Visual Feedback Helps the Player Recognize Interaction[]
When a player uses a verb to interact with an object, it’s almost always a good thing to have some sort of visual feedback to let them be aware of the action. Sounds can be acceptable, but in most cases visual feedback is most important. This can be as simple as showing a switch has been toggled from an “up” position to a “down” position, or as surprising as adding an aura to a secret door that the player casts a spell on. Whatever the case, visual feedback lets the player know the effect of an action, but also leaves them feeling like their verbs are powerful and grounded in the game world.
Super Mario Bros.[]
Perhaps one of the most recognizable examples of visual feedback is in the beginning of Super Mario Bros. when the player can bump a question mark box from beneath to reveal a reward, and the box elevates slightly and turns a darker shade to show it has been activated.
Prince of Persia (1989)[]
As can be seen in the GIF, there are many examples of visual feedback, even in this game that has been developed much before the advancement of graphics hardware. The splash when prince and the enemies take hits, the blinking of HUD elements, the shaking of tiles, the emergence of swords from the ground, etc. are subtle but effective visual cues that underline the player's many interactions.
Fruit Ninja[]
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Fruit Ninja provides visual feedback for every significant game event, including but not limited to:
- Swiping on screen
- Slicing a fruit
- Slicing a group / combination of fruit
- Slicing a bomb
- Special Banana timed events (Frenzy, Freeze, Scorex2)
- Earning achievements
Each of the player verbs gets special attention, spraying fruit juice on the backdrop of the game for slices, or leaving a bright trail for every slice. These pieces of visual feedback allow the player to see what's important, and to feel rewarded for their successes as the game defines it.