The notable thing is man finds highest joy in the things which give him no materialistic reward. Then be it reading a book, taking a walk in the park or trekking. Man has always found solace in these noncommercial activities. What could be the reason behind it? The most important reason is it lets people to forget their tiny existence, as while experiencing these activities they are in a sort of hallucinating trip. They shun away from the regularities of life for a moment and that’s when they find the comfort zone of which they are in dire need of. They experience the uninterrupted flow of singular emotion and though of peace and relaxation.
Practically speaking, the psychology which motivates a gamer to spend hours on the controller is no different than the above explanation. He also finds refuge in gaming; a way to say no to daily life. But like other activities like reading and swimming, gaming also needs its own uninterrupted flow, which is strong enough not to be distracted by externalities. Now the main question is how to bring that flow through the Game Designing process?
Though such flows are the result of many factors, but difficulty level can be considered as the basic criteria in maintaining that flow. If game is too simple, players will lose the interest too soon. If it’s too difficult, player will get frustrated and will be repelled by the game. Hence, it’s of paramount importance that game should find a golden mean in this aspect of difficulty. It’s a wise move to keep options of different difficulty levels open to the gamer. As per his skills and expertise, he can select a level and remain connected to the game, which is very important. Thus, intense testing of multiple conditions is necessary to visualize and see how different difficulty levels work.
Another vital aspect is communication with the gamer. Not for a moment he should be in the dark about the whereabouts of the game. He must be informed about the points which he has won, the artilleries he has in war of fighting games. Most importantly, he should get feedback about whether he is going in the right direction or not. This is necessary for his undivert state of mind, as he can fully concentrate on the game play rather than being puzzled about the directions and weapons.
Practically speaking, the psychology which motivates a gamer to spend hours on the controller is no different than the above explanation. He also finds refuge in gaming; a way to say no to daily life. But like other activities like reading and swimming, gaming also needs its own uninterrupted flow, which is strong enough not to be distracted by externalities. Now the main question is how to bring that flow through the Game Designing process?
Though such flows are the result of many factors, but difficulty level can be considered as the basic criteria in maintaining that flow. If game is too simple, players will lose the interest too soon. If it’s too difficult, player will get frustrated and will be repelled by the game. Hence, it’s of paramount importance that game should find a golden mean in this aspect of difficulty. It’s a wise move to keep options of different difficulty levels open to the gamer. As per his skills and expertise, he can select a level and remain connected to the game, which is very important. Thus, intense testing of multiple conditions is necessary to visualize and see how different difficulty levels work.
Another vital aspect is communication with the gamer. Not for a moment he should be in the dark about the whereabouts of the game. He must be informed about the points which he has won, the artilleries he has in war of fighting games. Most importantly, he should get feedback about whether he is going in the right direction or not. This is necessary for his undivert state of mind, as he can fully concentrate on the game play rather than being puzzled about the directions and weapons.