Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community

  • Aenima123
    Founder

    @unhandythreax a dit dans Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community :

    @aenima123 said in Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community:

    @savagetwinky a dit dans Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community :

    @oniji-yi said in Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community:

    Addiction is a strong word to use for a shift in gaming trends... New generations to gaming create new methods and preferences (e.g. mobile gaming). Actually, to my knowledge, there have been FAR more vertical progression games produced over the decades (though I have no concrete data).

    My personal feeling is what’s missing from SOT is a feeling of accomplishment. There is Legend status to achieve but other than that once you have the look you want there’s very little you can earn. There is also no real meaningful social interaction outside of just talking on a mic (and for Xbox users communication is very limited).

    The problem here is how recent trends create a sense of accomplishment. On one hand, you have game after game dolling out unceremonious awards for basically.. playing. Those sort of play into addiction... where your not really accomplishing anything but your being rewarded for effort spent.

    On the other hand, there has been a resurgence of gaming where accomplishment is just... playing better. Games like kerbal space program, Minecraft, and sea of thieves... can all be rewarding experiences without having to slap a gold sticker on everything you do.

    Once again i think some of you are giving far too much credits to Rare because of fanboyism. That's all right, we all been there.
    SoT is full of action-reward systems, being the gold when you turn in pretty much anything to companies, the titles you earn, the commendations to unlock, the achievements, the reputations to level (with the little progress bar that appear each time you turn in something) in order to unlock the legendary captain status.
    Why are you going into a shipwreck for instance ? Because it's fun ? No, because there is possibly rewards inside.
    Even PvP, the main reason people are engaging ino PvP in the first place is because an ennemy ship may be full of rewards.

    Rare made cool games back in the day, but the only thing the current studio has in common today is its name. SoT won't leave its mark into the industry, there is nothing revolutionnary about it, it's a fun, light-hearted casual game meant to be played casually between friends and family.

    hell yeah im going in the shipwreck cuz its fun! I've been wanting to play a pirate in a game for like 15 years! the finding of loot is an added bonus.

    Come on now... You go in shipwreck because there is a chance to find something valuable in it, or because you have to replenish your stock of ressources. Every shipwreck is exactly the same, there is nothing particular to see in it. Imagine there wouldn't be any chance to find anything in a shipwreck, are you telling me that you would bother to go in it more than once ? Please. The loot isn't a bonus, it is the reason why you keep going in it more than one time. Let's be honest.

  • Lucid Stew
    Founder

    @tavishhill2003 said in Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community:

    Also, the voyage system isn't a Skinner Box.

    Let's hear your argument in support of this statement.

  • MrBrocksEgo
    Ship Mate
    Insider

    I really feel like the people railing against my OP are taking a really black and white view of something that had a bit more depth than that. They keep arguing about how the game does have some of these mechanics, and comparing them to other games with similar mechanics (or use the other strawman, lack of content, to justify arguments for more emphasis on unlockable gameplay options).The original point was that those mechanics, the voyage reputation and level system, are actively not emphasized by the rest of the game. They are there but there is very obviously little point to them, if you aren't searching for extra game info you wouldn't even know about the legends only area.

    The game wears its use of these mechanics on its sleeve, its not hiding them, or using them to trick you into sticking around. They're just there to flavour the game world and gate cosmetics, and they are explicitly not the main focus of the game. Every bit of media, and context given by the devs points again and again for their interest in player driven content. Which depending on what kind of gamer you are, may or may not count as content at all.

    If you've watched or read any of the extra information regarding skinner boxes, which is in the OP and has also been posted in the ensuing conversations, you will see that nobody has been arguing such a black and white version of this. Read the OP, watch some videos, take a good think on the matter and calm down, we aren't going to war here.

  • SavageTwinky
    Master
    Insider

    @aenima123 said in Skinner box style addictive games are generally considered as parasitic in the game development community:

    Once again i think some of you are giving far too much credits to Rare because of fanboyism. That's all right, we all been there.
    SoT is full of action-reward systems, being the gold when you turn in pretty much anything to companies, the titles you earn, the commendations to unlock, the achievements, the reputations to level (with the little progress bar that appear each time you turn in something) in order to unlock the legendary captain status.
    Why are you going into a shipwreck for instance ? Because it's fun ? No, because there is possibly rewards inside.
    Even PvP, the main reason people are engaging ino PvP in the first place is because an ennemy ship may be full of rewards.

    Rare made cool games back in the day, but the only thing the current studio has in common today is its name. SoT won't leave its mark into the industry, there is nothing revolutionnary about it, it's a fun, light-hearted casual game meant to be played casually between friends and family.

    Or you view the "rewards" as important of an object as the flag in capture the flag. You're supposed to grab them, protect them, and steal them... and see what happens in the process. I don't need the game to give me any other reason to play beyond the core gameplay loop. It's either an enjoyable loop or it isn't for people.

    For people just trying to unlock stuff but don't enjoy the gameplay loop... your doing it wrong.

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