game design ftue hero journey audit

    1

    Audit game onboarding using the Hero's Journey to improve first-session retention and player emotional connection.

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    game design ftue hero journey audit

    Example session with this skill installed

    Audit the FTUE for a dark fantasy ARPG where the player starts in a jail cell, follows a ghost guide for 10 minutes of combat basics, and then faces a boss they are scripted to lose against.

    • Read your context and instructions
    • Compiled the game design ftue
    • Generated the UI component

    I have audited the FTUE for your dark fantasy ARPG. While the atmosphere is strong, the scripted loss at the "Threshold" creates a high risk of "Threshold Humiliation" for new players.

    FTUE Hero's Journey Audit: Dark Fantasy ARPG

    StageAnalysisVerdict
    Call to AdventureThe jail cell start is a classic "Ordinary World" exit, but the "Why" is missing. Why should the hero escape?Weak
    Meeting the MentorThe ghost guide provides essential gifts (basic sword) but lacks emotional weight. It feels like a floating UI element.Neutral
    Crossing the ThresholdThe scripted boss loss violates the "Competence" need. Players often mistake design intent for bad balancing.Critical Risk
    Psychological NeedsAutonomy is low due to the linear jail corridor. Competence is stripped away by the scripted death.Low Satisfaction

    Drop-Risk Diagnosis

    The primary drop-risk occurs at the 12-minute mark. After spending 10 minutes learning mechanics (investment), the player is forced into a failure state (punishment). This creates a "Competence Trap" where the player feels the game is unfair rather than challenging.

    Recommendations

    Reframe the Mentor: Give the ghost a name and a shared goal. Instead of "Press X to attack," have the ghost beg the player to "Break these chains so we can both be free."
    2.

    Adjust the Threshold: Instead of a scripted death, have the boss "break" the environment, forcing the player to escape. This maintains the boss's threat without hurting the player's sense of agency.
    3.

    Early Hook: Insert a 15-second cinematic or environmental storytelling piece in the cell that hints at the "inviting fantasy"—show what the player is fighting to get back to.

    Next steps

    • Review the ghost's dialogue script for emotional hooks.
    • A/B test a version where the boss fight is winnable but ends in a narrow escape.
    • Map out the "Part 0" framing to establish the hero's motivation before the first combat.

    game-design-ftue-hero-journey-audit.tsx

    TSX · React component

    Generated

    Example file from a real run - the skill writes it into your workspace.

    Connects securely to your tools. The creator never sees your data.

    What you get

    Identify why players bounce during the first 30 seconds of play.Transform dry tutorials into engaging "Call to Adventure" sequences.Balance player autonomy with mentor guidance to prevent "lore drowning."Ensure the first meaningful action builds a sense of player competence.

    About this skill

    The problem

    Tutorials often focus on teaching controls while forgetting to hook the player emotionally. This results in "yellow-arrow servitude" where players mindlessly follow prompts before bouncing due to a lack of agency or interest.

    What it does

    • Evaluates the first 30 seconds to the first full session using monomyth stages.
    • Identifies friction points like "lore drowning" and "pre-play bureaucracy" that kill retention.
    • Analyzes the "Meeting the Mentor" phase to ensure guidance builds connection rather than just dumping text.
    • Audits the "Crossing the Threshold" moment to verify the player feels early competence and autonomy.
    • Diagnoses specific drop-risk patterns where players are likely to abandon the game.

    Why this beats prompting it yourself

    Standard prompts usually result in a generic UX checklist. This skill applies a specific narrative and psychological framework (Self-Determination Theory) to ensure the onboarding feels like a heroic arc, not a chore list. It identifies subtle emotional failures that standard UI audits miss.

    Use cases

    • Reviewing early-stage prototypes to ensure the "Call to Adventure" is clear.
    • Diagnosing high bounce rates in the first 5 minutes of a live mobile or PC game.
    • Refining mentor character scripts to provide "gifts" rather than just instructions.
    • Pacing the introduction of complex mechanics to avoid cognitive overload.

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