Clickability

Feedback loops based on clicking as the input that are meant to be enjoyable in themselves.

Practically all computer or video games are played by clicking on things to one extent or another. This clicking can be enjoyable in itself when it is part of small and strong feedback loops, and even more so when it can be done so repeatedly to create some form of rhythm in gameplay actions. Game design components that intentionally try to provide this are trying to give parts of the game Clickability.

The concept of Clickability was first described by Aki Järvinen, and his original definition for Clickability was "the routine yet enjoyable behavior of executing a set of game actions, with the mouse, and intuitively responding to the UI feedback, during a single social (Facebook) game session."

Examples

Social Media games such as CityVille or Zombie Lane have clicking as both the basic way to interact parts of the game environments such as buildings, fields, bandits, and zombies and the way to more quickly collect the rewards given for completing actions.

Many games with first-person views have switches, controls, and other parts of the environment that can be activated by clicking on them. For example, the Portal series have pedestals with red buttons that invite players to press them to activate various effects in the game environment. Doors in the Doom and Quake series are other examples of game environments that have high Clickability.

Clickability does not always have to depend on clicking on things in an game environment. Fighting Games such as the Mortal Kombat and Tekken series can provide high degrees of Clickability toward pressing the buttons on the physical controls used to play the games.

Using the pattern

Rhythm-Based Actions

Sensory-Motoric Engrossment

Combos

Pick-Ups

Pottering

Time Limits Switches Reward Widgets

Interface Aspects

Unless the Clickability is intended to be achieved in relation to physical buttons on the game interface, a Focus Loci needs to do the actual clicking in the game environment.

Narrative Aspects

Diegetic Consistency

Diegetically Outstanding Features

Consequences

When Clickability is achieved through encouraging gamers to use their Focus Loci this changes how they relate to these. In contrast, Button Bashing can emerge as an effect of providing Clickability by creating strong feedback loops between presses on physical buttons and events in the game.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Button Bashing

Can Modulate

Focus Loci

Possible Closure Effects

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History

New pattern created in this wiki.

Acknowledgements

Aki Järvinen