Good uses
- Unwrapping a fixed reward earned by finishing a mission
- Revealing a new field-guide entry or a discovered creature
- Showing the result of an exam, a build, or a long task
01
Classification and repeated action
A stimulus engine is the axis of what invites another action. The visual world is chosen separately as an expression theme.
- Stimulus engine
- Anticipatory reveal
- Repeated action
- Open a sealed container by peeling, pulling, or pressing, and watch staged hints resolve into the contents.
- Core loop
- Forecast
- Tease
- Hint
- Reveal
- Typical feedback
- Box, Capsule, Color change, Tier upgrade, Paused result reveal
Ethical note: Variable reward
Do not tie result uncertainty to paid purchases. Always show odds, cap, history, cumulative cost, and a stop method, and let the effect be skipped. Do not use paid variable rewards for children.
02
Build the sequence
Design the opening state, the input, the result, and the next actionable state as one sequence.
Opening state
A sealed container sits alone, with its source, cost, whether the contents are fixed or random, and a Skip control all visible.
Input
The user peels, pulls, or holds to open it, and the opening progresses exactly as far as the finger or the hold has gone.
Result and reward
Each stage sharpens a hint, a brief hold marks the last seal, and the contents unfold large and are recorded in a history.
Next actionable state
The result settles into the history list, and the next source of a container is named calmly, with no retry button pushed forward.
03
Feedback across channels
Do not rely on motion or sound alone: every channel should make the change of state readable.
Visual
Visual: brighten the container and sharpen the silhouette inside in a few distinct steps, so the user sees how far along the reveal is.
Motion
Motion: small shakes or cracks per stage, a 0.1-second hold when the seal gives way, then the result expands out of the container.
Text, sound, and haptics
Text, sound, and haptics: show fixed or random, the odds and cap if random, and cost before opening; one rising tone per stage.
Without motion or audio
Without motion or audio: a progress label for each stage, the named result, and a new history entry make the outcome clear on a still frame.
04
Production controls
Eight production controls decide the strength and order of the response.
Input
Peel, pull, or hold to open a container earned in play. Opening speed should follow the user, and Skip must work at every stage.
Timing
Keep the whole reveal short, about 1–2 seconds, with three or fewer hint stages. Never lengthen the tease for paid or rare results.
Hit stop
Place one brief hold, about 100 ms, as the final seal breaks, then show the result. Do not freeze on a near-miss or almost-rare state.
Amplification
Raise light and silhouette clarity per stage and let the result unfold large. Use the same staging for every outcome tier.
Text
Before opening, state whether contents are fixed or random, the odds, cap, and cost. After, name the result and add it to history.
Camera
Hold a steady frame on the container and push in gently on the result. Avoid dramatic spins that make the stakes feel higher.
Sound & haptics
One rising tone per stage and a resolved chord on reveal. Do not play a louder fanfare for rare results bought with money.
Next expectation
Name where the next container comes from and let the user leave. Do not offer an instant re-open, a countdown, or a discount.
05
Where it works—and where it fails
Good uses, failure modes, risk, accessibility, and the boundary that keeps the engine from being used to manipulate.
Failure modes
- Selling random containers so that the tease drives repeat purchases
- Showing near-misses that make the next opening feel almost successful
- Unskippable reveal animations that stretch longer for rare results
Risk
Pairing variable rewards with paid purchases produces gambling-like harm and easily leads to dependence and overspending. Even without money, a long tease and near-miss hints train the user to chase the next opening.
Accessibility
Announce each stage and the final result as text to assistive technology, provide Skip as a focusable control, and in reduced-motion mode replace shaking with a stepped progress label and an immediate result.
Manipulation boundary
Do not tie uncertain results to payment. Always show odds, caps, history, cumulative cost, and a way to stop, and let every reveal be skipped. Never use near-misses or limited-time offers to prompt another opening, and never offer paid variable rewards to children.
06
Watch the interaction grammar
A 6-second vertical 1080×1920, 30 fps specimen with no audio, and a text alternative of what it shows.
On a dark purple desk sits a sealed case delivered from the completed "Night survey of the marsh" mission. From the first frame the top of the screen shows "Reward from a completed mission", "Contents fixed, no randomness", "Cost 0", and a "Skip" button. The case window is dark; a lime seal tape with three wax seals runs along the seam near the bottom. A finger takes the end of the tape and pulls it sideways: the tape peels exactly as far as the finger moves and rolls up, and each wax seal that cracks makes the case glow brighter and the shadow in the window (a ray-like creature) one step sharper. On the frame the tape comes off completely, light leaks around the lid and everything holds for 0.1 second; then the lid opens, the record rises in a burst of light, and a navy observation chart, "Observation record No.07", unfolds large. The creature is drawn in (wingspan 2.4 m, glows every 2 seconds, above the water on the north shore at 2 a.m., "Floating glow ray"), and its glowing spots brighten every 2 seconds as the note says. A "Registered in the field guide No.07" stamp lands, and the field guide count at the top goes from 6 to 7. A card of the record flies into the observation history as the third entry, carrying the same "Night survey of the marsh" mark as the case label. Finally "Next observation point: Northern plateau" and "When you are ready, from the map" appear calmly, with a small map tracing the way from the marsh up onto the plateau. There is no extra purchase, retry, odds, or remaining-time display.
Generated examples for this engine
No generated examples are recorded for this engine yet. The specimen is also listed in the gallery.
08
Creator-ready English prompt
A production brief you can hand directly to an AI model or a production team.
Written for this guide from the specimen and the classification; it is not the original generation prompt.
Produce a 6-second vertical UI motion sample that uses the Anticipatory reveal stimulus engine.
Repeated action: Peel, pull, or hold to open a container earned in play. Opening speed should follow the user, and Skip must work at every stage.
Opening state: A sealed container sits alone, with its source, cost, whether the contents are fixed or random, and a Skip control all visible.
Trigger and timing: Keep the whole reveal short, about 1–2 seconds, with three or fewer hint stages. Never lengthen the tease for paid or rare results.
Hit stop: Place one brief hold, about 100 ms, as the final seal breaks, then show the result. Do not freeze on a near-miss or almost-rare state.
Amplification: Raise light and silhouette clarity per stage and let the result unfold large. Use the same staging for every outcome tier.
Text: Before opening, state whether contents are fixed or random, the odds, cap, and cost. After, name the result and add it to history.
Camera: Hold a steady frame on the container and push in gently on the result. Avoid dramatic spins that make the stakes feel higher.
Sound and haptics: One rising tone per stage and a resolved chord on reveal. Do not play a louder fanfare for rare results bought with money.
Next promise: Name where the next container comes from and let the user leave. Do not offer an instant re-open, a countdown, or a discount.
Without motion or audio: a progress label for each stage, the named result, and a new history entry make the outcome clear on a still frame.
Accessibility: Announce each stage and the final result as text to assistive technology, provide Skip as a focusable control, and in reduced-motion mode replace shaking with a stepped progress label and an immediate result.
Ethical boundary: Do not tie uncertain results to payment. Always show odds, caps, history, cumulative cost, and a way to stop, and let every reveal be skipped. Never use near-misses or limited-time offers to prompt another opening, and never offer paid variable rewards to children.
Keep enough contrast for text and primary UI, and make the meaning clear in reduced-motion and no-audio settings.
Create original abstract subjects. Do not imitate existing works, characters, logos, brands, or proprietary UI.