Why do people play games

10 + 1 is the reason why we do what we do.

An article from the "hooligan game design" series. A system analyst and programmer writes about game design, who worked some time ago in game designer (never a game designer).

The article was written in collaboration with the captain Obvious. At the same time controversial and replete with author extrapolation. Although nothing that would be refuted by the facts I know, I try not to write.

Go?

People do not like to waste time.

Yes, few things, we appreciate so dearly and spend so ineptly.

Especially a shame to waste time on waiting. And even more offensive when there is time, but there is nothing to take. These pauses are easily filled with games. There is nothing to do - so at least I'll play.

Then it often turns out that at games we “lose” more time than we saved. But is it lost?

Yes, during this time we could build a house, plant a tree, catch a beaver who came to nibble our tree ... Yes, and it’s easier to have children when you don’t sit at a computer until the morning. Not to mention growing them.

But, hand on heart, do we consider the time spent in games so lost?
Even if we believe, it is not completely sincere. Why? Because there are more reasons why people play games. For example…

People love to dream

As children we represent ourselves as heroes of our favorite books and films. We play cosmonauts, warriors, doctors. We live the lives of heroes, enjoy their emotions. It does not go anywhere after.

For a good fantasy, we need a framework: a fairy kingdom, historical events, certain life circumstances. A game, in contrast to movies and books, not only set the frame. But also allow to participate in the beloved world.

And to love the world, we have enough to surprise. After all…

People love to be surprised

Surprise and admire. Everything unusual attracts our attention. It is the games that surprise us (game mechanics, graphics, the game world) and attract us.

We really like everything new, never seen before, because ...

People love to learn

Yes Yes. We are learning something from birth. Walk, hold a spoon, add and subtract. And we continue to study until old age. To study is not only to sit at the school desk and “gnaw granite” in the university.

In everyday life, we also learn. We optimize the route from home to work. Learning to turn on and off the light without looking. Choose from the varieties of pasta the most edible ... Even homeless people constantly pump skills, for example, search for aluminum cans. Whether we want it or not, we are constantly learning.

Maybe this is not a basic instinct, but a person’s high adaptability is the result of his everyday training. There are animals that use tools to achieve their goals. But civilization was built by people. Which is always enough of what they have already learned.

Any game is learning. Skills that develop games, in 99% of cases will be needed only in games. But this is pure training. When we start to play a new toy, we are awkward, inattentive, make many mistakes. But it takes quite some time and ...

People love to reach the goal.

Very fond of. In many ways, because it turns out not as often as I would like. In real life, especially. Even those goals that seem achievable and the achievement of which, it seems, depends only on us ... Even they, it happens, suddenly make a feint with a tail at the most nasty moment.

Life is too variable for all plans to come true. But the game is invariant (imagine). They are designed in such a way that the most attractive goals in them would be achievable. The widest audience. At least those games that have this audience.

So, make all games casual? No, because…

People love to fight

Win? Win too. But, precisely, to fight. We need a fight.

We are social creatures. And, like all social creatures, we constantly have a fuss for a place in the pack. And not even for the first places. Not for the driver’s console, but at least for the distance from the toilet in the second-class carriage. But if in the train we can simply buy a ticket for good places (if we get on the right time), then in life our position in any community is created by ourselves. Explicitly or implicitly.

The only way to change something in the current arrangement is a struggle. Call. "Comic" picks, demonstration of achievements in bodybuilding or financially, "friendship" for someone or against someone. A lot of things to eat.

All this is sublimated into toys. And, the more clearly our place of life is determined, the more I want to challenge this challenge. Moreover, it can be thrown not by an evil boss, but not by a less evil virtual boss (and even to fill up the latter is simpler).

And for the victory ...

People like to receive rewards.

A freebie? No, it is a reward. In real life there are some problems with this.

How many times have they promised us ... Finish the project ahead of time - go on vacation in July (yeah, of course - who will let go of the person who “drags” the projects on vacation?). You will work for three more months, we will add salary (no, of course we are happy with you, but you already get the most here anyway ...) And so on.

In games with rewards easier. You know that it will be and, often, you know what. True, sometimes for a two-week epic quest, randomly throws out the well-known walrus piece. And the developers sincerely believe that this is ridiculous and fair (after all, there is also a lot of tasty rulez in the random). But they just did not read this article.

If you go a little further in the reasoning, it becomes obvious that ...

People love certainty and stability.

The games are simple rules. In many games in general, the rules can not be broken - physically. The engine is too simple.

Yes, of course, there is a huge amount of any cheaters, but compared to the real, the vast majority of games are just a fantastic preserve of legality.

And with all the artificially created "injustice" of games, we like that everything is clearly and laid out on the shelves. Backwid - get it. Nachiteril - caught - get. Litter - shut up. You can take a break from the aggressive world that surrounds us. Or from the one created by the media (well, they like to frighten us).

And here there is a huge field for the manifestation of hamster nature ...

People love savings

Yes Yes. In real life, we lost the habit of saving food - you can buy it in the store. Saving things in chests is now even more stupid. To save money in a “solid”, not subject to inflation, currency or gold, not everyone succeeds. Usually the opposite is true - to pay off your debts before you get into new ones.

And in games we happily save. Play money, upgrades, cool stuff, achivki and turnips. And although the admins are trying to do so that the players do not increase fat (especially in F2P), but how nice to feel like Scrooge McDuck looking into his vault.

In fact, most games have direct, indirect, hidden, or combined inflation. And in online games constantly go nerfs / fixes. But, correlating the time frame of games and real life, we rejoice in stability.

And still there is an opportunity to jump above a head ...

People love excitement

Almost every game has a "casino". Even in Tetris can come, and may not come N "long" in a row. This is also a projection of the real. A primitive hunter can be lucky to find a big tasty game that has fallen into very cramped circumstances. Excavator can get treasure. And even non-gambling people play roulette in real life - at least take a job. Will the fateful vacancy appear at the moment when you are looking for a job or not?

Plus of games that thirst for passion can be satisfied "for free". In a well-made game, in which there is a reasonable attitude of the random to the skill, passing a level sometimes gives the same rush of endorphin as winning the lottery.

But the main thing is that ...

People love emotions

Yes, I could still mention victories, socialization, self-esteem and so on. But this is not the main thing.

We play games - because they give us positive emotions. How?

Look a little higher. If your game satisfies, at least half of the points above, it has at least potential. If not satisfied, then see point one - about lost time. Your lost development time.

Yes, if a person in real life experiences what is written above, then he does not play games or plays occasionally. But nothing prevents igrodelam please those who play.

Give positive emotions. In any field of activity and, of course, in games.

Ps. More about hooligan game design: Free2Play MMORPG. Types of players and their monetization