3weeks Dev Log #9 — Making It a Game: Badges and Statistics

The Limit of Check-Only Apps

The most important thing I wanted to change in the rebuild: make the app genuinely engaging.

The original 3weeks was functionally clear but, honestly, not fun. Check in, counter goes up, day 21 brings a congratulations screen. Then what? Register a new habit and start over. The cycle had no pull.

Games solve this better than most productivity apps. One of the most reliable mechanics for keeping players returning: collectibles.

Badge System

I designed a badge collection system.

Specific conditions unlock specific badges. Earned badges accumulate in a collection screen.

Examples:

First Step: registered your first habit
3 Days: first 3-day streak
One Week: 7 consecutive days
Halfway: day 11 (past the midpoint of 21)
21 Complete: first full habit completion
Multi-tracker: running 3+ habits simultaneously

Badges serve two functions: they're satisfying to collect, and they act as intermediate checkpoints that make quitting feel costly. "I've got the 7-day badge — I should finish the 21."

Badge Progression Curve

The hardest design decision: at what rate should badges unlock?

Too easy: badges lose meaning. Too hard: users feel like they can't earn them, and stop trying.

The solution: many easy badges at the start, progressively harder conditions as the user advances. The first few days should yield multiple unlocks — establishing the collection habit — while long-term goals require sustained effort.

Per-Habit Statistics

Each habit now has its own statistics screen:

Overall completion rate: percentage of days checked since start
Longest streak: maximum consecutive days ever recorded for this habit
Current streak: ongoing consecutive day count
Monthly breakdown: calendar view showing which months were most consistent

Numbers change behavior. "I'm completing this habit 63% of the time" is motivating in a different way than a bare streak counter.

Aggregate Statistics

For users running multiple habits, an aggregate view shows:

Active habit count
Completed habits (21-day goals achieved)
Total check-in count across all habits
Average completion rate across everything

Watching these numbers grow contributes to an identity shift: "I'm someone who builds habits." The statistics make that identity concrete and visible.

What Changed After Adding These Features

After badges and statistics shipped, there were new reasons to open the app.

Not just "did I check in today?" but also "what badge am I close to?" and "how is my completion rate trending this month?"

That shift — from obligation to curiosity — is the difference between an app you use and an app you want to use.