To complete the tasks games present to them, players need skills. In order to create an adequately challenging experience, designers must balance player skill with game difficulty so that players stay interested and in a state of flow. Schell describes three types of skills within games:
- Physical Skills: Which involve strength, dexterity, coordination, and physical endurance. In video games, this often includes reflexes and fine motor dexterity.
- Mental Skills: Involving memory, observation, and puzzle solving.
- Social Skills: Which include reading an opponent, predicting their movements, and coordinating actions with teammates.
