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This topic has moved here: Subject: What engages you in a video game?
  • Subject: What engages you in a video game?
Subject: What engages you in a video game?

I was reading the latest Breaking in - Chris Chambers edition and I thought of an interesting idea. In the beginning, the article states:

How do you know you're any good? Are you rewarded for blowing stuff up with a sense of accomplishment? Do you feel like you get better over time? These questions belong to a team that schemes behind the scenes to keep you feeling engaged by the games you play.
In this article, Chris discusses his job at Bungie. Specifically, "I work on the engineering side of the 'investment' team, which mostly does progress bars".

With that being said, I pondered on the idea. What engages a player? Fast paced action, repeated again and again, or a long staircase, winding its way to an ever-distant light? What keeps you playing that game you bought three years ago? Being one of the top ranked, most experienced players, or those tight corners with shotguns and grenades?

TL;DR: What engages you more: fast paced, in-game action, or a progress bar that shows your achievements over a long period of time?

  • 07.31.2012 12:02 AM PDT

I usually prefer Achievement progressment over a period of time.

  • 07.31.2012 12:06 AM PDT

ShawtyHullstineFilms CEO-Team MLG EXTREME

I don't think either of those things are what really engage me. I mean, they're nice. But THE MOST important thing is the feeling that you're really a part of that universe. The ability for the player to be immersed is what's going to make your game.

If Bungie can immerse me in Destiny as well as they did with Halo, then they will be one of the very few gaming companies that have captured lightning in a bottle twice.

  • 07.31.2012 12:10 AM PDT

Key

Neither of those things engage me in a video game. The following do:

In-depth, yet accessible UI to make story-telling and gameplay seemless.

A compelling storyline.

Rewards and incentives to keep playing apart from linear story progression.

An interesting main character.

"A bad guy in the story who's motives are clear" -Harry S. Plinkett

  • 07.31.2012 12:12 AM PDT