This is a quick analysis I made of the game mechanics behind the game dragon vale. The focus was on walking to fine line between frustration and boredom.

1. Complete
quests
Explore
new
buildings/dragons
Stop
wastage
Max
dragon
cash,
clear
next
item,
spend
money,
complete
buildings.
Earn
cash
A>ract
visitors
Be>er
dragons
More
dragons
Level
dragons
Build
farms
Build
habitats
Build
breeding
cave
Clear
space
Level
player
Time
GAME
MODEL
(SUMMARY)

2. RESOURCES
Resource Action Balance For Against
Space Clear space Room for new buildings Cost to clear (money)
Time to clear (not ready for new buildings)
Dragons Buy more Generate more visitors Short term cash versus long-term bigger options
Level/Feed Generate higher income Cost to create food
Leveling lower dragons inefficient
Breed Breed better dragons (new stuff, more
cash, efficient space use)
Time to generate, habitat space
Lower cash whilst dragons are ‘busy’
Habitats Build new Space for new dragons = cash Use of space (limited by clearing and island)
Upgrade Max cash limit, more dragons Time to upgrade
Effective use of cash
Effective use of space
Farms Build new More food generation Effective use of space (cost to demolish)
Saving for upgrades (more effective and future
savings)
Make food Level dragons Cost (versus shorter-term options)
Upgrade More food, faster
More effective use of space
Cost (versus shorter-term options)
XP Earn more (general) Access to new and more efficient options
(buildings, dragons, etc)
Indirect expense (usually small)

3. Takes too long to save / Don’t
see new stuff
Easy to buy everything
Always getting cool dragons
Same dragons all the time
Nothing new about dragons
Building too easy
Too long to build
Nothing new in general
✪
✪
✪
✪
✪
✪
✪
✪
FLOW
STATE
Cost to demolish
✪
Cost new game play/items
✪
Have to login too much
(e.g. max dragon cash)
✪
Nothing to do
✪