The Skinner Box - How Games Condition People to Play More - Extra Credits

What people said

glogla · 2017-09 · Recommendation

Take a look at this video [1] for explanation, and possibly other Extra Credits videos if you're interested in game design. [1]: [VIDEO]

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pdkl95 · 2015-09 · Recommendation

> time slips away It doesn't help that many modern games explicitly use Operant Conditioning to keep people playing. MMOs and "free to play" games are notorious, but you will find Skinner Boxes in a lot of modern games. Extra Credits has a nice overview, which includes a few design suggestions which games can use instead of hooking players with a reward schedule. [VIDEO] Also, it's not just games - you will find Operant Conditioning style reward schedules in some "social media" businesses, too, which can waste someone's day just as bad as any game.

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stcredzero · 2019-02 · Reference

These days though, monetization frequently means vastly inferior games make way, way more money. To an algorithm, or a metric, even miserable feeling variable schedule or reward addiction looks like "engagement." So if there's "engagement" and money, why should companies do anything different? [VIDEO] So how is it that games which have "art" don't come along, charge a bit less money, and win in the marketplace? I guess the argument can be made that they do, but they're in the minority. I wonder if there aren't also generational issues? Maybe the environment of today, where even young people have tablets and smartphones is just a different one?

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