What to measure
Learning paths through this topic
In which areas do players keep opening the map to find their way?
Opening the map again and again is a quiet cry for help, but short visits make the numbers jump around wildly. This entry shows how to compare areas fairly, and which way of averaging misleads you.
How many players miss an item that can be lost forever?
Some treasures can only be picked up before the story moves on. This entry shows how to count who got them and who lost the chance, without counting players who still have time.
How many players actually talk to the characters I placed along the road?
A character that few players talk to may be dull, hidden, or placed where nobody walks. This entry shows how to count only the players who came close enough to have the chance.
At what health do players drink healing potions, and do they wait too long?
How low players let their health sink before they heal says a lot about whether fights feel tense, unfair or pointless. This entry shows what to record at the moment of healing and how to read it without being fooled by odd values.
At which level does the player suddenly get much stronger than the monsters?
Difficulty can lurch from one level to the next even if both the player and the monsters grow smoothly on their own. This entry shows how to compare the two growth curves so the jumps become visible before players feel them.
Are players reloading their save every time a risky roll fails?
When a failed lockpick or failed persuasion sends players straight back to an older save, the odds are not creating drama, they are creating chores. This entry shows how to spot that in the log without watching anyone.
How do I notice players who are stuck because of a bug and keep loading the same save?
A player who loads the same save again and again without getting anywhere is probably trapped, and they will not tell you. This entry shows the pattern in the log that points at it.
Do players go back to the locked door once they get the key ability?
Adventure games hide places behind abilities players get later, and if they forget the place, the reward is wasted. This entry shows how to measure the return fairly, even for players you only watched for a short time.
How long do players go without getting anything new or exciting?
Even a game full of rewards can have long stretches where nothing is gained, and small coins do not fix that. This entry shows how to find each player's longest dry spell and which rewards should count.
Is this item too expensive, or do players just not want it?
A shop item that few players buy might be priced out of reach or simply dull, and the cure is opposite. This entry shows what to log when a player looks at an item so the two cases can be told apart.
When the screen says 90 percent to hit, do players really hit nine times in ten?
Players remember the misses at high odds far better than the hits, so the number on screen has to be right. This entry shows how to check every shown chance against what happened and how to spot a bug at the extremes.
How long can a line of dialogue be before players stop reading it?
Players who tap through a line in a blink did not read it, and long lines are the usual suspects. This entry shows how to estimate from timing alone how often text is skimmed, and which lines should not be counted.