Drealmer's Tumblr

Water Finds a Crack

Some time ago I read a very interesting article in Game Developer Magazine, and the full text of this article has just been posted on the author’s web site.

Water Finds a Crack - Soren Johnson: (link)

Many players cannot help approaching a game as an optimization puzzle. What gives the most reward for the least risk? What strategy provides the highest chance – or even a guaranteed chance – of success? Given the opportunity, players will optimize the fun out of a game.

That really strikes a chord for me, it might explain why I found playing some economic simulation games tedious, and to some extent why I liked Transport Tycoon that much: micro-optimization there was insanely expensive (literally moving mountains) and provided a nice end-game gold sink.