The Effect of Time Limits on Player Willingness to Explore Non-Critical Areas

Time limits exist as a universal mechanic in multiple forms of games. Racing, real-time strategy, adventure, puzzles and first-person shooters are some perfect examples. What impact does a time limit have on a player’s adrenaline and anxiety? Is the thought of running out of time enough to cause “tunnel vision”, where the player only focuses on the main objective?

The introduction of a limited amount of time becomes a large part of the challenge behind a level’s gameplay. A player must complete the objective at hand before the time limit runs out in order to be successful. In addition to the critical path, designers sometimes include extra objectives, or bonus pickups. This additional design requires time and money to implement. With players concerned with completing the main objective and staying on the main path, the chances of even noticing side areas varies.

For a game designer, it is critical to make the most of available design time. When considering a level with a timed objective, is it worth the effort to flesh out side areas and place bonus items that exist off the main path? Spending time on areas that a large portion of players miss is not time well spent.

The purpose of this thesis is to discover how time limits affect players’ decisions to explore non-essential areas, which leads to helping designers decide what parts of a timed level are more or less important. The study utilizes two versions of the same level. One set of testers experience the level with a time limit. A second set of testers plays the level with the time limit removed. Questionnaires provide useful information to answer whether or not players explored the optional areas and found bonus pickups. The end result provides designers with crucial feedback on how time limits affect a player’s choice to explore the level. This helps plan a more efficient workflow, by focusing on only the best and most important areas of a timed level.