Input Randomness vs Output Randomness

Input randomness vs output randomness. What is it? Why is it important? Which one do you pick? This blog post will answer these three questions as briefly as possible using my game development knowledge. 

What is it?
Input randomness and output randomness both describe the flow of randomness with a particular mechanic. 

• Input randomness is when something random happens, and then a player can choose what to do with the information after the fact. An example of this is when you draw three cards from a deck, and you can choose which one to keep; the three cards you get to choose from were selected randomness, but now once you pick one of those three cards, the outcome of that choice is guaranteed. 
• Output randomness is when the player does something, and the outcome of that is random. An example of this is when you choose to attack a monster, and you roll dice after making that decision to see whether or not you were successful. ​

Why is it important?
Your choice of randomness in your games drastically affects the mechanics' engagement with your target audience. For example, if we use the 4 Keys 2 Fun matrix, and we say our target audience is Hard Fun players, which describes the audience as competitive players that love overcoming challenges and feel like it was their skill that got them there, you wouldn't want to have a lot of output randomness. Suppose we flip it and say that the entire game was predictable and balanced. In that case, you could plan out every single turn right from the beginning, and nothing would change throughout the game, then you probably wouldn't appeal to social fun players if that was your target audience. 

Which one do you pick?
Well, that does come down to your target audience, as I stated above; however, there are a couple of reasons to pick one over the other. 
Pros for Input Randomness

• As the player has a choice in the outcome, the randomness seems fairer. 
• It can add a lot of variety to the game without seeming unfair, especially if those variances do not asymmetrically target players. 
• More easily allows you as the designer to control the experience of the players. 

Pros for Output Randomness

• It can absolve the responsibility of the player, allowing them to play more casually. 
• It can lead to fascinating and reaction provoking outcomes. (Rolling a natural 20 when you are about to die in DnD, or maybe drawing a cancel card when you are about to kill an enemy in Gloomhaven).

Here's a video!
If you want to see how altering your game from more output randomness to input randomness can positively change the engagement in your game from a practical perspective, check out this video here!
https://youtu.be/XYS1rYc36OA