TAGG Method for Prosocial “Loops”

In our article about the chapters method, we described the concept and value of little loops — small, meaningful, prosocial actions that happen repeatedly during gameplay. In this article, we would like to introduce TAGG — a method for creating little loops.

Overview of the TAGG method

Graphic of the TAGG method — TAGG: trigger, action, gratitude, and glory

TAGG stands for:

T – Trigger
A – Action
G – Gratitude
G – Glory

The TAGG concept is simple:

Trigger — Tell players to do something prosocial.
Action — Show all players involved that the action is happening.
Gratitude — Thank the player taking action through visuals, audio, or narrative.
Glory — Celebrate the completion of the action in a way all teammates can see.

What TAGG looks like in practice

Let’s take a look at how two games use the TAGG approach: Left 4 Dead 2 and Deep Rock Galactic.

Trigger

For the “T” in “Trigger,” Left 4 Dead 2 prompts nearby players to take a prosocial action. First of all, the game points players to teammates who need help:

Screenshot from Left 4 Dead 2 showing prompts for prosocial action — *Left 4 Dead 2* prompts players to seek injured teammates with a caution symbol and arrows. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Then, when close enough, Left 4 Dead 2 literally displays the key the player should press:

Left 4 Dead 2 showing prompts for prosocial action — *Left 4 Dead 2* prompts players to help injured teammates. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Deep Rock Galactic provides guidance to teammates who’ve been injured and incapacitated:

Screenshot from Deep Rock Galactic showing prompts for prosocial action — *Deep Rock Galactic* leading the way to players who need help. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Like Left 4 Dead 2, Deep Rock Galactic tells players which key to press to revive a fallen comrade:

Action

The second step of TAGG is Action. While an injured teammate is being revived, Left 4 Dead 2 shows a “reviving teammate” progress bar:

Screenshot from Left 4 Dead 2 of a UI element that indicates a teammate is being revived — *Left 4 Dead 2* makes it obvious when someone is being helped. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Deep Rock Galactic uses the same basic approach:

Progress of reviving a teammate in *Deep Rock Galactic*. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Gratitude

The third step of TAGG is Gratitude (the first “G”). Both Left 4 Dead 2 and Deep Rock Galactic thank the “savior” through the voices of the game characters who’ve been saved:

Screenshot from Left 4 Dead 2 — Characters in *Left 4 Dead 2* will say things like “ahhh… better” and “ooh, yea” when they’ve been healed. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Screenshot from Deep Rock Galactic showing an auto-response to a prosocial action. — Characters in *Deep Rock Galactic* say things like “Let’s stay together next time,” when they’ve been revived. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Glory

The final step of TAGG is Glory (the last “G”). Left 4 Dead 2 completes the TAGG approach by telling everyone about the prosocial action via the game text log (the “saved” message below):

Screenshot of Left 4 Dead telling teammates that a player has saved another — *Left 4 Dead 2* giving praise to a player who saved a teammate. Image courtesy of TIGG.

Deep Rock Galactic doesn’t exactly complete the TAGG approach, but does many things to help players feel like a tight-knit group:

Screenshot from Deep Rock Galactic showing characters drinking beer together in a bar — Players can have drinks in a bar together in the *Deep Rock Galactic.* Image courtesy of TIGG.

And with that we’ve taken a good look at the TAGG method!

Now what?

Check out Chapters Method for Prosocial Design in Session-Based Multiplayer Games to learn how to integrate “little loops” into a broader design strategy.

Overview of the TAGG method