Tutorials as Onboarding: Treat 'Em Like UX, Not Just Docs
Tutorials as Onboarding: UX, Not Just Docs
We’ve all been there: a promising new game, downloaded with excitement, only to be met with a wall of text masquerading as a tutorial. The joy quickly fades, replaced by frustration. It’s a problem that plagues indie games as much as AAA titles, and it’s a problem that often stems from treating tutorials as an afterthought, a mere checklist item rather than a core part of the player experience.
Analyzing the Pain: Where Are Players Getting Stuck?
The first step in crafting effective tutorials is identifying the friction points in your game. Where are players getting confused? What mechanics are they failing to grasp? Don’t rely on assumptions. Watch people play. Record their first hour, even if it’s just friends. Look for pauses, hesitations, questions. These are the signals.
A common mistake is thinking everyone understands your complex systems immediately. They don’t. You’ve spent months, years even, immersed in the game’s design. New players haven’t.
I was working on a roguelike deckbuilder, and I assumed players would immediately understand the importance of card synergy. I didn’t tutorialize it directly, figuring they’d figure it out. They didn’t. Playtesters would hoard cards, play inefficient combos, and then complain the game was too hard. A simple, interactive tutorial on card synergy boosted player win rates and enjoyment significantly. This saved the game.
Layered Learning: The Gradual Revelation
Avoid dumping everything on the player at once. Layer your tutorials. Introduce core mechanics first, and then gradually layer in more advanced concepts. Think of it as unlocking new features. Each level of learning provides a building block.
The “show, don’t tell” adage is especially important here. Instead of explaining “mana is used to cast spells,” show them. Have them cast a simple spell that consumes mana. Force interaction, not passive reading.
A game I worked on had crafting that used multiple resources, each with different rarities and effects. We started by introducing only one resource and a single recipe. Once the player had mastered that, we introduced the second resource, and a slightly more complex recipe. This layered approach prevented cognitive overload and made the crafting system feel approachable rather than daunting.
Interactive Guidance: Active Learning Is Key
Static text boxes are the enemy. Instead, use interactive elements that actively guide the player. Highlight interactive objects, use visual cues to indicate the next step, and provide immediate feedback on their actions.
Don’t just tell the player to “collect resources.” Show them the resource node, highlight it, and then force them to click on it. Provide a visual and audio cue when the resource is collected. This creates a clear and satisfying feedback loop.
I’ve seen so many games where the tutorial simply says, “Press SPACE to jump.” But what if the player misses that instruction? What if they don’t know where the SPACE bar is? Instead, lock the player in a small area with a single obstacle that requires a jump. Visually highlight the SPACE bar on the screen, and only allow them to progress once they successfully jump. This ensures they understand the mechanic, not just read about it.
Examples in Action: Concrete Inspiration
Look at successful games for inspiration. Celeste is a masterclass in tutorial design. It introduces complex platforming mechanics gradually, using short, challenging sections that force the player to master each technique before moving on. The game never explicitly tells you how to wavedash, but it guides you towards discovering it through level design.
Another example is Baba Is You. The game’s core mechanic—changing the rules of the game by manipulating text blocks—is introduced through a series of increasingly complex puzzles. The tutorial doesn’t tell you how to solve the puzzles; it encourages you to experiment and discover the rules for yourself. This is way more engaging than a standard text based tutorial.
A/B Testing: The Science of Improvement
Don’t just guess what works. A/B test your tutorials. Create two different versions of a tutorial and track key metrics like player retention, completion rates, and time spent in the tutorial.
Tools like Unity Analytics or GameAnalytics can provide valuable data. Are players dropping off at a specific point in the tutorial? Are they taking longer than expected to complete a certain task? This data can help you identify areas for improvement.
I ran an A/B test on the tutorial for a mobile game. One version used static text boxes, while the other used interactive elements and visual cues. The interactive version resulted in a 20% increase in tutorial completion rates and a 15% increase in day-one retention. The data was undeniable.
Common Pitfalls and How to Dodge Them
Info dumping: As mentioned, avoid throwing too much information at the player at once. Layer your tutorials.
Ignoring context: Don’t just explain the mechanics in a vacuum. Show the player how those mechanics are used in the context of the game.
Forgetting about accessibility: Make sure your tutorials are accessible to all players. Use clear and concise language, provide visual cues, and allow players to skip sections if they already understand the concepts.
Assuming prior knowledge: Don’t assume players are familiar with common game tropes. Explain everything clearly, even if it seems obvious to you.
Tutorials as UX: A Paradigm Shift
Treat tutorials as a critical part of the user experience, not just a necessary evil. A well-designed tutorial can be the difference between a player getting hooked on your game and bouncing off after five minutes. Invest the time and effort to create tutorials that are engaging, informative, and fun. Your retention rates will thank you.
Reframing tutorials as part of the UX is the most important thing an indie dev can do. This change alone will have a lasting effect on the game. Make the experience enjoyable and rewarding.