PART 2 • The idea behind chess quests
Another key concept, that of coins, is a second hook to keep players
returning to Chess King. Other chess playing programs allow their users
unlimited hints, letting them ask for a best move or for a threat to be
displayed completely without restrictions. This can easily become a
crutch for a developing player – it's so easy to ask for help that one
becomes dependent upon the program's advice, and the user never
learns to think for him/herself.
Chess King offers advice but requires the user to pay for it. This serves
a dual function: it naturally limits the availability of “outside help” (so that
the user doesn't become dependent on it) and makes the acquisition of
additional coins another “hook” which keeps the user coming back again
and again to play, learn, and improve.
I've used, played with, and written about literally scores of chess
programs in the course of my career, and I can honestly say that Chess
King's “hooks” are among the best I've seen. I'm even more impressed
by the fact that these hooks aren't just gimmicks, like the “cute” (more
like “condescending” in most cases) animations, music, and voice tricks
used in many other chess programs. The reward system used in Chess
King isn't at all “gimmicky”; it's an integral part of the software's function,
it's appealing to the user, and it gives practical purpose to the repeated
use of the program.
That's impressive.
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