"Tutorials as UX: Our Rookie Mistake & What We Learned"

Our Game’s Early Demise: A Tutorial Tale

Let’s talk about tutorials. Specifically, let’s talk about how we almost killed our first game, “Starlight Drifter,” with terrible tutorials. We made the rookie mistake of treating tutorials as a separate entity, a necessary evil to be shoved in front of the player before they could “really” start playing.

The Original Sin: Tutorial Island

Our initial design was a classic: “Tutorial Island.” A walled-off zone, completely disconnected from the main game world, where players were subjected to walls of text and painfully slow, scripted actions.

Think basic movement tutorials, a fixed camera, floating UI elements pointing and saying, "Press W to move forward". Then, mandatory combat lessons against enemies who wouldn’t fight back. It was as engaging as reading a phone book.

The result? Playtesters hated it. Our initial retention rate was abysmal. Players were dropping off before they even made it to the actual game. They felt like they were being talked down to, their intelligence insulted. We weren’t teaching them how to play, we were making them jump through hoops.

One playtester put it bluntly: “It felt like I was being punished for buying the game.” Ouch.

The Wake-Up Call: Data and Despair

We looked at the numbers. Players who finished Tutorial Island had a significantly higher chance of sticking with the game, but almost no one finished Tutorial Island. It was a filter, not a welcome mat.

This was when we realized we needed to fundamentally rethink our approach. Tutorials weren’t just onboarding. They were part of the user experience. A critical part.

We spent hours analyzing games that handled onboarding well. “Breath of the Wild” was a major influence. Its Great Plateau is a masterclass in environmental storytelling and subtle guidance. The game teaches you mechanics without ever explicitly calling them “tutorials.”

Rethinking Tutorials: UX First

We decided to tear down Tutorial Island. Instead of front-loading everything, we aimed to integrate tutorials seamlessly into the core gameplay loop. This wasn’t about making tutorials shorter; it was about making them invisible.

Here’s what we did:

Environmental Storytelling

We redesigned the early levels to guide players organically. Instead of a floating icon telling you to jump, we placed a clearly visible gap with a motivating reward on the other side. Simple, but effective.

A perfect example: In the original Tutorial Island, we had a text box explaining how to use the “Dash” ability. Now, we placed a series of small platforms that were just out of reach without dashing. The player figured it out themselves, feeling clever and empowered.

Contextual Prompts

Instead of constant text boxes, we implemented contextual prompts that appeared only when needed. If a player struggled to defeat a particular enemy, a small icon might appear hinting at a specific weakness. These prompts were subtle and easily dismissible, so they didn’t feel intrusive.

Previously, we forced players to read about enemy weaknesses. Now, they learned through experience, aided by gentle nudges.

Progressive Disclosure

We introduced new mechanics gradually, avoiding information overload. The game revealed its complexity layer by layer, ensuring players always had a manageable learning curve.

Originally, we dumped every control and ability onto the player at once. Now, we introduce them one at a time, tied to specific challenges in the game world.

Rewarding Learning

We made sure learning new skills felt rewarding. Mastering a new mechanic should unlock new areas, new challenges, or new customization options.

For instance, learning the “Grappling Hook” ability now immediately unlocks a previously inaccessible area with valuable resources. This reinforces the learning process and motivates players to experiment.

The Results: A Game Saved

The impact was immediate. Player retention skyrocketed. Feedback shifted from frustration to enjoyment. Players were now praising the game’s intuitive controls and engaging early hours.

Our key takeaways:

• Tutorials are part of the UX: Treat them as such.
• Respect the player’s intelligence: Don’t talk down to them.
• Show, don’t tell: Let players learn by doing.
• Context is king: Deliver information when it’s needed, not before.
• Reward learning: Make mastery feel worthwhile.

Avoiding the Tutorial Trap: Practical Tips

Here are some actionable strategies you can use in your own games:

• Playtest early and often: Get your game in front of real players as soon as possible.
• Watch player behavior: Pay attention to where they struggle.
• Use heatmaps and analytics: Track player progress and identify pain points.
• Embrace iteration: Be willing to completely scrap your tutorials if they aren’t working.
• Study successful games: Analyze how other developers handle onboarding.
• Think outside the box: Don’t be afraid to experiment with unconventional tutorial designs.

The “Starlight Drifter” experience was a harsh lesson, but it taught us the importance of prioritizing UX in every aspect of game design, especially tutorials. Don’t make the same mistakes we did. Treat your tutorials as an integral part of the player experience, and you’ll be rewarded with a more engaged, and loyal, audience. Now go save your game!