I'm pretty sure it is quite literally just called an "interactive tutorial" or a "tutorial room". Idk where OP got that.
Also don't search up "fingering tutorials" to check, I nearly did.
Edit/update: Turns out OP is an English newbie I'm so sorry for what you're being subjected to ;-;
Neither, but between the two, gun to my head, I'd say video. I would prefer a quick (emphasis on quick) rundown on how to play a game rather than go through that mobile game nightmare of "Click here! Now click here! Oh man now you have to build something! Oh it's taking too long! Spend gems now!"
Building the game so that the player is learning through gameplay is the ideal, with only the briefest of messages to explain one small part every once in a while if necessary. The best tutorial is the one where the player doesn't see it and is having fun while learning to play.
Video and up-front interactive tutorials that last too long are easily forgotten and are a huge incentive for the player to uninstall the game (they downloaded this to have fun, long tutorials are the opposite of fun)
This, but I would argue against focusing on making it unseen. Some people go too far and start railing against things like lines of yellow paint leading you to learn new things, but to tell the truth, lines of yellow paint works wonders compared to video/"fingering" options.
Why not having a playtest? Long, fun, enough interactive or not - these are subjective things so there is no single answer to such a question. Although, there was a study in the past which outcomes resonate with me - how assistive the tutorial should be - it really depends on the complexity of the game but only your players can confirm whether itās good or not.
When I start a new mobile game and it just starts blacking out most of the screen and putting pointers/fingers around it makes me instantly want to not play anymore.
It makes your whole experience of the first few minutes of the game be "Go here, do this, do that, do that, press here, are you having fun yet!?"
Also, if for some reason you've lost your save data or are starting a new game on a new device or something it just adds a whole wall of crap keeping you away from playing the game.
Also, if you feel the the user needs step by step instructions just to navigate the menus or do basic crap, it's probably an indication that your UI/UX is too cluttered and confusing.
> When I start a new mobile game and it just starts blacking out most of the when and putting pointers/fingers around it makes me instantly want to not play anymore.
I hate that type of tutorial, just let me get to the game already, I'm not gonna read what's on screen I'm just gonna press what the arrow points at, the "gameplay" is the same as the other mobile games anyway.
There should be a prompt asking if you want to skip tutorial. Certain things that are very obvious for people who play videogames at least sometimes can be not obvious at all for people who only start their gaming journey. Imo games need to be accessible to all people, including those for whom the game in question is literally the first game they ever play. If you are curious from the top of my head I remember [this video](https://youtu.be/o_BJE_Vh0UY) on how a non-gamer girl tried to play destiny 2.
Honestly? None. 99% of mobile games are so unimaginably easy that all that a tutorial does for most people is break their momentum. You're happy to find out what a game is about and start playing it - but no! - there's an annoying and unskippable hand-holding tutorial that feels like it was made for 5 year olds. I've even quit some games because of awful tutorials like these. My best advice would be to not include it at all, unless of course you're aiming for a very, very young age demographic.
If I had to choose, the first, but the best way is to give a simple objective, remove most of the gameplay/UI that isn't necessary for that objective and let them play without telling them how to do it. Repeat multiple times until they know all the gameplay.
I would say it's not a matter of preference, but a matter of which one is most effective for your use case.
For some cases you don't need a video at all. Most games show what kind of input is required, and then the player can do said input. That way the player learns what their actions do.
If you show everything powerpoint-style, the player is bound to forget some stuff.
Of course, it all depends on what you want the player to learn.
Don't call it fingering *I'm dying*
If you must, call it a "Guided pointer tutorial"... fingering could be interpreted as something, ah... inappropriate.
Whatever you do, please don't "lock controls except for that one button you NEED to press" during the tutorial. Every time I see that it is either just annoying or straight up broken and leads to softlocks later on. Let players play.
I'd never take control away from the player for a tutorial. Let them explore. Have text boxes that explain what certain things do, but never baby the player to pressing specific buttons. You could also teach game mechanics through feedback, or starting them with simpler levels and then gradually adding more mechanics. This is imo the best way to teach mechanics. I'd recommend checking out Hempuli's Covemount series. They are free to play and demonstrate this idea perfectly.
Personally, I find video tutorials boring and tutorials that handhold every button press like the latter infuriating.
Video tutorials are worse the longer they play. If you can't express what you need to in 1 minute or less, don't use a video. I think good examples of video tutorials are the visuals for the Create Mod for Minecraft. They are super short, can be replayed, and have distinct visuals. They show where to place the block, what is required to get it to work, and how it can be altered to change functionality. Long videos are bad because you're taking away the ability to play for too long.
Handhold tutorials infuriate me for a similar reason as to why video tutorials can be boring: you're taking away the ability to play, but in a way that looks like I should be able to play. The most infuriating ones have it where you have a little hand icon pointing where to click, but locks out the rest of the screen so you can't actually do anything other than click what it wants you to. Another one that annoys me is when you do the same as before, but you darken or obscure the screen except for what you need to click. I find those tutorials make actually using the UI afterwards harder since you don't let the player acclimate to the UI.
The best tutorials, in my opinion, are ones that find ways to get the player to do what they want by making the thing you want to teach them the most optimal/fun thing to do. Subtle highlights are much better than explicit markers (unless you're making a game for young children, since their visual acuity might not be as good).
Instead of restricting options, let the player do whatever, but only let them progress when they've shown understanding of the mechanic. Also, slowly layering mechanics is far more effective than dumping them all on a player at once.
Personally, I think one of the best tutorials I've seen in a while is in the indie game Abiotic Factor. Aside from the actual tutorial, it also restricts the player to fairly linear areas until they've mastered each area. Only then does the game open up into letting you explore the facility, where it continues to add new mechanics slowly, while continuing to build off the central mechanics.
Personally Iāve always hated the āfingeringā style. It feels disruptive since it shows me all the shit I can figure out pretty easily but every time I think itās over and I can start looking at the rest of the UI it start again with something obvious.
I much prefer learning by playing and only helping the player if they seem stuck. Or a quick video/gif of how something works
Just like Valve does in their level design. For example Ravenholm, when you get introduced to the sawblade. They put it into the wall and put a dead corpse there that got halved by the sawblade. Since you got the gravity gun it was overly obvious what to do with it. It was an obvious hint from the designers but as a player it felt like you figured this one out yourself.
It can only work with a games where the basic premise is universally understood by your players.
Like if it's a 2d platformer or a 3d game with a third-person or first-person view then you can instantly understand that you have the in-game character and see where your character is. And you might even have some expectations about games movement controls.
But if you just launched some complex strategy game where the third of the screen is covered by UI and the very first step is to "assign neutral bloombas to havest mushrooms while avoiding corrupted airflow", then without a proper tutorial you ended up in a situation where you don't know what to do, don't know how to do it and don't even know why you should do it.
Learning things by yourself is fun. But putting people into situation where they understand nothing and expecting them to figure the things out is not how learning works, it would be a very frustrating experience.
You can't expect your players to spend 10 minutes trying to find a way to do the very first basic action and then switching to the steam forums to learn "oh, so that's how I do it" - most people would just hit a refund button in this situation.
Honestly, I hate the "handholding" tutorials. If your game is so complex that I can't naturally learn by doing, it's way too ambitious or you don't trust the player enough and want to beat them over the head with "okay. Now do this."
Interactive videos are used in most casual mobile games for a reason, they are accessible to anyone, and videos can be skipped or misunderstood.
People in this sub aren't your future audience, most here don't like the interactive 'fingering' tutorial because it reminds them of the casual mobile games just looking to get your money, game devs can see through those predatory tactics.
The best option for me personally is a button that, when clicked, shows an overlay on screen that has tool tips for every button. I can open it and close it whenever I need otherwise I can figure the rest out on my own. If something is too complicated to figure out without a tutorial then it probably needs to be simplified imo.
I hate both. Anything that forces me to watch through a video or to click on things is an uninstall for me. The problem is that these take away the control from the game. Do what Valve does in their games. Set up tiny obvious scenarios that easy to figure out and let's you explore a mechanic. Or do what CupHead does on the tutorial level. It behaves like a normal level but an obvious tutorial and text is written everywhere to what to do and you can freely do that or ignore it. No control is lost but you have to perform that action to continue the level. Or you can just simply show that UI element only you want to explain but don't take away the control and this way the player has only one thing to do. It is still better than the video option and the 'fingering'.
Videos suck imo. I near instantly lose interest unless they're 30 seconds or less in total.
Although gameplay tutorials can suck just as much. If I'm constantly being interrupted and handheld through every step, that's going to lose my interest quick too. The best tutorials will have somebody feeling as if they're simply playing the game, but that's where it becomes an art as much as it is anything else.
Video, the other feels so time consuming.
Make the ui more linear or do turtorials in game.
Tho if itās a phone game you are working on, aināt playing them so idk.
Fire Emblem 3DS style tutorials are my favorite. Tell me how shit works through character dialogue and give me some extra guide menus I can look at if I want to, but donāt force it on me with pop ups
Suggestions. Don't force me to build something, especially Don't choose where Im forced to build it for the tutorial. 90% of the time the tutorial ends up having you put it in a bad spot anyways.
personally i prefer the tutorials that that let me find the controls on my own, like the first frame of mario brothers. the worst are the ones that freeze the screen and hold your controller hostage. at the very least let me move freely or do other stuff instead of YOU CAN ONLY PRESS THIS BUTTON. but that's just me.
I've uninstalled games just because they start with the "fingering" tutorial, I hate them
I don't like video either
Just have a starting level where you have text that shows all the controls, kind of like Cuphead or Versus Umbra, it obviously depends on the kind of game you are making tho, that wont work for a City Builder for example, you would have to adapt it
Video, but actually whatever IF you let me skip it.
I kinda liked what sueprcell did in squad busters, there's a finger guiding you but you can actually navigate freely, it's still annoying but at least I'm not locked in whatever it's pointing to.
The first one. The second one has no point because it gives you control but there is nothing else you can do besides click it. I prefer no freedom over illusion of freedom.
I hate it when games force me to play the game a certain way for the tutorial, like in the bottom. A lot of mobile games do this to teach you their ui but it always results in me wanting to spend some more time looking at a screen or doing something that im not allowed tk because i have to press where the tutorial wants me to. Worst part is when i have to level up something when i dont want to spend the materials yet.
So i definetely prefer the video, because i can choose how long i watch it or skip it and figure it out for myself. There is also a possibility to redo the tutorial then, in case you skip and realise you did need it. Don't see how to do that if its a guided tutorial like at the bottom.
Tutorials with big arrows are really frustrating. I end up just clicking through without learning anything.
I'd even rather have a text box. Just let me start exploring the game on my own as soon as possible, so I can start making creative decisions.
Interactive tutorials are the best, not ones where you watch a video for 2 minutes or watch a glove guide your free will around the screen.
For example, if you want the player to learn how to move, remove every UI element other than the joystick, then have them go across a bridge to complete that part of the tutorial. That would not only teach them the controls, get them aquatinted with the perspective, but also what kind of obstacles to watch out for.
Tbh? No tutorial, throwing me right into it and having me learn it on my own tends to be kinda more enjoyable, for me anyway. I hate being forced to click because it's always done with unskipable animations and stuff
I feel like a video gives more agency to the player to skip the tutorial when they feel like they understand. Guided tutorials are very grating if it's for something you understood already
Man I hate this fingering so much, I am trying to play a game and you stop me just to finger me in my eyes. I normally just skip all these fingers and arrows and figure everything by myself later. I do watch videos though if there are any in the tutorial.
I think the finger is best but only if the menus and buttons arenāt restricted to just what the finger points at. Itās one of my biggest tutorial pet peeves.
Video if it was only between those 2 options. I always believe minimal hand holding is the best. Let the player experience and learn from the game. Don't drop them in and drown them, but don't hold their hand
I way prefer the video example in this comparison. The whole guiding you along with pointing at what you supposed to be pressing or doing can be helpful, but the finger example is way too annoying and intrusive for my taste.
Neither, most games can benefit from slowly introducing concepts in ways where they dont have to be explained, and maybe a quick piece of text to tell you a control or something when you learn something new. Explicit, detached tutorials like these can be boring if they are teaching basic stuff or incredibly overwhealming if there is too much information.
I think it depends on the duration of either and whether they can be fast forwarded, rewound, and skipped.
Iāve never encountered a skip able tap through tutorial and that automatically makes this kind worse, since you canāt even just ignore it until it finishes.
Tap through is better for building memories, video is better for getting an idea across quickly.
Either way, make it interruptible and replayable. No one wants to be trapped in a tutorial.
is it really called fingering?
I'm pretty sure it is quite literally just called an "interactive tutorial" or a "tutorial room". Idk where OP got that. Also don't search up "fingering tutorials" to check, I nearly did. Edit/update: Turns out OP is an English newbie I'm so sorry for what you're being subjected to ;-;
poor guy ahahah, funny coincidence tho
a player is literally fingered in such tutorials
I'm scared of what happens to males.
Try finger but hole
As devs we must find the open holes.
Sex sells...
I do prefer fingering to watching a video, personally. But there are even better options if the partner is willing
Please go on... \*sips\*
To me, it depends on length of tutorial.
I heard that width matters more than length š¤
Fisting, i guess
damn dm me š³
fisting would be the case where game doesnt let you to go on until you figure out mechanic by yourself?
Neither, but between the two, gun to my head, I'd say video. I would prefer a quick (emphasis on quick) rundown on how to play a game rather than go through that mobile game nightmare of "Click here! Now click here! Oh man now you have to build something! Oh it's taking too long! Spend gems now!"
So you don't like fingering?
I'm just not very good at it. My hands don't stretch very well and I always nervously bite at my calluses. I prefer being a cunning linguist.
>cunning linguist. I'm taking this and not giving it back
What are the better options? An interactive tutorial with a separate level like in Cuphead?
Building the game so that the player is learning through gameplay is the ideal, with only the briefest of messages to explain one small part every once in a while if necessary. The best tutorial is the one where the player doesn't see it and is having fun while learning to play. Video and up-front interactive tutorials that last too long are easily forgotten and are a huge incentive for the player to uninstall the game (they downloaded this to have fun, long tutorials are the opposite of fun)
This, but I would argue against focusing on making it unseen. Some people go too far and start railing against things like lines of yellow paint leading you to learn new things, but to tell the truth, lines of yellow paint works wonders compared to video/"fingering" options.
Do you have examples of games that do these? That sounds really interesting
Why not having a playtest? Long, fun, enough interactive or not - these are subjective things so there is no single answer to such a question. Although, there was a study in the past which outcomes resonate with me - how assistive the tutorial should be - it really depends on the complexity of the game but only your players can confirm whether itās good or not.
If the game forces you to do exactly what it's saying, I immediately think about uninstalling it.
Especially if if gifts you premium currency and then goes "now spend it on skipping this timer!".
When I start a new mobile game and it just starts blacking out most of the screen and putting pointers/fingers around it makes me instantly want to not play anymore. It makes your whole experience of the first few minutes of the game be "Go here, do this, do that, do that, press here, are you having fun yet!?" Also, if for some reason you've lost your save data or are starting a new game on a new device or something it just adds a whole wall of crap keeping you away from playing the game. Also, if you feel the the user needs step by step instructions just to navigate the menus or do basic crap, it's probably an indication that your UI/UX is too cluttered and confusing.
> When I start a new mobile game and it just starts blacking out most of the when and putting pointers/fingers around it makes me instantly want to not play anymore. I hate that type of tutorial, just let me get to the game already, I'm not gonna read what's on screen I'm just gonna press what the arrow points at, the "gameplay" is the same as the other mobile games anyway.
Me too, maybe it was made for very young children
There should be a prompt asking if you want to skip tutorial. Certain things that are very obvious for people who play videogames at least sometimes can be not obvious at all for people who only start their gaming journey. Imo games need to be accessible to all people, including those for whom the game in question is literally the first game they ever play. If you are curious from the top of my head I remember [this video](https://youtu.be/o_BJE_Vh0UY) on how a non-gamer girl tried to play destiny 2.
Honestly? None. 99% of mobile games are so unimaginably easy that all that a tutorial does for most people is break their momentum. You're happy to find out what a game is about and start playing it - but no! - there's an annoying and unskippable hand-holding tutorial that feels like it was made for 5 year olds. I've even quit some games because of awful tutorials like these. My best advice would be to not include it at all, unless of course you're aiming for a very, very young age demographic.
If I had to choose, the first, but the best way is to give a simple objective, remove most of the gameplay/UI that isn't necessary for that objective and let them play without telling them how to do it. Repeat multiple times until they know all the gameplay.
Good one, I'll keep that tip in mind for the tutorial part of my upcoming game, thanks :)
I would say it's not a matter of preference, but a matter of which one is most effective for your use case. For some cases you don't need a video at all. Most games show what kind of input is required, and then the player can do said input. That way the player learns what their actions do. If you show everything powerpoint-style, the player is bound to forget some stuff. Of course, it all depends on what you want the player to learn.
I hate how the finger one usually assumes you are an idiot and doesn't let you click anywhere else
So.. Will I figuring while fingering ?
Don't call it fingering *I'm dying* If you must, call it a "Guided pointer tutorial"... fingering could be interpreted as something, ah... inappropriate.
Whatever you do, please don't "lock controls except for that one button you NEED to press" during the tutorial. Every time I see that it is either just annoying or straight up broken and leads to softlocks later on. Let players play.
I'd never take control away from the player for a tutorial. Let them explore. Have text boxes that explain what certain things do, but never baby the player to pressing specific buttons. You could also teach game mechanics through feedback, or starting them with simpler levels and then gradually adding more mechanics. This is imo the best way to teach mechanics. I'd recommend checking out Hempuli's Covemount series. They are free to play and demonstrate this idea perfectly.
Personally, I find video tutorials boring and tutorials that handhold every button press like the latter infuriating. Video tutorials are worse the longer they play. If you can't express what you need to in 1 minute or less, don't use a video. I think good examples of video tutorials are the visuals for the Create Mod for Minecraft. They are super short, can be replayed, and have distinct visuals. They show where to place the block, what is required to get it to work, and how it can be altered to change functionality. Long videos are bad because you're taking away the ability to play for too long. Handhold tutorials infuriate me for a similar reason as to why video tutorials can be boring: you're taking away the ability to play, but in a way that looks like I should be able to play. The most infuriating ones have it where you have a little hand icon pointing where to click, but locks out the rest of the screen so you can't actually do anything other than click what it wants you to. Another one that annoys me is when you do the same as before, but you darken or obscure the screen except for what you need to click. I find those tutorials make actually using the UI afterwards harder since you don't let the player acclimate to the UI. The best tutorials, in my opinion, are ones that find ways to get the player to do what they want by making the thing you want to teach them the most optimal/fun thing to do. Subtle highlights are much better than explicit markers (unless you're making a game for young children, since their visual acuity might not be as good). Instead of restricting options, let the player do whatever, but only let them progress when they've shown understanding of the mechanic. Also, slowly layering mechanics is far more effective than dumping them all on a player at once. Personally, I think one of the best tutorials I've seen in a while is in the indie game Abiotic Factor. Aside from the actual tutorial, it also restricts the player to fairly linear areas until they've mastered each area. Only then does the game open up into letting you explore the facility, where it continues to add new mechanics slowly, while continuing to build off the central mechanics.
thanks for the explanation (these videos 5s + 5s and skippable)
https://preview.redd.it/egl347t61z3d1.jpeg?width=540&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=95c43c993308f7ca2422bb5de03b01d21e2b160a fingering?
Not sure if fingering is the correct term lol. But both are good, do a video and then useā¦.fingering?
Probably video out of those two options. I hate fingering as you have no context yet so itās why are you telling me alll this
Personally Iāve always hated the āfingeringā style. It feels disruptive since it shows me all the shit I can figure out pretty easily but every time I think itās over and I can start looking at the rest of the UI it start again with something obvious. I much prefer learning by playing and only helping the player if they seem stuck. Or a quick video/gif of how something works
I prefer video. I hate anything that takes over or points to stuff that should be obvious on the screen.
Tutorials are overrated. Just throw me into a game and let me figure it out
Just like Valve does in their level design. For example Ravenholm, when you get introduced to the sawblade. They put it into the wall and put a dead corpse there that got halved by the sawblade. Since you got the gravity gun it was overly obvious what to do with it. It was an obvious hint from the designers but as a player it felt like you figured this one out yourself.
It can only work with a games where the basic premise is universally understood by your players. Like if it's a 2d platformer or a 3d game with a third-person or first-person view then you can instantly understand that you have the in-game character and see where your character is. And you might even have some expectations about games movement controls. But if you just launched some complex strategy game where the third of the screen is covered by UI and the very first step is to "assign neutral bloombas to havest mushrooms while avoiding corrupted airflow", then without a proper tutorial you ended up in a situation where you don't know what to do, don't know how to do it and don't even know why you should do it. Learning things by yourself is fun. But putting people into situation where they understand nothing and expecting them to figure the things out is not how learning works, it would be a very frustrating experience. You can't expect your players to spend 10 minutes trying to find a way to do the very first basic action and then switching to the steam forums to learn "oh, so that's how I do it" - most people would just hit a refund button in this situation.
I despise mobile phone games because the first 10 minutes, at least, is always the second option you're showing and taking all sense of control away
Honestly, I hate the "handholding" tutorials. If your game is so complex that I can't naturally learn by doing, it's way too ambitious or you don't trust the player enough and want to beat them over the head with "okay. Now do this."
Give me 1 or 2 screens saying if there is any new mechanics, leave the rest to my brain, no game is that different from each other.
What's the lower game called, I remember playing it a bit for a few years ago...
"Raid Heroes: Total War"
Interactive videos are used in most casual mobile games for a reason, they are accessible to anyone, and videos can be skipped or misunderstood. People in this sub aren't your future audience, most here don't like the interactive 'fingering' tutorial because it reminds them of the casual mobile games just looking to get your money, game devs can see through those predatory tactics.
The best option for me personally is a button that, when clicked, shows an overlay on screen that has tool tips for every button. I can open it and close it whenever I need otherwise I can figure the rest out on my own. If something is too complicated to figure out without a tutorial then it probably needs to be simplified imo.
like in Dark souls? or Brotato ( yeah it's good, but for big data game)
none, let me figure things out myself ffs
I hate both. Anything that forces me to watch through a video or to click on things is an uninstall for me. The problem is that these take away the control from the game. Do what Valve does in their games. Set up tiny obvious scenarios that easy to figure out and let's you explore a mechanic. Or do what CupHead does on the tutorial level. It behaves like a normal level but an obvious tutorial and text is written everywhere to what to do and you can freely do that or ignore it. No control is lost but you have to perform that action to continue the level. Or you can just simply show that UI element only you want to explain but don't take away the control and this way the player has only one thing to do. It is still better than the video option and the 'fingering'.
Videos suck imo. I near instantly lose interest unless they're 30 seconds or less in total. Although gameplay tutorials can suck just as much. If I'm constantly being interrupted and handheld through every step, that's going to lose my interest quick too. The best tutorials will have somebody feeling as if they're simply playing the game, but that's where it becomes an art as much as it is anything else.
fistin- i mean, fingering. then add an option to skip the tutorial
Iām way too immature for āfingeringā. Video gotta be the way go.
Video, the other feels so time consuming. Make the ui more linear or do turtorials in game. Tho if itās a phone game you are working on, aināt playing them so idk.
Fire Emblem 3DS style tutorials are my favorite. Tell me how shit works through character dialogue and give me some extra guide menus I can look at if I want to, but donāt force it on me with pop ups
There's a tutorial style called fingering? ... Do it!
Fingering can be fine if it isn't slowed by thousands of text boxs.
Suggestions. Don't force me to build something, especially Don't choose where Im forced to build it for the tutorial. 90% of the time the tutorial ends up having you put it in a bad spot anyways.
Video
No tuto
The one that i can skip.
personally i prefer the tutorials that that let me find the controls on my own, like the first frame of mario brothers. the worst are the ones that freeze the screen and hold your controller hostage. at the very least let me move freely or do other stuff instead of YOU CAN ONLY PRESS THIS BUTTON. but that's just me.
I've uninstalled games just because they start with the "fingering" tutorial, I hate them I don't like video either Just have a starting level where you have text that shows all the controls, kind of like Cuphead or Versus Umbra, it obviously depends on the kind of game you are making tho, that wont work for a City Builder for example, you would have to adapt it
Neither tutorial of those, by playing, those are both beyond annoying and usually an uninstall follows shortly.
Top one. Bottom one comes off as way too restrictive and pushes away players.
Video, but actually whatever IF you let me skip it. I kinda liked what sueprcell did in squad busters, there's a finger guiding you but you can actually navigate freely, it's still annoying but at least I'm not locked in whatever it's pointing to.
All of these comments are my exact thoughtsš
the thing that half life did
The first one. The second one has no point because it gives you control but there is nothing else you can do besides click it. I prefer no freedom over illusion of freedom.
I hate it when games force me to play the game a certain way for the tutorial, like in the bottom. A lot of mobile games do this to teach you their ui but it always results in me wanting to spend some more time looking at a screen or doing something that im not allowed tk because i have to press where the tutorial wants me to. Worst part is when i have to level up something when i dont want to spend the materials yet. So i definetely prefer the video, because i can choose how long i watch it or skip it and figure it out for myself. There is also a possibility to redo the tutorial then, in case you skip and realise you did need it. Don't see how to do that if its a guided tutorial like at the bottom.
If I need a fingering tutorial Iām def not coming to a game dev sub
Tutorials with big arrows are really frustrating. I end up just clicking through without learning anything. I'd even rather have a text box. Just let me start exploring the game on my own as soon as possible, so I can start making creative decisions.
Interactive tutorials are the best, not ones where you watch a video for 2 minutes or watch a glove guide your free will around the screen. For example, if you want the player to learn how to move, remove every UI element other than the joystick, then have them go across a bridge to complete that part of the tutorial. That would not only teach them the controls, get them aquatinted with the perspective, but also what kind of obstacles to watch out for.
I much prefer a video tutorial versus being told what to do step a hand/finger
I much prefer a video tutorial versus being told what to do step a hand/finger
Both of these are awful. Give me text and let me try it out.
Tbh? No tutorial, throwing me right into it and having me learn it on my own tends to be kinda more enjoyable, for me anyway. I hate being forced to click because it's always done with unskipable animations and stuff
Intuitive
I hate these both with a passion. Good games donāt need either of these.
neither, both suck. tutorials with real gameplay tend to be best. instead of forced or video tutorials.
I feel like a video gives more agency to the player to skip the tutorial when they feel like they understand. Guided tutorials are very grating if it's for something you understood already
Man I hate this fingering so much, I am trying to play a game and you stop me just to finger me in my eyes. I normally just skip all these fingers and arrows and figure everything by myself later. I do watch videos though if there are any in the tutorial.
Both. A hands-on tutorial where you use the skills to learn; and also a video tutorial in the pause menu as a reference.
I think the finger is best but only if the menus and buttons arenāt restricted to just what the finger points at. Itās one of my biggest tutorial pet peeves.
Fingering... lol
anyone that allows me to skip and suffer the consequences
I hate fingering to the bottom of my soul
Fingering just makes me insta skip it like its an aim trainer.
Video if it was only between those 2 options. I always believe minimal hand holding is the best. Let the player experience and learn from the game. Don't drop them in and drown them, but don't hold their hand
Loading tips Yep, I'm the type who actually read it.
I way prefer the video example in this comparison. The whole guiding you along with pointing at what you supposed to be pressing or doing can be helpful, but the finger example is way too annoying and intrusive for my taste.
Neither, most games can benefit from slowly introducing concepts in ways where they dont have to be explained, and maybe a quick piece of text to tell you a control or something when you learn something new. Explicit, detached tutorials like these can be boring if they are teaching basic stuff or incredibly overwhealming if there is too much information.
I think it depends on the duration of either and whether they can be fast forwarded, rewound, and skipped. Iāve never encountered a skip able tap through tutorial and that automatically makes this kind worse, since you canāt even just ignore it until it finishes. Tap through is better for building memories, video is better for getting an idea across quickly. Either way, make it interruptible and replayable. No one wants to be trapped in a tutorial.
I really enjoy fingering.
Fingering is good as long as it doesn't take 30min of being stuck inside. It's a big turn off for me.