10 Clever Ways Developers Make You Addicted To Video Games
Ever get the feeling it's YOU who's being played?
So, it happened again.
You just bought a new game and swore that it was going to be used as a part-time amusement, but suddenly, you've been able to generate more free time than you've ever thought possible. There is no impending task that can't be put off in order to keep playing just that little more. You have become addicted, but don't worry, it happens to the best of us.
While some gamers are more susceptible to addiction to others, almost anybody that plays video games long enough will find themselves hopelessly hooked on a specific title. From sweeping epics like World of Warcraft and Skyrim to simple mobile titles such as Candy Crush or Desert Golf, addictive video games come in many forms, and can strike at any time.
However, if you stop to look at these titles from a critical standpoint, youll notice that theyre not so different after all. Many contain clever combinations of design methods, all aimed to get you to playing with no end in sight.
10. Giving You That First Big Win
If you're going gambling for the first time, the worst thing that can happen is you win big. Since gambling is designed to place the odds heavily against the player, there is nothing more dangerous than the getting it into your head that victory is anything but an exception.
For years, developers have taken advantage of this effect to keep us glued to our screens. By far the biggest user of this technique are RPGs. When you first start out, the game generously doles out experience points, levels, cinematic moments and items in order to show the player just how sweet victory can taste. From there, of course, the true nature of the game begins to reveal itself as you gradually begin to understand that those early moments represented an anomaly.
Simply because that initial sugar rush felt so great means you'll be subtly hooked for the duration. You'll stick through to the end to find all those rare moments of glory, even if they don't come for hours at a time.