What Keeps You Playing a Game After Hundreds of Hours
I explain what makes a game so easy to put hundreds of hours into and why we do so. I explain the primary methods those being achieving a flow state, extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, modding, and multiplayer. Discuss the benefits and draw backs of each and try to be funny along the way.
//Research/Bibliography/Notes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7033418/
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Flow is the state of optimal work that is from being placed in a state that monduane goal. In other words if you have a clear objective you can reach reasonably in a play session or repeatedly in a play session you will continue coming back. Think of it like how when you play a competitive game your objective is to win. Followed by ranking up. You will win and be placed in flow during the 20-30 minute match but continue that flow through a queue as you can attempt to reach your ranked goal.
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https://open.ncl.ac.uk/academic-theories/8/flow-theory/
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To reach flow the user must have the skill set necessary for the task. The flow state is achieved when the task is the perfect difficulty for the user, not too easy nor too difficult. So for a game to work well to be endlessly playable it needs to be just the right difficulty using just the right skillset from the player. Which does explain why multiplayer competitive games that place you against equal or slightly better or slightly worse opponents will strike the range able to be achieved in flow. Additionally explaining how games like roguelikes can continue to be played the hand your figuratively dealt is different each time. And if the game gives you the ability to continuously make it more difficult you can have a unique experience each time. However flow theory does not explain why a game like Minecraft is endlessly playable because outside of mini games like bedwars the game is about as easy as speedrunning one cookie in cookie clicker.
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https://mlpp.pressbooks.pub/mavlearn/chapter/flow-theory/
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Intiential focus undivided attention control + CC above.
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https://udayton.edu/blogs/onlinelearning/2021/09_13_2021_motivation.php
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Extrinsic and Intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic being the drive you personally have while extrinsic is rewards like money or treats. Making decisions will aid in the intrinsic motivation while a game leaving you with tons of timers or objectives will increase your extrinsic desires.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9340849/
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Intrinsic and Extrinsic rewards seem to act about equally however mental disorders (hey thats me) can affect the effectiveness of Intrinsic vs Extrinsic. If the Intrinsic goal can be measurable it can be more valuable. While a game like Minecraft is typically intrinsically rewarding it does balance that by giving a form of (albeit far too easy progression) extrinsic rewards. Which is what makes the game have such a strong stick rate for new players.
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https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/how-do-you-design-implement-reward-system-motivates
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Target audience matters a lot especially when you're balancing intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Reward system must change with the player. A static extra 5 health gets much worse when you go from 10 hp to a 100 for example. A mixture of static and variable rewards.
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https://medium.com/@rjwarner98/how-video-games-keep-us-invested-the-reward-cycle-672b485f3ff4
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Ranks and cosmetics are often enough reward in a multiplayer context. Reward cycle is important. Working towards a goal can be good in the case of hyper challenging games like souls games. Mobile game’s constant timers. Rewards are something that is new to player or something they did not have before.
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https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/game-design-theory-applied-a-layered-rewards-system
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The right amount of rewards without over buffing someone. Bonus extra reward systems like side quests can hold (some) player’s interests for long times. Giving people a score to beat can give motivation to improve.
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THE BELOW PARAGRAPH IS IRRELEVANT I FOUND IT WHEN I STARTED THE SECTION ON DON’T STARVE.
I am really struggling to find the original source. I'm sure it's out there. I’ve heard it talked about multiple times from multiple places but I remember hearing that Klei the developers of don’t starve refuse to add achievements because when they gave achievements it led to players not interacting with the game and not completing the main goals of the game. They would just accept what they had and not want to go any further with a tiny hut that satisfied the games achievements extrinsic motivation killed the intrinsic motivation of players
//Also credit to https://www.youtube.com/@Or-ang-E for the video that made me aware of this
https://youtu.be/0P3kFXWK07o?t=1446 was able to track it down. It's now an unlisted video so hopefully this should be able to make it easier for others to find. Which lead to the link below
https://support.klei.com/hc/en-us/articles/360035456011-Intrinsic-vs-Extrinsic-rewards // following that lead me to this page. Extrinsic rewards can replace why we do something (might be valuable elsewhere). References that rewards can discourage you from doing something for joy. Which is actually insane. Rewards will sharpen the players focus onto just that dulling “side” mechanic. Reduces actual interaction with the game. Players had no idea what to do without goals but could have fun with some guidance. Players used the goals to optimize the fun out of the game. Don’t starve, solve it by dropping you into the deep end with but a crafting table to guide you.
*/
https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/The-Need-Fatality-Likelihood.png
// Used for the car “joke” more like good information hidden behind a punchline I digress
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_VnfPWfnRM
//Disney of games quote
//Ubisoft shit
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2824911/
//Gambling numbers
https://www.designer-notes.com/?p=369
//The quote about optimizing the fun out of a game
//Couldn’t find a good graph for nascar safety issues but just trust me the sports have gotten much safer since 2000. And I did not want to create my own graph for that
//Originally the joke about mercury was going to be something more modern and more stupid but then I remembered that it actually happened during covid so I substituted it for something less accidentally political.
https://80.lv/articles/blizzard-games-reportedly-could-have-had-a-netflix-adaptation/
//Netflix tv adaptations joke There is conflict on that report
https://www.pcgamesn.com/league-of-legends/ahri-skin-backlash-justified
//Ahri skin price
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/s0dbhk/release_timeline_of_all_skyrim_games_20112021/
//All skyrim
//”Fuck you bobby” is a joke inspired by the wide use of the line in older knowledge husk videos