Practical Game Design

Lowering the knowledge cliffs

A great example of a knowledge cliff can be found in many multiplayer arena games like League of Legends and DOTA 2. Both titles feature dozens of items and hundreds of characters (each with multiple, complex abilities) that players need to understand and memorize. With numbers this high, the knowledge cliff would be significant even if the only variables were simple attribute changes. As it stands, these characters and items are also full of new mechanics—a perfect storm of overwhelming quantity and complexity! No wonder they are some of the least accessible games on the market.

In this situation, limiting the content is the easiest solution. This is why Valve has reduced the number of playable heroes in the ...