Video Games are Sucking You In and Not Letting Go

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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The WSJ lines out a fairly long article proclaiming how game devs are making it harder to stop playing video games (Archive). They go on to outline such evil atrocities, such as games being free, being available on many devices, doubling as social networks, and then they go into the ugliness of new content constantly being added via landscape and storyline, as well as being able to customize your avatars. Somebody has got to stop these evil bastards before we all end up with Gaming Disorder.


“Videogames are engineered specifically to keep people playing,” said Douglas A. Gentile, a research scientist focused on the impact of media on children and adults. “They’re designed to hit the pleasure centers of the brain in some of the same ways that gambling can.”

Game developers for years have tweaked the dials not only on how games look and sound but how they operate under the hood, and such changes have made videogames more pervasive and enthralling, industry observers say.


Isn't "videogame" two words? And wait till they find out how much money we are willing to spend on video cards, they are going to lose their minds.
 
Yeah I like paying money for less content so I can play less.
Fuck it, I'm going all in on Sega Saturn so I don't get any updates and swindled by these assholes.
Cause they're forcing me to play... and I can't possibly think for myself.
 
I love gaming. Always have...
I honestly wish I didn't...

You can always tell which of your friends love gaming and which of your friends don't - - (excluding just generally lazy people) simply by how many successful and industrious side projects (house, woodworking, car, etc) they have going compared to you. While I'm gaming for 2 hours a day, that person is building something in the real world.


I'm still a productive, industrious, contributing member of society, and family man, but, honestly I know I could be a little bit better at everything else if gaming was absent. Even in that knowledge, I still treasure my gaming time.


I do steer clear of games I know there is no end to, or are too deep. I know I'd love them, but I don't want to invite in that master. World of Warcraft comes to mind. I played the beta, before original launch, and absolutely knew I'd love that game, and --- probably do nothing but it. I never bought the game for that reason. I'd have been detrimental to me, personally, and my life goals and aspirations. I had a close friend and gaming buddy who literally spent 1/3 of his waking hours in World of Warcraft for three years, by the numbers. He worked, slept, and played World of Warcraft. No dating, no family, no extra circular. That's selfishly fun perhaps, but not how I want my years to be remembered - and I know I'd have been just as likely to walk into that trap. I think World of Warcraft is a years old example of what this concern is about -- and it's a legitimate concern. My daughters are 9 months, 2 years, 6 years, and 9 years old. I very sparingly allow them to play video games, and have purposely not introduced the older girls to my favorite titles that have been my biggest time sinks. As much as I appreciate a game, I don't want my life to revolve around it.
 
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Any hobby can be an addiction. This is no different. I like video games and have spent many hours with my favourite ones.

I also like working on cars. My garage is jam packed with automotive tools to the point of obsession. I've also made my money back and then some with what I've saved by not going to mechanics but that's another story.

I also love photography. I've probably spent just as much on lenses as I have my desktop if not more.

Guess the tool companies and lens companies are hitting all the pleasure spots in my brain and creating an addiction! Those evil bastards!

These idiots can come back when they want to talk about a real addiction. I used to smoke and gave it up for vaping. I didn't do it because I thought it was cool. I did it because it appears to be a healthier alternative and I know I can't stop long term. I don't want to do either. I just know that I stand a high chance of going back to cigarettes if I don't vape.

I'm slowly getting off this too, but that's what an addiction is. Being compelled to do something you may not want to.
 
I dunno they are actually a blessing, maybe. They are accelerating the inoculation of a vast number of gamers. Burn out on one of these hyper addictive but empty games and then get a good immunity boost to crap games for a good long time.

If they survive, i guess, as with any addiction, there are definite losers.
 
Idle hands are the Devil's playthings.

I would much rather have the youth of America addicted to video game hookers, e-crack, and shootouts in GTAONLINE9000 than real hookers, real meth, and shooting up my neighborhood for lulz.

I think video games are very much the savior of this day and age, especially once AI takes over and there are no longer any "REAL" jobs.

Or another dystopian view: The police can't frame me for doing something I'm not when I am clearly playing a game online for 12 hours straight. Loopholes are a bitch.
 
Any ACTIVITY can be an addiction. This is no different.

Fixed that for you.


New Flash: Almost everything in a consumer economy works this way.

This is no different than TV series that leave you wanting to see the next episode, or the book that leaves openings for the next book in the series.

Even Disneyland operates under this premise, adding new rides and making changes to old rides.

How about the cell phone? New one comes out with new must have features.
 
books are evil too /s
these nefarious authors uses specific hooks like an intriguing mysteries, and plot twists , to keep the reader hooked.
and they even uses the tactic of making trilogies.

and comics? oh boy, it uses visual cues like the casino industry, to pull the reader in...
/s
 
I just want to point out that no one accused the game companies of sucking players in by creating a great game.


P.S. I finally bought my GTX 1080 ($439.00), and then I bought Far Cry 5, and two nights ago I found out that if I play the way I like, the game moves the plot line ahead and in some ways finishes the game for me, which REALLY pissed me off. I was having a great time, but now I can't play the game.
 
Damn right EA would never do something like that! And you better believe that nothing of the sort would ever be done by Activision either!!

The fact that EA has moved to Origin Access Premier ($99/yr) that gives you not only the best editions of all their top games, but unlimited early access not available to regular pre-orders, should be a giant f'n wake-up call to people. Yet I don't see anybody talking about it. "BFV pre-orders are weak." So what? FIFA 18 made almost a BILLION dollars on MTX after the fact. Who gives a F about sticker price? They'll just Amazon Prime you into a regular thing with F2P quality and nickel-and-dime you into the grave. People are way too slow to adjust to this new reality.
 
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Instead of playing WoW, I should spend my time watching MSNBC. I'm sure that'd make the WSJ happy.
 
The more videogames do this kind of stuff the less I find myself playing them.
I love gaming. Always have...
I honestly wish I didn't...

You can always tell which of your friends love gaming and which of your friends don't - - (excluding just generally lazy people) simply by how many successful and industrious side projects (house, woodworking, car, etc) they have going compared to you. While I'm gaming for 2 hours a day, that person is building something in the real world.


I'm still a productive, industrious, contributing member of society, and family man, but, honestly I know I could be a little bit better at everything else if gaming was absent. Even in that knowledge, I still treasure my gaming time.


I do steer clear of games I know there is no end to, or are too deep. I know I'd love them, but I don't want to invite in that master. World of Warcraft comes to mind. I played the beta, before original launch, and absolutely knew I'd love that game, and --- probably do nothing but it. I never bought the game for that reason. I'd have been detrimental to me, personally, and my life goals and aspirations. I had a close friend and gaming buddy who literally spent 1/3 of his waking hours in World of Warcraft for three years, by the numbers. He worked, slept, and played World of Warcraft. No dating, no family, no extra circular. That's selfishly fun perhaps, but not how I want my years to be remembered - and I know I'd have been just as likely to walk into that trap. I think World of Warcraft is a years old example of what this concern is about -- and it's a legitimate concern. My daughters are 9 months, 2 years, 6 years, and 9 years old. I very sparingly allow them to play video games, and have purposely not introduced the older girls to my favorite titles that have been my biggest time sinks. As much as I appreciate a game, I don't want my life to revolve around it.

I have very similar feelings and have wasted too much time especially when I was younger on games. I guess we all need some sort of recreation/hobby though. Watching TV for example is just as much of a waste if not worse (since it's totally passive). My real obsessive hobby now is learning guitar, piano, and bass and I know those could be seen as a nonproductive waste of time too but at least at the end of the day I have something to show for it in the real world, not just some steam/xbox/etc achievements/trophies.

I never played Fallout: New Vegas for example and own it but I just can't bring myself to play it having already played Fallout 3 and 4. I know it's a huge time investment but however good it may be I know it's going to basically be the same experience as the other games.
 
The fact that EA has moved to Origin Access Premier ($99/yr) that gives you not only the best editions of all their top games, but unlimited early access not available to regular pre-orders, should be a giant f'n wake-up call to people. Yet I don't see anybody talking about it. "BFV pre-orders are weak." So what? FIFA 18 made almost a BILLION dollars on MTX after the fact. Who gives a F about sticker price? They'll just Amazon Prime you into a regular thing with F2P quality and nickel-and-dime you into the grave. People are way too slow to adjust to this new reality.

The word your thinking of is Player Choice.

Also we need to remember games are expensive. It's not like they can afford to keep updates and servers running on their own dime! EA couldn't afford to do that!
 
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How is what game designers are accused of doing by this article different from what FB/Twitter/TV networks/etc. are doing? Giving the customer what they want is good for business. Now what the customer wants may be bad for the customer, all things considered.

I can thank my interest in gaming from keeping me from becoming addicted to FB/Twitter/other social media. I figured out early on that social media would wind up being yet another time sink and decided I would rather spend that time gaming.
 
F2P mobile games should be forbidden. They play on people's gambling addiction.
This is why I will always support games like WoW. You pay a sub and then everyone's equal, depending on how they play. No $$$$$ whales spending thousands of dollars each month to get the advantage.
 
The WSJ - So an article written by old people, for old people to perpetuate the banging of canes on porches.
 
This sounds a lot like someone bitching who feels like they have been left out. Maybe they just need to write their own game ;)
 
The more videogames do this kind of stuff the less I find myself playing them.


I have very similar feelings and have wasted too much time especially when I was younger on games. I guess we all need some sort of recreation/hobby though. Watching TV for example is just as much of a waste if not worse (since it's totally passive). My real obsessive hobby now is learning guitar, piano, and bass and I know those could be seen as a nonproductive waste of time too but at least at the end of the day I have something to show for it in the real world, not just some steam/xbox/etc achievements/trophies.

I never played Fallout: New Vegas for example and own it but I just can't bring myself to play it having already played Fallout 3 and 4. I know it's a huge time investment but however good it may be I know it's going to basically be the same experience as the other games.
You've played 3 and 4, but not New Vegas? For shame good sir!

Game developers for years have tweaked the dials not only on how games look and sound
Could say the same about... Movies, but no video games are the Devils work.
 
I've had to stop playing any games that require maybe more then an hour of time. Kids sucking up valuable me time.
Fuckers

So I stick with Battlefield and GTA V mainly

Once the kids are older and can fend for themselves I'll get back to gaming and ignore them properly

:D
 
If not games, something else. Human beings are naturally addicted to one thing or another. I'm addicted to jogging and cleaning my cars.
 
Actually WSJ is owned by Murdoch/Fox. Although I agree that this is just one media type competing against another by portraying it as bad. I'm sure it's much healthier to spend all night in front of the TV than in front of a computer. They probably paid for a study that says that....

Instead of playing WoW, I should spend my time watching MSNBC. I'm sure that'd make the WSJ happy.
 
Like anything else in life I believe really there just needs to be a balance. Like the old saying, even too much of a good thing isn't necessarily good for you.
 
As is all too usual, they roughly hit the right wall, but somehow manage to miss the huge bullseye; who gives a smeg if games provide extreme value for money? It's the games that provide little game play whilst extracting as much money and time as possible from the player which are the real problem.
 
My daughters are 9 months, 2 years, 6 years, and 9 years old.

I agree with basically your whole post, and I have independently expressed the same concerns. However, noting the quoted part above.... You are shortly, surely, going to have no time for any kind of game. I suspect several years will be used playing, "Threaten the boy." It's like whack-a-mole.

Four girls. God almighty.
 
Who's old enough to remember the Pinball Panic of the '70s? Arcades ended up getting regulated in some districts!
 
Take heart. Eventually everyone has to moves out of your mother's basement. You will realize that gaming; though a good way to pass the time was actually a colossal waste of time.
Also that you are 40 and never kissed a real girl.
 
Crazy because I use to be really into games and burn the midnight oil playing them ect. Most the modern games are rehashes of rehashes of rehashes and can't even hold my interest thru a trailer. :oldman:
 
In other news, streaming video providers are making it harder for people to stop watching their content by inticing people to spend more time binge-watching entire series.
 
Fixed that for you.


New Flash: Almost everything in a consumer economy works this way.

This is no different than TV series that leave you wanting to see the next episode, or the book that leaves openings for the next book in the series.

Even Disneyland operates under this premise, adding new rides and making changes to old rides.

How about the cell phone? New one comes out with new must have features.

Heh, you lost me on cell phones. I, in general, hate phones and cell phones in particular. To me, phones are just an annoying distraction. Also, as a motorcycle rider, I've had way too many close calls with idiots that have their face glued to their phone while driving on the freeway. I've been forced on to the shoulder a few times by these morons (luckily the shoulders were paved!).

Now, I do have a cell phone, but it's old (Moto E gen 1) and was very inexpensive (found on sale for $29). I really only got it for emergency purposes and for getting a decent scientific/programmers calculator app. I have a pay-as-you-go cell phone plan so my yearly bill is on the order of $70 (yes, that's for the whole year).
 
I mean, I get it, but at the same time, I guess I'm not susceptible to at least the tricks used in video games. I find I'm playing far fewer video games, and they annoy me with their grindy tendencies than before gaming companies started employing behavioral psychologists to get people addicted.
 
Heh, you lost me on cell phones. I, in general, hate phones and cell phones in particular. To me, phones are just an annoying distraction. Also, as a motorcycle rider, I've had way too many close calls with idiots that have their face glued to their phone while driving on the freeway. I've been forced on to the shoulder a few times by these morons (luckily the shoulders were paved!).

Now, I do have a cell phone, but it's old (Moto E gen 1) and was very inexpensive (found on sale for $29). I really only got it for emergency purposes and for getting a decent scientific/programmers calculator app. I have a pay-as-you-go cell phone plan so my yearly bill is on the order of $70 (yes, that's for the whole year).

You dont even need to ride a bike to have close calls. This morning driving in to work I saw a guy head down texting on his phone going 75 mph with five feet between him and the next vehicle. Can you say organ donor?
 
Don't give the WSJ any traffic. Lest we forget pewdiepie and their slanderous accusations of Nazi support over comedy.
 
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