We have spent the last few pages looking at the detailed interactions that a player will have with the system in our engagement loops. Now it's time to turn our attention to the other type of activity loop, the progression loop. Progression loops look at the system at a macro level. They describe the player's journey through the system. We usually think about levels, badges, and/or modes when we are thinking about progression loops We answer questions such as: where have you been, where are you now, and where are you going. This can all be summed up into codifying the player's mastery level.

In our application, we will look at the journey from the vantage point of a novice, an expert, and a master.

Upon joining the game, players will begin at novice level.

At novice level we will focus on:

In the Welcome stage, we will simply introduce the user to the game and encourage him/her to try it out. Upon on-boarding, we need to make the process as easy as possible and give back positive feedback as soon as possible. Once the user is on board, we will outline the easiest way to get involved and begin the journey.

At the expert level, the player is engaging regularly in the game. However, other players would not consider this player a leader in the game. Our goal at this level is to increasingly present more difficult challenges. When the player reaches a challenge that is appearing too difficult, we can include surprise alternatives along the way to keep him/her motivated until they can break through the expert barrier to master level.

The game and other players recognize masters. They should be prominently displayed within the game and might tend to want to help others at novice and expert levels. These options should become available at later stages in the game.