The quest for a Wiki-less game

Role of Wikis in Player Experience

• Strong disagreement on whether external wikis “ruin” games.
• Many say wikis enhance fun via shared discovery, theorycrafting, and comparing solutions.
• Others argue that needing a wiki for basic play is a design/UI failure, not a player failure.
• Some feel wikis can tempt players into skipping puzzles/content and then blaming the game for being too short or easy.

Player Types, Time, and Self-Control

• Players differ: some want pure discovery and challenge, others prefer efficient progress, checklists, and achievements.
• Older players or those with limited time often rely on wikis to avoid wasting sessions wandering or missing key content.
• Several note that given the choice, many players “optimize the fun out” of games, so designs that assume high self-restraint are fragile.

When Wiki Use Feels Necessary

• Common triggers: being completely stuck, unclear objectives, opaque mechanics, hidden numbers, or fear of permanent penalties/missables.
• Examples: obscure crafting (Terraria, early Minecraft), unexplained combo systems (Diablo 2 cube), complex stat systems and items with vague tooltips.
• Some large or complex games effectively assume external tools (e.g., build planners, market sites) for optimal play.

Game Design Responses

• Recommended: robust in‑game references (journals, bestiaries, recipe books, manuals), clear tooltips with numbers, and good progression “flow.”
• Positive examples cited: in‑game encyclopedias, journals tracking preferences, diegetic navigation aids, generous save/checkpoint systems.
• Poor patterns: mandatory wiki for core loops, endless handholding tutorials, repetitive open‑world “busywork,” opaque choices with huge hidden consequences.

Philosophical Tension

• One view: creators shouldn’t try to control how players consume games; just make them fun and let players choose guides or not.
• Another view: it’s valid to design for a specific “unspoiled” experience and discourage externalization, especially in puzzle or exploration‑driven games.
• Broad agreement that games should not assume Google, but must acknowledge that players will use it.