Do we really want games to surprise us? (Gaming)

by Korny , Dalton, Ga. US. Earth, Sol System, Wednesday, August 09, 2017, 12:59 (2664 days ago) @ Harmanimus

I think the issue is that the wording frames it a) in the negative and b) as a detraction from the game. Specifically the implication of "grinding" which is in all cases player fabricated and player enforced. A developer cannot make you grind, so the presentation leaves a sour taste for many folks who don't choose to treat it as a flaw.

Well, I meant it more in the sense that it would be safe and predictable (hence the word "coast"). I mean, those terms aren't inherently flaws to me, but you aren't likely to be caught off guard, or hit with a truly game-changing moment.

I've often argued against folks like Cruel, who bemoan grinds, and who claim that you need to "grind for weeks" in Destiny to have fun or succeed. Those claims are false. You only grind as much as you want to. There are tons of different activities to do, and all of them these days help you get ahead.

But we're familiar with these activities. I wanted to highlight a game that goes completely against what we're familiar with in gaming in general, and contrasting that with Destiny's consistent direction was, I felt, an effective way to set up the new things brought to the table. I wasn't expecting to trigger Raga.