I'm currently making a matching game where the player is given a color or image type and the player has to click on all of the matching colors of images as fast as possible. My problem is how would I go about making a difficulty curve instead of just randomly generating what the next situation will be.

There's a link down below to show the first version of the game I made a while ago. As you can see the new scenario is chosen randomly and one scenario can be harder than the other with no thought of progression. What I want this time is for the game to progress over-time. So, the more of these "scenarios" a player does the more difficult it will get.


  • \$\begingroup\$ Do you have an example to show? \$\endgroup\$ – realUser404 Jan 9 '17 at 15:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ @realUser404 Here's the promotional video for the first version of the game I made quite a while ago but the premise is the same the only thing is in this game everything is randomly decided with no thought into difficulty: youtube.com/watch?v=sa2mtpv7RzA \$\endgroup\$ – Yatoniea Jan 9 '17 at 15:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think this is rather broad question. Do you have some specific problem you are having when implementing your generator? I guess the general idea is to have some sort of difficulty points, and when the generated map is simulated you add up the points. Let's say the grid size or area adds to the points, and then how many different colors there are multiplies that, or something. It's really up to you how you want to implement it. \$\endgroup\$ – Lasse Jan 9 '17 at 15:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Lasse Yes, you're right. I guess the best way to explain myself is. With the current method I am using which is just generating things randomly I end up with an erratic number of the colors of images I am supposed to match. So, say the thing I was supposed to match is 'X' one round could have 8 and the next round 1. I guess what I am asking is how to make that more deliberate so it's not just entirely random and makes some sense. \$\endgroup\$ – Yatoniea Jan 9 '17 at 15:49

Some ideas you can use to change the difficulty:

  1. Change the available time to solve the puzzle
  2. Add a number of mistakes allowed before losing, or every mistake can reduce the available time
  3. Play with the colors of the images. If all different images have different color, it is pretty easy, but if they all have the same color it becomes difficult
  4. Have very different shapes in easy mode, and really similar shapes in hard mode
  5. Work on some hard transitions between levels

Then all you have to do is keep some difficulty variable that you can increment at each level and use this variable to generate your level.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ That's a great start, thanks. I'll go ahead now and see what I can muster. \$\endgroup\$ – Yatoniea Jan 9 '17 at 15:52

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