Shouldn't Games Be Fun?
by Elizabeth Harper 
Jul 5th 2006 at 1:30PM
This article from The Escapist tackles the topic of boredom in video games, and having recently spent the time to grind to honored standing with the Timbermaw faction, I can certainly understand what they're talking about. At some point in World of Warcraft it's all about the grind - whether you're grinding for faction standing, grinding for honor in PvP, grinding for gold, or grinding for gear in dungeons. And when the demands of the games are no longer fun for players? Some just leave, but others bypass the rules and purchase characters or gold - allowing others to do the less interesting parts for them. From the article: "It's fair to say that many players using these services find the time commitments required of them to be distasteful - in a word, these games are boring."Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Economy
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Franky Digital Jul 5th 2006 2:32PM
MMORPGs have been this way since they were born. It's a vicious cycle of activity, boredom, and then guilting out of leaving by feelings of abandoning that which was worked so hard for. That's why MMORPGs are poison; like a drug. They cause fun for a while, but the following guilt and boredom only serves to perpetuate the high.
And all for the low cost of $15 per hit.
MindTrigger Jul 5th 2006 4:43PM
There really is nothing you can do about it in this genre. If you make leveling too easy, people will burn through it and leave the game. Make it too hard and people will get sick of it and leave. The true 'art' in MMOs is striking a balance that keeps your subscribers around as long as possible. Whether or not the players are having fun, is up to them.
For me, I will play a game until I'm sick of it, or something better comes along. If you find yourself loggin into an MMO like WoW, and you are "bored", then you are pretty much missing the point of gaming. To COMPLAIN about the game being boring, while you are in it, is ludicrous. Solution: Move on to something else, otherwise shut up.
We are decades away from games that offer real AI, and truly dynamic content. For now it's grind, rinse and repeat. I'm farily new to WoW and I am a casual player. By casual I mean I only get in about 10 hours per week. I'm having a good time, but I realize at some point I will have explored most of the areas in the game, seen just about everything there is to see. I may even do this before I hit level 60. I feel no pressure to experience every aspect of the game. If it's fun enough, then that will happen naturally. If not, I will leave.
Sure, I log in sometimes and get bored simply because I really don't feel like gaming. The trick is knowing when you are just not in the mood, or you are completely done with the game. Some people just seem to get too emotionally (and financially) invested. I'm always looking for a better game :)
Burgdorn Jul 5th 2006 7:29PM
Oh the grind discussions... they go on and on and on and on.
Really there are many problems with this type of discussion, the first being the assumption that an MMO should play like and endless game with content similar to offline games. This doesn't work out too well because the idea of a MMO is to have a world that has tons of people always putting effort to get farther in whatever quest they are on. I guess it is grind by definition but if that isn't your cup of tea this game is designed around putting it down till expansion then coming back and lvling again, I think that is why Blizzard has a no delete policy.
Then again I do agree rep grinding needs some work done to it. 1st design enough story elements to make it possible to do missions to exhalted if you like. As of right now there is one mission you can repeat for rep, but that is very different then lvling where there is always someone who needs help for something. It is still a grind but at least it feels like it has purpose. 2nd make it worth it, not just making gear that allows you to just conquer an instance but allow a person to actually make gear that will raise their stats so they can use it in PvP rather then going to raids.
Still I can't understand how anyone can't really find something to do, Timbermaw exluded as they are an evil doorway that is boooooring. There is always something being added into the game that allows you to have a little bit of fun without worrying about the daily grind. Good 5-man parties can turn the game into a great accomplishment of chatting and gear upgrades, especially when you working on your D2 set which carries tough challenges to accomplish.
Well that is my 2 copper,
Burgdorn out
Melengar Jul 5th 2006 11:10PM
I got bored of all this grind-without-end-and-without-fun stuff and I dis/deleted my full tier 2 epic priest cause I didnt want to come back ever again. You can see my video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSjyQwMEIAc
Burgdorn Jul 6th 2006 7:18PM
Hmmm when ever I see someone go and delete everything they every accomplished in this game, I really feel worried. I've only got 60days or so since release on my character but haven't reached a burnout to the extent that I've grown to feel revolted by my main. To be perfectly honest I think he is the greatest character I've ever made. I've yet to bring another player to lvl 60 because, well I like my main. I do agree it can get to be a grind, and it can be exhausting especially when a guild falls apart. I always say it is because people stop seeing this as a game. It becomes a job. The stress you felt towards your character is more kin to a job lifestyle burnout.
You have grown tired of your co-workers, and all you've gained through your hard work so you decided to literally burn your hobby to the ground. I just worry about this. I mean how many people who build model airplanes do you see burn all their models because it just has stressed them out to a degree of personal disgust? So the biggest problem has been keeping this within a person's realm of control and enjoyment. A lot of people usually have about 6hrs or 10hrs to play games with their free time, not factually I'm just building a case, but after they get WoW and find it absolutely fun they begin to revolve their life around it. Instead of making it a hobby for your free time, it begins to gobble up lunch, breakfast, and time with the family. The ride is intense like box car racing, which is a simple boy scout hobby, because your not just doing this by yourself.
The idea of MMOs by themselves is intoxicating because they are a race to the finish for quite a few people. To others they are a way to socialize with old friends and meet new ones, but to keep up with their friends some people can play abnormal hours. These are competitive measures that can lead to that little addiction that people can become disgusted with. Then that leads to my concern, that people just begin to look at this game as a vile activity that can't be walked away from because advancement would be impossible. The only way they see to releave themselves from it is to... well gut the game of any value it had to them.
It is like scaring yourself by cutting your legs off so you can't walk outside because you hate it just that much. This... saddens me because the game is a form of entertainment. If the grind is bothering you that much, well stop! If the game is that mundane then stop! There is a point when public display is a sign of addiction rather then to truly offer valuable advice. People need to relax a lot, realise what they are doing and get a grip of a situation.
Well this is just a rant because, I worry about people who blame an activity for something. Then go and publicly show how they have rid themselves of it. Maybe a more constructive measure like walking away from it, and not returning would be a good idea. Just... walk away. My mother goes to AA meetings, and they don't burn beer factories, or break all their beer bottles in a public display. They just face their problem, and resolve themselves to never letting it effect their lives. I think the same measures could be used for WoW, and I hope people can realize what is actually going on rather then blaming a game.