Feature	Description	Dangers	Causality
Random playthroughs		Reduce determinism / hinder strategy	Make it clear what is and isn’t random
Multiple paths		It can be unclear whether a path is redundant (in relation to a path the player has already taken) or meaningful	Close unused pa options after a choice is made.
Transforming levels	Player can visit the same place multiple times per playthrough and that location is different each time	It is unclear whether a previous location has changed and is worth revisiting.
Increases complexity / is more difficult to design.	Make it clear when actions are going to change the world, and when those changes have occurred
Gated maze		Difficult to tell when a gate is opened. Sometimes player finds a key and doesn’t know / doesn’t remember where there is a locked door.	* Place switches so player can see the the layout change

Funnel the player so they have to go through the gate after opening it.
Use symbolic architecture clues that associate keys/switches with gates and guide the player toward the gates. | | Thematic, meaningful zoning | Give different zones distinct personalities so they better support cognition (and have more artistic flavor) | Is restrictive. It is easier to connect arbitrary, non-themed zones. | | | Dense level design | Cram many significant elements in a small space. Conserve space. | Is more difficult to design | | | Persistent changes? | Some changes to the world persist | | It is difficult to tell what is an isn’t persistent |

Mixing those three features makes it difficult to have clear Player causality.

Multiple paths and randomness

Multiple paths and randomness can conflict with each other.

If there were multiple paths but no randomness, a player can safely experiment with different paths and know they will be the same each time.

If there is a single random path, each playthrough will be different and the player would be led along that linear path.