#YouTube user experience

[onyourstageleft]

[milijanakomad]

Product design and psychology: The Role of Grinding in Video Game Design

Keywords: Grinding, Video Gaming, Game Design, Player Engagement, Psychological Manipulation

Abstract:

This paper scrutinizes the utilization of "grinding" as a technique in video game design, particularly as a method of psychological manipulation that affects player engagement and behaviour. Case studies are explored to deliver a comprehensive understanding of the practical application of grinding and its implications, all from a product design viewpoint.

Introduction:

The design principles governing video games frequently incorporate mechanisms intended to stimulate player engagement and prolong interaction time. One such prevalent mechanism is "grinding," defined as the practice of executing repetitive tasks within the game environment to achieve specific objectives. While grinding can evoke a sense of achievement, it also carries the potential to induce exhaustion and frustration among players. This study endeavours to explore the intricacies of grinding, its role in game design, and its influence on player experience.

Explanation:

Coined from the concept of persistently "grinding away" at a task, the term "grinding" in the gaming context implies the undertaking of repetitive actions by a player to attain certain results or to advance within the game. In numerous instances, such actions may not directly correlate with the game's primary storyline or objectives but are aimed at accumulating experience points, in-game currency, or specialized items.

Grinding is an omnipresent component across a vast array of game genres, with its prominence notably manifested in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs). In these games, the player's progression and performance are often gauged based on their character's level, skills, and available equipment.

From the standpoint of game design, grinding assumes several roles. It serves to extend the game's lifespan by instituting goals that necessitate substantial time investment. Additionally, it fosters a sense of accomplishment and progression and can encourage social interaction in multiplayer environments. Despite these advantages, critics contend that grinding can lead to monotonous and ungratifying gameplay experiences. The considerable time commitment required by grinding may propel some players towards purchasing in-game enhancements using real-world money, thereby generating additional revenue for game developers.

Further, there is an ongoing discourse concerning the psychological implications of grinding. Its repetitive and rewarding nature might precipitate addictive behaviours and excessive consumption of time, mirroring the effects typically associated with gambling disorders. Through the exploration of these aspects, we aim to shed light on the complex dynamics of grinding in the context of modern video gaming.

Grinding in Gaming: Conceptualization and Design

Grinding typically refers to the act of performing repetitive actions in a game to attain a specific goal, often associated with levelling up, obtaining items, or advancing in-game skills. Although it can give players a sense of progression, it can also serve as a roadblock, encouraging players to consider alternative paths to progress, such as microtransactions.

Case Study: World of Warcraft

Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft (WoW) extensively employs grinding. Players often engage in repetitive tasks like fighting the same enemies, repeatedly battling against non-player characters (NPCs), or completing the same quests to increase their character's level, to gain experience points, in-game currency, or rare items. This grind contributes to a sense of achievement but has also been criticized for sometimes leading to a tedious gameplay experience.

Case Study: Candy Crush Saga

King's Candy Crush Saga uses grinding as a monetization strategy. As players progress and levels become harder, the option to grind through the game becomes more attractive. Alternatively, players can buy power-ups and boosters to surpass the grind, effectively translating grinding mechanics into revenue for the game developers.

Case Study: Destiny 2

This game provides an example of a 'loot grind.' Players repeatedly complete activities like strikes, raids, or public events to earn 'engrams' – randomized gear drops. The goal is often to collect more powerful gear to increase a character's power level.

Case Study: Old School RuneScape 

In this MMORPG, players might grind by repetitively performing tasks like mining, fishing, or woodcutting. These actions, though monotonous, boost the player's skill levels, enabling them to perform new tasks, quests, or create new items.

Implications for Game Design

Grinding, while a tool to extend game playtime and potentially drive monetization, must be thoughtfully implemented to avoid player fatigue or burnout. Game designers should strike a balance between meaningful progression and repetitive grind, ensuring the game remains engaging and satisfying.

Conclusion

Grinding, as a mechanism of psychological manipulation in video game design, can greatly impact player behaviour and engagement. Striking a balance between challenge, satisfaction, and repetition is vital to ensure a rewarding gameplay experience. As the video game industry advances, it will be intriguing to observe the evolution and refinement of grinding mechanisms and their psychological impact on players.

References:

Sicart, M. (2013). Grinding in Games: Understanding the Appeal. Philosophy of Computer Games Conference, 8-11.

Hamari, J., Alha, K., Järvelä, S., Kivikangas, J. M., Koivisto, J., & Paavilainen, J. (2017). Why do players buy in-game content? An empirical study on concrete purchase motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 538-546. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.045

Blizzard Entertainment. (2004). World of Warcraft [Video Game]. Blizzard Entertainment.

King. (2012). Candy Crush Saga [Video Game]. King.

Bungie. (2017). Destiny 2 [Video Game]. Activision.

Jagex. (2013). Old School RuneScape [Video Game]. Jagex.

Yee, N. (2006). Motivations of play in online games. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 9(6), 772-775. doi:10.1089/cpb.2006.9.772

Johnson, M. R., & Woodcock, J. (2019). The impacts of live streaming and Twitch.tv on the video game industry. Media, Culture & Society, 41(5), 670-688. doi:10.1177/0163443718818363

King, D., Delfabbro, P., & Griffiths, M. (2010). Video game structural characteristics: A new psychological taxonomy. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 8(1), 90-106. doi:10.1007/s11469-009-9206-4

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: defining "gamification". MindTrek '11: Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments, 9-15. doi:10.1145/2181037.2181040

[pillars-of-salt]

i've spent 5 years waging war against youtube's algorithm to the point that it's straight up given up on trying to show me anything that makes sense. fuck it. maybe she'll like nothing but black 10 hours 222 views. we don't even fucking know anymore

[aatroxskitten]

i think the solution to seeing more of the content about your specific kind of trans existence to follow blogs that actually post about it instead of expecting different trans ppl to cater to you. tumblr is not activism and ppl are allowed to do whatever they want on their personal tumblrs, so like??? i am not expecting a trans girl to blog about transmasc experiences and vice versa. it is not a "denial of resources" and it is not oppression to not be blogged about on Tumblr Dot Com. this is literally just a little journal. we're not changing the world, we're venting or posting about things we like. allow others their space. "waaah there's too much x on my dash, why aren't they posting about y" why do you follow people who only post about x then, why aren't you following the million blogs that post about y? it's tumblr. we're not running out of space. there is room for all of us, so curate your dash and stop whining.

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Look, I hate the concept of the "virgin vs. chad" meme, but perusing videos on the internet archive, and reading the reviews keeps making it pop up in my mind as "Virgin Youtube Comment Section Warrior vs Chad Video Reviewer on the Internet Archive".

[jcmarchi]

The Friday Roundup - YouTube Tips and VideoStudio

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-friday-roundup-youtube-tips-and-videostudio/

The Friday Roundup - YouTube Tips and VideoStudio

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

[emeraldspiral]

The great folly of sites like YouTube is thinking that "give us money to make the user experience less annoying" is a good business model and that when competing with adblockers that provide the same benefit for free they should aim to simply negate the ability of the free service so their own site remains annoying for non-paying users. Essentially trying to extort users rather than actually sell a desirable product.

[noisytenant]

still pretty proud of my flower covers

[ravenwolfie97]

i can't sleep and i want to fight youtube

[gaygayaurel]

its really funny cishet jojo fans are like jotaro is the straightest jojo!!! as if his narrative isnt literally the most generic "gay guy trying to live societally preordained life with wife and kid and it all tumbling down"

[robinsnest2111]

all photos and videos are edited and in the process of being transferred to my laptop!!!

[zenesys]

CKE Portfolio | CKE Helped them to get a Better User Experience for Client We are glad to have an opportunity to showcase our efficiency in web app development. For our client CKE we helped them to get a better user-friendly experience for their client. We also focused on various other issues that our client was dealing with. Client was struggling with license issues to get a renovation every time. This license was also causing a lot of burden on their pocket.   

We are integrating their order menu and revamped their GPS monitoring system. Their clients were able to easily track their order that gave them a better experience while using the application. We are glad that we were able to meet all the objectives set by pur clients. This is just one instance as Zenesys has numerous such examples in the bag. 

We have successfully tackled an even more stringent situation and hefted businesses to grow the best way possible. We have skilled and certified developer experts in various technologies.

[masthecles]

RWBY volume 9's

THEY'RE HUMAN 😨

is giving me huge Tron Legacy vibes.

[fanfictionjumbler]

"I'm Quitting YouTube", but I never did anything on my channel and it's just because their ad placement is scum

[donotdestroy]

Sir Jony Ive's 2021 CCA Commencement Honorary Doctorate Address

[jcmarchi]

The Friday Roundup - YouTube Shorts & Depth of Field

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/the-friday-roundup-youtube-shorts-depth-of-field/

The Friday Roundup - YouTube Shorts & Depth of Field

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.