesting. According to the Community Guidelines, you must be creative. Adding your own twists makes your game different from others: a fun, unique, interesting game with much playability.

8. Story

Some of the greatest games in existence have a storyline. It gives you an explanation of your quest, and a reason to be playing. It is not necessary for games such as puzzles or logic games, but with platformers or choose-your-own-adventure games, those really help to explain the gravity of the situation. Adding cutscenes helps with creating the storyline, but make sure the storyline is understandable! Not all users may grasp your perspective. Everyone thinks differently, but that's okay! Just make the storyline easy to grasp, and with your own creative twists, your game will be stellar.

When you're doing it, try to create a “what if” question. What if robots threatened to destroy mankind? What if evil mushrooms attacked the city? What if dinosaurs came back from the grave? Then, try to create some way for that to be possible in the story. It's these silly questions that cause creativity and greatness to occur!

9. Testing

Show your game to your friends before sharing it to the Scratch Community. Ask them to give you feedback and tips. Constructive feedback from others is the best way to make sure that other people will enjoy your project!

Please refer to the above list if you want your game to have playability!

Why should a project have playability?

I'll use an example of my own this time. Follow this link, please. This is one of my oldest projects. Looking back, I think it's one of my worst. If you don't want your project to have playability, then it will be less fun than you expect, just like me when I was making that project.

So, please, give your project some playability using this topic.

Thanks for your view! I hope that this helps you to improve your games!

——————————————————————————————————————————————————–

-Credits-

Thanks to DOGE_MANY_SCRATCH for inspiring the giant “games” sign!

That's all the credits for now.

Sorry! Accidental quote

So, about the controls being easy, there was one time where I came across a great game with comfortable controls (I guess they were bordering on too easy) and someone commented that the controls were too easy and they wanted more complicated controls =P (I don't remember where/what it was, it was a long time ago) But other than that this is a great post and I agree with everything on here, reported to be stickied! ☑

EEEEEEE   DDDDDD    IIIIIIII  TTTTTTTT           NNN    NN     OOOOO
EE        DD    DD     II        TT     ::       NNNN   NN   OO     OO
EEEEEEE   DD    DD     II        TT              NN NN  NN   OO     OO 
EE        DD    DD     II        TT     ::       NN  NN NN   OO     OO
EE        DD    DD     II        TT              NN   NNNN   OO     OO
EEEEEEE   DDDDDD    IIIIIIII     TT              NN    NNN     OOOOO

< :: extension>
< :: custom-arg>
< :: motion>

IndianRuby718 wrote:

So, about the controls being easy, there was one time where I came across a great game with comfortable controls (I guess they were bordering on too easy) and someone commented that the controls were too easy and they wanted more complicated controls =P (I don't remember where/what it was, it was a long time ago) But other than that this is a great post and I agree with everything on here, reported to be stickied! ☑

Thanks!

I can assure you, most users like the controls to be easy to master, and save the challenging parts for the game itself.

Super_Scratch_Bros20 wrote:

IndianRuby718 wrote:

So, about the controls being easy, there was one time where I came across a great game with comfortable controls (I guess they were bordering on too easy) and someone commented that the controls were too easy and they wanted more complicated controls =P (I don't remember where/what it was, it was a long time ago) But other than that this is a great post and I agree with everything on here, reported to be stickied! ☑

Thanks!

I can assure you, most users like the controls to be easy to master, and save the challenging parts for the game itself.

I agree. Most platformers use the w key to jump and space for either nothing or some stupid mechanic that they only incorporate in the level design for 3 seconds. I’m too stingy to buy a 2D platformer on steam so I have no idea how they typically control on compoopter

Thesky-Media wrote:

I’m too stingy to buy a 2D platformer on steam so I have no idea how they typically control on compoopter

Celeste's default is arrow keys for movement, C for jump, X for dash, and Z to climb – I already know that I'm not going to buy Celeste now.

fdreerf wrote:

Thesky-Media wrote:

I’m too stingy to buy a 2D platformer on steam so I have no idea how they typically control on compoopter

Celeste's default is arrow keys for movement, C for jump, X for dash, and Z to climb – I already know that I'm not going to buy Celeste now.

seems counterintuitive seeing as wasd is usually used for directional movement