TL:DR- Destiny was designed using behavioral psychology in mind to make it as addicting as possible. In that way, Bungie ensures constant demand. So try not to be too upset. The very things that frustrate you about the game are the same things that keep you coming back to play. So can you really blame Bungie, they are a business after all.
So a few things first. So I rarely post anything on this subreddit. I like to peruse the site for useful tips and the occasional funny video, and maybe ask a question. So I apologize for any reddiquette, grammar, or stream of consciouness mistakes I make. But I wanted to address all the salt I've seen lately. I'm a Day 1 player, but I also took a break after TDB until about a month before TTK, so I probably missed a lot of the Y1 salt during that time. I really enjoy Destiny, and I will continue to play it. This is not a post to defend Bungie. This is also not a post to criticize them for either being poorly managed or ineffecient. My "belief", and this is just one man's opinion btw, is that they are actually very well managed and everything is going according to plan with their business strategy.
Lately I've been finding myself questioning why I continue to play this game considering everyone doesn't seem to be enjoying it. I always come back to the friends I've made, the visual design, the music, and the sound of all the different guns. A lot of effort has gone into the design of this game and that should never be understated. As you all know, there's always something you can find to do in Destiny. A lot of times it's not even something you want to do, but at least it's SOMETHING to do. I started running other people through the Raid when I'd already finished it on all three characters. I tried participating more and more in PvP. I started posting on lfg sites to do Trials. This last IB was the first time I've ever gotten a character to rank 5, and I actually got all 3 to rank 5. I grinded for 5 hours on Monday to get a 320 ghost, with no such luck. Why did I do this? I don't even like PvP. What is it that makes 320 seem so important? If PvP doesn't really matter to me, what is it about the Lighthouse that is so vexing to me (pun intended hehe).
This is when I started wondering if I was really enjoying Destiny or if I was addicted to it? Where does excitement end and obsession begin? Obviously my knee jerk reaction was to say obviously not, it's just a lot of fun to play and I've had a little more free time than usual lately. But trying to remain objective about it, I started searching around to see if anyone else was asking the same questions. Next I thought, if I concede that I "might" be addicted to the game, who's fault is it? Mine because I have an addictive personality (damn cigarettes), or Bungie because their game is so addicting? Is it intentionally or accidentally addicting? THIS IS A VERY LOOSE ANALOGY, KEEP THAT IN MIND. But it's like the question, "Who's to blame, the gambler or the casino?" No one is forcing the gambler to keep spending money and playing, but everyone knows casinos are specifically designed so you want to keep playing voluntarily. After all, the next pull on the slots, or the next hand, could be the big one. Or in our Destiny world, the next IB match could land you that 320 ghost, or the next srl race could have a 320 helmet drop, or making a third character so you can run the raid each week just 1 more time to get those 320 gauntlets you need. Xur might sell that last exotic you need this friday. Don't want to be caught without strange coins. Oh my god, what if there's 2 I need, better farm PoE. You see what I mean.
So where am I going with this? I came across an article about behavioral psychology in video games. I found it while searching about a man named John Hopson, a behavioral psychologist that had consulted Bungie when they created Halo (I read several articles suggesting he also consulted Bungie on Destiny, but couldn't find any confirmation). He actually wrote an article back in 2001 about how to get players to play the way you want them to play, as opposed to just getting them to play at all. You can find it here: http://ift.tt/1uLyje8
But that's not the article I'm talking about. That you can find here: http://ift.tt/WU8Hb7 I think it's very true to Destiny in a lot of ways. I'll try to outline some of the points as I think they pertain to Destiny.
5) Destiny is definitely a Skinner Box. The Raid is just 1 of many examples. The only way to get 'A' is to pull 'B'. But I won't guarantee you ''A just because you pulled 'B'. You'll have to just keep pulling 'B' and hope for 'A'. A helmet only drops from Oryx. So you have to beat oryx to get a 320 helmet. But beating oryx doesn't guarantee you a 320 helmet as you know. So how do we stop someone from just beating oryx all day until they get a 320 helmet? Make it so they can only run it once a week for loot. We'll even let them create 2 more characters so they have 3 times the things to do when they can no longer run the raid.
4) Obviously the pellets is all the loot we gather. Armor and guns. Why do you think they gave us kiosks and more vault space. To appeal to our hoarder nature. Before you had to be more selective what you kept. Once you had what you wanted, there was no need to gather the other stuff because there was no room for it anyway. There is now, and we're asking for even MORE vault space!
3) Well now that we limited the rewards for pulling 'B' to once a week, how do we keep them interested while they wait to pull the lever again. I know, we create a second lever. But this lever has to feel different somehow. We'll call it crucible. This lever they can pull an unlimited number of times, but we'll make the drops totally random. Like literally anything. Random weapon, random armor, random class, random subclass, random light, random stats, random perks. This way they'll just keep pulling, thinking the next one could give them that perfect thing they're looking for.
2) "Easing them in" This is exemplified in the level versus light system. You start the game, leveling quickly, think you're making great progress, only to hit level 40 and find out that light matters, not level. And increasing your light level is way more difficult than increasing your level. Who cares you say? You beat the game you say? Not if you want to do the raid. Which makes the grind that much more satisfying when you're first lfg group lets you join cuz you're light level is high enough. And not to sell the raids short, they are amazing!
"Eliminating stopping points...where you make the levels really short so it's like eating potato chips." Again it's like crucible. C'mon, just 1 more match. They're only 10 minutes long. You've been at this for 2 hours. The next one is bound to drop the thing you're looking for. If you give up now, all that means is the last 2 hours was a waste of time. Don't quit now, you've made it this far...
"Play it or lose it..." I think this is signified by all the time gated guns, and special events. Oh sure, take a break from Destiny, we understand. Oh, but while you're gone all your friends will get the sleeper simulant or the black spindle. That's fine that you don't like PvP. But you're gonna miss out on all those 320 helmets and class items from SRL. You have a job and a family and can't play during the week, we understand, but you're not gonna leave yourself enough time to level your character to rank 5 in IB to be able to farm for that 320 ghosts on monday you want. Oh, you're significant other wants to do a romantic vacation somewhere for valentine's Day? Don't worry, you'll only miss the 320 ghosts there too since you didn't get any from IB EVEN THOUGH YOU SPENT THE ENTIRE WEEK LEVELING ALL 3 CHARACTERS TO RANK 5 AND 5 HOURS OF YOUR TIME ON MONDAY MERCY FARMING! Sorry, I digress, still a little bitter about it, just a little...
1) I think Destiny has gotten all of us to call it home. This subreddit, DestinyLFG, Guardian.gg, DestinyTracker, and countless others are all examples of this. The points he makes about our jobs hit very close to home for me, I'm sure for many others.
-Autonomy- we create our own characters, go on what quests we want when we want, use what guns we want, what armor we want, what shaders we want -Complexity- oh my god, remember that sword quest? oh and the first curse, damn you! -Connection Between Effort and Reward- I don't know about anyone else, but nothing makes me more excited than when I see that yellow engram pop up from a boss through my 1ks scope from across the room.
So what do I mean by all this? I like playing Destiny. I don't think I need to "quit" like I should cigarettes. I have no proof that Bungie intentionally implemented these tactics, but I think it's fairly obvious they have to some extent. I acknowledge that these tactics have worked on me, but that doesn't mean I enjoy the activities any less. But what I try to keep in perspective, and why I am writing this to all of you, is that the things that make me mad about this game aren't there by accident, they're there on purpose. A lot of the salt, complaining, Bungie Plz requests are never going to be fixed because they are in place to keep you coming back to play. You guys post your salty requests for change and then get angry when nothing changes because you feel like Bungie isn't listening. You blame it on transparency, efficiency, communication. IB loot drops need to be buffed. Challenge mode should have offered more items than just artifacts. The reality (as I perceive it; again this whole article is just one man's opinion) is that Bungie knows those things make you angry but it's those same things that keep you coming back week after week. Try to remember that Destiny isn't a "game" in the traditional sense anymore, it's a business. A business we helped manifest by creating the huge community that loves discussing it, analyzing it, and watching it. Like any business, they have a business strategy. And any great business strategy is centered on creating constant demand, whether it's demand from new business or from repeat business. Why do you think American made anything always break down after 5 years? Wouldn't make much sense to make a refrigerator or a car that lasts forever right? No one would ever need to buy a new one.
So the next time you get frustrated because you can't wrap your head around why something is the way it is, ask yourself, is this making me play more? Not necessarily WANT to play more, but play more? If the answer is yes, then chances are it's there for a reason. I know that doesn't change anything, but hopefully that perspective might at least alleviate the pulsing vein in your forehead. But if not, then try to get back to the fun and do something that you loved to do. Who knows, the way RNG works, you might just get what your after by dumb luck.
Submitted February 07, 2016 at 01:37PM by OrangeTrucks27 http://ift.tt/1W1ifQS DestinyTheGame
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