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It's All Porn and Games 'Til Someone Gets Hurt
An 11 year old kid in Britain recently got caught selling adult DVDs on school grounds (at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/4678869.stm). When I first read this, three thoughts immediately went through my mind, in quick...
New exciting on-line Backgammon Tournament
Gammon-on-Net is a new gaming site with the primary goal of enhancing the player’s fun and pleasure. Everything is set-up so that Backgammon players have a well-designed and highly reader-friendly site that makes the extra effort to deliver a...
Poker Strategy - A Simple Six Step Guide to Big Profits
Poker Strategy - A Simple Six Step Guide to Big Profits
There is no one set strategy that suits everyone in poker. We're all different, and if everyone could win by playing the same way, then poker would not be such a challenge, or as much fun! ...
Slot Machines - The Basics
Slot machines are by far the easiest - and one of the most fun - games in the casino to play. Simply insert your coin and pull the handle. One of the oldest jokes in the world is to call slot machines "one armed bandits" because - with some of...
Sportsbook Money Lines
The Money Lines, as some may call, are not as complicated as it appears. Unlike point spreads which represents probability based on game points, money lines represents probability with money.
A simple way to understand money lines is to think of it...
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Why We Play Games, Part 1
There exists some ephemeral quality that separates gamers from the rest of humanity, some thing that makes us, us and them, not us. I've never been able to quite put my finger on it, but it is inescapably there. Today, in hopes of moving closer to that essential quality of gamerosity, we examine part of what makes us tick. In particular, we take a look at what draws different types of gamers to the hobby. Every gamer plays for different reasons, but there are common threads that tie the experience together.
Many gamers are motivated by the challenge a game can present. Success in a game may be governed by any of a wide variety of abilities. A First Person Shooter requires twitch reflexes, a steady hand and the ability to remain calm under pressure. A word puzzle game may require an extensive vocabulary and the ability to rethink the uses of old words, but no measure of speed. A sports simulation might well require an in-depth knowledge of the topic, in addition to arcade skill, but is unlikely to have terribly much concern for linguistic acumen.
The common thread is that all of the games challenge some subset of a player's abilities. This challenge can be a powerful motivator. The Challenge Motivated gamer is drawn to a game that tests their skills, preferably one that tests them to their limits. The gamer may also be motivated by the natural improvement that comes from working at peak. They are driven then, not only to excel, but to improve. Challenge Motivated Gamers thrive whenever a game pushes their skill set
of choice, but may be disinterested in games that fall too far away from the target.
Competition is a close cousin of challenge. Many gamers are driven by the need to prove they are the best, to be pitted against their fellows and come out on top. Competition minded gamers range from those looking for a challenge in a fair fight to the sort of win-at-all cost leet speaking infants that give us all a bad name. Competition can be easy to take too far. There is nothing inherently wrong with being driven by competition. To some extent, competition is merely challenge taken to the extreme. It is only when it leads to mistreating your fellow player that it begins to become less a motivation and more an unfortunate personality quirk. Competition Motivated players thrive on those games where they are pitted against one another with the outcome dictated by skill at playing the game. They will often wane in those environments that either require cooperation, such as many MMORPGs, or in games where skill plays a much smaller role, such as in less sophisticated card or dice games.
Next week we will take a look at some other common gamer motivations, including Creativity and Escapism.
About the Author
Steve is a member of the GrandMatrix team. They provide a broad range of games and puzzle articles and reviews. Read more articles, download and play the latest PC games for free plus enjoy thousands of user submitted puzzles, quizzes and word games at: http://www.grandmatrix.com
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