# Game Market Research Step 3: Player Pain Points and Needs

## MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

- 🛑 NEVER generate content without web search verification

- 📖 CRITICAL: ALWAYS read the complete step file before taking any action - partial understanding leads to incomplete decisions
- 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure the entire file is read and understood before proceeding
- ✅ Search the web to verify and supplement your knowledge with current facts
- 📋 YOU ARE A PLAYER NEEDS ANALYST, not content generator
- 💬 FOCUS on player pain points, frustrations, and unmet game needs
- 🔍 WEB SEARCH REQUIRED - verify current facts against live sources
- 📝 WRITE CONTENT IMMEDIATELY TO DOCUMENT
- ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`

## EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

- 🎯 Show web search analysis before presenting findings
- ⚠️ Present [C] continue option after pain points content generation
- 📝 WRITE PLAYER PAIN POINTS ANALYSIS TO DOCUMENT IMMEDIATELY
- 💾 ONLY proceed when user chooses C (Continue)
- 📖 Update frontmatter `stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3]` before loading next step
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to load next step until C is selected

## CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

- Current document and frontmatter from previous steps are available
- Player behavior analysis completed in previous step
- Focus on player pain points, frustrations, and unmet game needs
- Web search capabilities with source verification are enabled
- **Research topic = "{{research_topic}}"** - established from initial discussion
- **Research goals = "{{research_goals}}"** - established from initial discussion

## YOUR TASK:

Conduct player pain points and needs analysis with emphasis on game frustrations, design failures in the genre, and underserved player needs.

## PLAYER PAIN POINTS ANALYSIS SEQUENCE:

### 1. Begin Player Pain Points Analysis

**UTILIZE SUBPROCESSES AND SUBAGENTS**: Use research subagents, subprocesses or parallel processing if available to thoroughly analyze different player pain point areas simultaneously and thoroughly.

Start with player pain points research approach:
"Now I'll conduct **player pain points analysis** for **{{research_topic}}** to understand player frustrations.

**Player Pain Points Focus:**

- Player frustrations with existing games in this space
- Unmet genre needs and underserved game design opportunities
- Onboarding and accessibility barriers
- Monetization frustrations and fairness complaints
- Technical and performance pain points

**Let me search for current player pain points insights.**"

### 2. Parallel Pain Points Research Execution

**Execute multiple web searches simultaneously:**

Search the web: "{{research_topic}} player complaints frustrations reviews"
Search the web: "{{research_topic}} game problems player frustrations forum"
Search the web: "{{research_topic}} unmet player needs design gaps"
Search the web: "{{research_topic}} game barriers to entry accessibility"

**Analysis approach:**

- Look for player reviews (Steam, Metacritic, Reddit) and community discussions
- Search for game design criticism and genre critique articles
- Research accessibility and onboarding barrier data
- Analyze monetization complaints and pay-to-win frustrations
- Study technical performance and quality complaints

### 3. Analyze and Aggregate Results

**Collect and analyze findings from all parallel searches:**

"After executing comprehensive parallel web searches, let me analyze and aggregate player pain points findings:

**Research Coverage:**

- Player frustrations with existing games
- Unmet genre needs and design gaps
- Onboarding and accessibility barriers
- Monetization and fairness complaints

**Cross-Pain Points Analysis:**
[Identify patterns connecting different types of player pain points]

**Quality Assessment:**
[Overall confidence levels and research gaps identified]"

### 4. Generate Player Pain Points Content

**WRITE IMMEDIATELY TO DOCUMENT**

Prepare player pain points analysis with web search citations:

#### Content Structure:

When saving to document, append these Level 2 and Level 3 sections:

```markdown
## Player Pain Points and Needs

### Player Frustrations with Existing Games

[Player frustrations analysis with source citations]
_Common Gameplay Frustrations: [Recurring gameplay design complaints in this genre]_
_Progression Frustrations: [Grind, difficulty spikes, and unfair progression issues]_
_Technical Frustrations: [Performance, bugs, and stability complaints]_
_Frequency Analysis: [How often these frustrations appear in player feedback]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Unmet Player Needs and Genre Gaps

[Unmet needs analysis with source citations]
_Critical Unmet Needs: [Most important underserved player desires]_
_Genre Design Gaps: [Design opportunities not yet addressed by competitors]_
_Market Gaps: [Market opportunities from unmet player needs]_
_Priority Analysis: [Which unmet needs represent the greatest opportunity]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Barriers to Entry and Accessibility

[Accessibility barriers analysis with source citations]
_Learning Curve Barriers: [Complexity and onboarding hurdles preventing new players]_
_Hardware and Platform Barriers: [Cost and availability barriers]_
_Social Barriers: [Multiplayer toxicity, skill gaps, and community exclusion]_
_Accessibility Barriers: [Visual, motor, and cognitive accessibility gaps]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Monetization Frustrations

[Monetization pain points analysis with source citations]
_Pay-to-Win Complaints: [Player frustrations with unfair monetization]_
_Pricing Fairness Issues: [Perceived value vs cost complaints]_
_Predatory Mechanic Complaints: [Loot box, FOMO, and manipulation criticisms]_
_Battle Pass and Season Fatigue: [Player burnout from ongoing purchase requirements]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Community and Social Pain Points

[Community pain points analysis with source citations]
_Toxicity and Harassment: [Negative community behavior and its impact on players]_
_Matchmaking and Balancing: [Frustrations with unfair matchmaking]_
_Communication Issues: [Team communication and coordination barriers]_
_Retention and Community Decay: [Pain points causing community decline]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Emotional Impact Assessment

[Emotional impact analysis with source citations]
_Player Burnout Patterns: [What causes long-term player disengagement]_
_Loyalty Risks: [How pain points affect player retention and word of mouth]_
_Reputation Impact: [How pain points affect studio and game reputation]_
_Churn Risk: [Risk of player loss from identified pain points]_
_Source: [URL]_

### Pain Point Prioritization

[Pain point prioritization with source citations]
_High Priority Pain Points: [Most critical pain points to address in game design]_
_Medium Priority Pain Points: [Important but less critical pain points]_
_Low Priority Pain Points: [Minor pain points with lower design impact]_
_GDD Opportunity Mapping: [Pain points with highest game design opportunity]_
_Source: [URL]_
```

### 5. Present Analysis and Continue Option

**Show analysis and present continue option:**

"I've completed **player pain points analysis** for {{research_topic}}, focusing on player frustrations and unmet needs.

**Key Pain Points Findings:**

- Player frustrations with existing games thoroughly documented
- Unmet genre needs and design gaps clearly identified
- Accessibility and onboarding barriers analyzed
- Monetization frustrations assessed
- Pain points prioritized by game design opportunity

**Ready to proceed to player decision processes?**
[C] Continue - Save this to document and proceed to decision processes analysis

### 6. Handle Continue Selection

#### If 'C' (Continue):

- **CONTENT ALREADY WRITTEN TO DOCUMENT**
- Update frontmatter: `stepsCompleted: [1, 2, 3]`
- Load: `./step-04-customer-decisions.md`

## APPEND TO DOCUMENT:

Content is already written to document when generated in step 4. No additional append needed.

## SUCCESS METRICS:

✅ Player frustrations with existing games clearly documented
✅ Unmet genre needs and design gaps identified
✅ Accessibility and onboarding barriers analyzed
✅ Monetization frustrations assessed
✅ Pain points prioritized by game design opportunity
✅ Content written immediately to document
✅ [C] continue option presented and handled correctly
✅ Proper routing to next step (player decisions)
✅ Research goals alignment maintained

## FAILURE MODES:

❌ Relying solely on training data without web verification for current game player facts

❌ Missing critical player frustrations or genre complaints
❌ Not identifying unmet genre needs or design gaps
❌ Incomplete accessibility and onboarding barrier analysis
❌ Not writing content immediately to document
❌ Not presenting [C] continue option after content generation
❌ Not routing to player decisions analysis step

❌ **CRITICAL**: Reading only partial step file - leads to incomplete understanding and poor decisions
❌ **CRITICAL**: Proceeding with 'C' without fully reading and understanding the next step file
❌ **CRITICAL**: Making decisions without complete understanding of step requirements and protocols

## PLAYER PAIN POINTS RESEARCH PROTOCOLS:

- Research player reviews on Steam, Metacritic, Reddit, and game forums
- Use player feedback and community discussion data
- Analyze game design criticism and genre critique articles
- Study barriers to game accessibility and onboarding
- Focus on current player pain point data
- Present conflicting information when sources disagree
- Apply confidence levels appropriately

## PAIN POINTS ANALYSIS STANDARDS:

- Always cite URLs for web search results
- Use authoritative game player feedback and research sources
- Note data currency and potential limitations
- Present multiple perspectives when sources conflict
- Apply confidence levels to uncertain data
- Focus on actionable pain point insights for game design

## NEXT STEP:

After user selects 'C', load `./step-04-customer-decisions.md` to analyze player decision processes, purchase journeys, and game selection factors for {{research_topic}}.

Remember: Always write research content to document immediately and emphasize current player pain point data with rigorous source verification!
