Skinner box techniques in gaming.

[Eric the Orange]

If you haven't seen the Extra Credits episode on it here it is.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2487-The-Skinner-Box

The jist of it is some games use skinner box techniques to make the game more "addictive" in place of "fun".

But here's the thing, I still love those games. The most guilty of this are probably Dungeon crawlers (aka "diablo clones"). But I still love dungeon crawlers, despite knowing that the game is just manipulating me into the perception of fun.

My question is, is this wrong? Should I, now aware that I'm being manipulated stop liking these games?

 

[2xDouble]

No, of course not [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2985-Gamification]. But you should be more aware of what exactly you're doing that's fun, and don't be fooled by fake fun.

 

[GiantRaven]

My opinion on the matter is that Borderlands is fun.

 

[Bon_Clay]

Diablo 1 and 2 are some of my favourite games ever. I enjoyed the dungeon crawling, and any time I started getting bored I would make a new character. Then repeat that till I just took a break from the game for a while. And next time I went back it was fun again.

 

[octafish]

I pretty much only play racing games where you can earn money to hop up your ride. If a thing works, it works, don't overthink it. I find those racers fun, and the skinner box element certainly adds to the fun.

 

[waive]

As long as your having fun, it's not a problem. The problem is when you do something you don't find fun because you need to advance in the game.

Like farming heroics in wow for weeks even though you don't enjoy it, or w/e.