3 ms·

That was the realization that turned me off video games. What is any modern, non-boxed sales model videogame selling? Artificial scarcity. And who is in abso

by ethbr0 3y ago

That was the realization that turned me off video games. What is any modern, non-boxed sales model videogame selling? Artificial scarcity. And who is in absolute control of that scarcity? The developer. Why addict yourself to something your counterparty has every incentive to abuse you over? Or as I asked in terms of my EVE Online experience, "Am I actually enjoying every moment of playing, or am I doing work I don't enjoy just so that I can get something?"

HWR_14 3y ago
Artificial scarcity controlled by the developer is what pretty much all software, movies, tv shows, streaming, etc. are selling.
johnnyanmac 3y ago
>Why addict yourself to something your counterparty has every incentive to abuse you over? sorry if this answer sounds dismissive, but well: "because it's fun". I don't think myself as that strong an addict, though. So if it starts feeling not fun I simply quit spending, and likely quit altogether. >Or as I asked in terms of my EVE Online experience, "Am I actually enjoying every moment of playing, or am I doing work I don't enjoy just so that I can get something?" that's honestly an interesting question in and of itself. Because real life can have that analog too. Especially for an MMO like Eve. There may not always be times where I want to go out with friends, but I want to keep good relations, so I can put up with it until/unless I really can't make that plan. I imagine guilds in MMOs have similar incentive. At some point you make genuine friends and you're there for them more than the daily grind itself. It's a means to gather friends together.
- ethbr0 3y ago
  Cigarettes are fun too. But if you start smoking knowing that they're addictive... The thing that really rubs me wrong is that you're playing a rigged game (literatively and figuratively) when you invest effort into grind games. Essentially everything about the game world is under the developer's control, and they can use anything they want to get you to do what they want (spend more money). Which to me feels like a card game where the dealer says "I'm going to cheat and redefine the rules whenever I want" and customers respond "Deal me in!" Granted, there are good and bad developers and publishers. I play a ton of Paradox games, and I'm generally happy with the balance.
  - johnnyanmac 3y ago
    Cigarettes are a great example. Because while there are more restrictions on how to advertise them, limits on where you can smoke, and age restrictions on who to sell to, they are still perfectly legal to own and overall legal to sell to the right people. I don't personally care if they set more restrictions, but I'm not really a fan of outright banning something that an able adult chooses to partake in. Which seems to be how so much of the conversation goes on the topic. In any case, I still don't believe that games are so addicting as to be compared to Cigarette's nicotine. I a dealer changes the rules too drastically and maliciously against my ability to have fun... I leave. And that's why many mobile games outside of the absolute top money makers tend to be short lived. They aren't just a casino holding players hostage, they compete with other games and even medium, and like any game it can be hard to hold attention. Some may not even go in with the intent to hold the player attention for more than a few months. >Granted, there are good and bad developers and publishers. I play a ton of Paradox games, and I'm generally happy with the balance. of course. It's the same even with old school PS1/N64 titles. But I suppose many people aren't knowledgable enough in those games to know which are good/bad, and assume all are bad.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

by ethbr0 3y ago

HWR_14 3y ago

Artificial scarcity controlled by the developer is what pretty much all software, movies, tv shows, streaming, etc. are selling.

johnnyanmac 3y ago

>Why addict yourself to something your counterparty has every incentive to abuse you over? sorry if this answer sounds dismissive, but well: "because it's fun". I don't think myself as that strong an addict, though. So if it starts feeling not fun I simply quit spending, and likely quit altogether. >Or as I asked in terms of my EVE Online experience, "Am I actually enjoying every moment of playing, or am I doing work I don't enjoy just so that I can get something?" that's honestly an interesting question in and of itself. Because real life can have that analog too. Especially for an MMO like Eve. There may not always be times where I want to go out with friends, but I want to keep good relations, so I can put up with it until/unless I really can't make that plan. I imagine guilds in MMOs have similar incentive. At some point you make genuine friends and you're there for them more than the daily grind itself. It's a means to gather friends together.

ethbr0 3y ago
Cigarettes are fun too. But if you start smoking knowing that they're addictive... The thing that really rubs me wrong is that you're playing a rigged game (literatively and figuratively) when you invest effort into grind games. Essentially everything about the game world is under the developer's control, and they can use anything they want to get you to do what they want (spend more money). Which to me feels like a card game where the dealer says "I'm going to cheat and redefine the rules whenever I want" and customers respond "Deal me in!" Granted, there are good and bad developers and publishers. I play a ton of Paradox games, and I'm generally happy with the balance.
- johnnyanmac 3y ago
  Cigarettes are a great example. Because while there are more restrictions on how to advertise them, limits on where you can smoke, and age restrictions on who to sell to, they are still perfectly legal to own and overall legal to sell to the right people. I don't personally care if they set more restrictions, but I'm not really a fan of outright banning something that an able adult chooses to partake in. Which seems to be how so much of the conversation goes on the topic. In any case, I still don't believe that games are so addicting as to be compared to Cigarette's nicotine. I a dealer changes the rules too drastically and maliciously against my ability to have fun... I leave. And that's why many mobile games outside of the absolute top money makers tend to be short lived. They aren't just a casino holding players hostage, they compete with other games and even medium, and like any game it can be hard to hold attention. Some may not even go in with the intent to hold the player attention for more than a few months. >Granted, there are good and bad developers and publishers. I play a ton of Paradox games, and I'm generally happy with the balance. of course. It's the same even with old school PS1/N64 titles. But I suppose many people aren't knowledgable enough in those games to know which are good/bad, and assume all are bad.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]