How much choice do you really think you have, Cody?

by RC , UK, Sunday, March 31, 2013, 16:22 (4043 days ago) @ Cody Miller

Chasing after a goal can be fun.

That's the whole point of these 'investment' systems: providing goals for you.

See: flow theory.

That's not fun, that's obedience. Bleep Bloop achievement unlocked. Congrats on doing exactly what you're told.

Noticed he said can be fun. Obviously he finds it fun and you don't.

Eh, that's not the point. Imagine living your life where you never made your own goals, but instead tried only to meet goals set by others for you. What kind of life would that be? So why do we accept that when we play video games for fun?

A lot of people actually really suck at creating their own goals. It is much easier to adopt one. That's not 'obedience' because in games you can still fully choose not to do it.

Too often, yes, it is not presented by developers or seen by players as a choice to adopt the goals or not. They seem coerced too heavily. Too often, the goals they provide are not interesting.

But the goals are there, ready and waiting for you. You can choose to adopt them, and you can end up having fun during the pursuit of it.

It is a sacrifice in the initial intrinsic motivation to be able to provide more activity to more people. People who, because they didn't even realise that those goals could be constructed, might have left the game otherwise.

It may not ever reach the highs that you dream of Cody, and more complex, higher-skill and creative in-game goals are to be encouraged. But not everyone is there yet or will ever get there. But it is ultimately their leisure time to do with as they wish. If that is low-skill repetitive actions towards an adopted goal then - make them aware of the alternatives - but leave them to it. They chose video gaming when others vegetate on the couch watching TV. There are degrees of fun.

Besides, you really think all your gaming goals are wholly self-directed? You didn't invent speed running, Cody. You merely adopted it. Remember Twin Galaxies? You're so obedient to others Cody. And you didn't even get the reward! Did you end up having fun doing it anyway? Do you look back on it as a worthwhile accomplishment? No? Are you a robot?