Human psychology is inextricably linked with almost every type of game
The psychological connection starts from the beginning, as the game inventor determines which concept will hold a player’s interest and the “psychology of fun.” What is fun and, indeed, what fun is. As with humor, the essence of fun is slippery, subjective, unpredictable, and deeply personal.
A game designer must balance skill level as well. Players want to be challenged but also feel smart. Although a simple trivia game, Trivial Pursuit became a household name by sneaking in questions that often sounded tough but were easy. “What river delta in southwestern Vietnam...” This is an easy question thinly disguised as a hard question. How many Vietnamese river deltas do you know? Anyone who has seen a film set during the Vietnam war knows the answer is the Mekong, but there’s still a hit of dopamine delivered to the brain when you get it right. In a time when fewer people were playing board games, the game turned something trivial into something almost essential in its day.
This story is from the Spring 2021 edition of Casual Game Insider.
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This story is from the Spring 2021 edition of Casual Game Insider.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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