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Are they less popular? Or is every game just a version of a grind simulator? Achievements and badges, I believe, are ruining games. The focus isn't on the actu

Are they less popular? Or is every game just a version of a grind simulator? Achievements and badges, I believe, are ruining games. The focus isn't on the actual gameplay, but on completion. It's a job. Here's my hot take: souls games have taken this to the extreme. The boss battles require you to try over and over and over to learn the specific move sequence to beat them. The games require a nearly specific progression of both in game and out of game skills and muscle memory. That's not entertainment, it's studying!!!

plasticchris 2y ago
One of the great lessons of game design is that learning is fun. So games that require thought are more engaging and fun. There is a threshold where it isn’t fun, but that’s different from person to person. Lots of people like the souls games, myself included. Try asking yourself, what isn’t a grind in my favorite game? Chances are that requires thought.
- Loughla 2y ago
  >what isn’t a grind in my favorite game? My all time favorite electronic games are (a) Descent [1995] and (b) Hillsfar [1989]. There is no grinding in those games, at all. >So games that require thought are more engaging and fun. It's not thinking, though. That's my whole point. It's memorization at best (souls games), and mindless point a to point b clicking at worst (Robocop Rogue City is the most recent example I can think of here). They're not puzzles, they're not thinking, they're just little achievement drips. I agree that learning is fun. The Dr. Brain and Gizmos and Gadgets were FANTASTIC back in the day. I would argue that games today don't really require a lot of learning. They're intentionally made so you feel a sense of accomplishment for just following the series of clicks. Maybe I'm just old and jaded. Who knows. Also, somebody needs to remake the Dr. Brain games. I just realized I need that in my life today.

plasticchris 2y ago

One of the great lessons of game design is that learning is fun. So games that require thought are more engaging and fun. There is a threshold where it isn’t fun, but that’s different from person to person. Lots of people like the souls games, myself included. Try asking yourself, what isn’t a grind in my favorite game? Chances are that requires thought.

Loughla 2y ago
>what isn’t a grind in my favorite game? My all time favorite electronic games are (a) Descent [1995] and (b) Hillsfar [1989]. There is no grinding in those games, at all. >So games that require thought are more engaging and fun. It's not thinking, though. That's my whole point. It's memorization at best (souls games), and mindless point a to point b clicking at worst (Robocop Rogue City is the most recent example I can think of here). They're not puzzles, they're not thinking, they're just little achievement drips. I agree that learning is fun. The Dr. Brain and Gizmos and Gadgets were FANTASTIC back in the day. I would argue that games today don't really require a lot of learning. They're intentionally made so you feel a sense of accomplishment for just following the series of clicks. Maybe I'm just old and jaded. Who knows. Also, somebody needs to remake the Dr. Brain games. I just realized I need that in my life today.