Gameplay
Difficulty & Pacing
Shape how challenging and fast-paced your playable feels.
Shape how challenging and fast-paced your playable feels using the levers exposed in your dashboard.
Note: Difficulty is game-specific. The settings below are the common levers; your dashboard shows the ones wired into your build.
The Pacing Levers
| Setting | What It Does | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Timer Value | Length of the gameplay countdown | Shorter = tenser |
| Timer Danger Second | When the "time running out" warning kicks in | Earlier = more urgency |
| Level Value | The level number presented to the player | Framing / expectation |
| Quality Level | Rendering quality | Smoothness on low-end devices |
These are Config Layer settings — they change behavior, not just looks. See Config Layer.
Two Types of Adjustment
| Layer | What It Controls | How to Change |
|---|---|---|
| UI Layer | How difficulty looks — timer color, danger flash, bar styling | Always adjustable |
| Config Layer | How difficulty plays — timer length, danger second, level | If the parameter exists in your dashboard |
Anything deeper — enemy behavior, spawn logic, adaptive difficulty — is game logic and needs Custom Development.
Difficulty Guidelines for Playable Ads
| Goal | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Show gameplay | Keep it approachable |
| Quick engagement | Easier start |
| Drive downloads | Beatable but engaging |
| Retry-focused | Slightly harder, short timer |
The Sweet Spot
Most successful playable ads are slightly easier than the full game:
| Too Easy | Just Right | Too Hard |
|---|---|---|
| No challenge | Engaging | Frustrating |
| Boring | Achievable | Rage-quit |
| Low replay | "I want more" | Won't retry |
Testing Your Changes
- Play through completely — Can you finish in the timer window?
- Watch the danger warning — Does it land at the right moment?
- Check engagement — Fun, not frustrating?
- Test the lose state — Does the lose end card appear correctly?
Related
- Config Layer — Timer, level, quality
- Game UI Elements — Timer and bar styling
- Optimize Asset — Quality level (coming soon)
- Custom Development — Enemy AI, adaptive difficulty