rym amm: January 2011

Abstract

Real-time, social and online games are very popular these days. Video games are a main social issue discussed in the society. Research was done to discover the effects of game addiction on adolescents and adults but only a few mentioned the causes of these addictions and what is leading the gamers to become addicted. Game users are becoming addicted to real-time games because of the strategies used by the creators: visual immersion, psychological satisfaction and gamer responsibilities. The well-liked Farmville, which is today’s most addictive game, was used as an example to prove and explain the analysis done. The goal of this game is to build your own farm and take good care of it, which is the hardest part because it is a real-time game that force you to come back several times per day to harvest your crops. Once that the gamers are aware of these three strategies, would it make any difference with there way of playing? Would they be less controlled and addicted?

Key words: Real-time games, addiction, visual immersion, psychological satisfaction and gamer responsibilities.

Addiction games

Introduction:

Although many teens or adults that are occupied in real-time games never happen to become addicted, some are not as fortunate. One of the most popular of these games currently is Farmville; it is a free game played on one’s Facebook account. Users progress through the game by planting and harvesting crops at listed times that obligates them to come back or else they will lose their vegetation. Of course users are rewarded for their work and can decorate and plant a lot of different seeds on their land. According to Liszkiewicz, P. (2010), more than seventy-three million persons play Farmville and twenty-six million persons play it everyday (Para 3, p.2). Nowadays a lot of games are continuous in a way to get players’ curiosity to discover where the game is taking them. What is video-game addiction (n.d) statistics proves that one in ten adolescence gamers (from eight to eighteen) can be categorized as pathological gamers or obsessed to video-gaming (Para 4). Game users are becoming addicted to real-time games because of the strategies used by the creators: visual immersion, psychological satisfaction and gamer responsibilities.

Methodology:

After choosing the research paper’s topic many visual and written research were done to specify the subject and get directly to the point. Three strategies were found to make the user addicted to the game and each one of them was divided into two parts. The first tactic was visual immersion; three dimensional design and lighting. The second was psychological satisfaction; awards and socializing. The last one was gamer responsibilities; routine and obligation. The game Farmville was used as example to explain and prove the methods used by the game creators to attract the player and three figures in different stages were shown to see how step-by-step the game develops and become more enthusiastic keeping easily the user’s interest.

Literature review:

Visual Immersion:

One of the most important strategies that will make the player attached to the game is the visual immersion created by the three dimensional design, perspective and lighting. Blow, J. , Blasband, C. , Ahmad, A. and Mccool, M. (2001) mention that what is important for game creators is to convince the players that they are in a real unusual earth that is why it is important to use 3D graphics for the design to make it more close to actual life (Para 1). As Blow, J. , Blasband, C. , Ahmad, A. and Mccool, M. (2001) say 3D accelerators have covered the way for more and more complicated geometric elements and what was beyond belief is now easily possible (Para 2). What will give the realistic look for the 3D graphics are the reflectance properties of a material or a surface. Once light is added to the object it will shine and become more close to the real-world materials especially when adding shadows. As reported by Blow, J. , Blasband, C. , Ahmad, A. and Mccool, M. (2001) computer graphics investigators have created many elaborated reflectance forms that can characterize real surfaces (Better reflectance models, Para 1).

Psychological satisfaction:

Other than the vision immersion, the psychological satisfaction that the player will feel while playing will make him much more attracted to the game. In real-time games there is always new levels to get and to unlock new stages; the gamer will always be excited about the game. In Farmville for example, when getting to a new level the player will be rewarded with coins and will be able to unlock new seeds, decoration, buildings, animals… which will make the player more excited and constantly planning to get a better farm (figure 2). Referring to Cause and Impact of Video Games Addiction (n.d) real-time games can offer occasions for success, freedom and challenges (Para 11). Along with winning and rewards, what make these games more powerful are the socializing parts. The real-time games played online are considered social games. These kinds of games are most commonly played on social networks such as Facebook. As posted on Gaming Trend & Flash Game (2011) scores and rewards will be posted on one’s wall so the friends can see what he/she is playing and by clicking on the link they will be able to play it too (Para 1). In addition, in such games to get to higher levels the players will have to invite friends and have a specific number of neighbors. In this way the player will play with his/her friends and will be able to write comments on their game wall and send gifts to help with the game which will increase the degree of happiness while playing. Liszkiewicz P. (2010) notes that when playing online games specifically on Facebook there are many factors that remind the player of the game as the posted bonuses on their walls and the sent gifts (Para 4, p.3). Thus, the gamer can feel secure while playing real-time games. They will feel like they are the star of the game while in real-life they may not be that successful.

Gamer responsibilities:

Besides the visual immersion and psychological satisfactions, the gamer will feel responsible of his/her game. Taking again the example of Farmville, Liszkiewicz P. (2010) claims that this game is defined by obligation, routine and responsibility (Para 6). In fact, it is a challenge to the player to remember and come back to the game in the exact recommended time or else the player will lose his/her hard works (figure 3). And, after harvesting his/her seeds he/she will plant again and wait for them to grow over and over again… the player will have to come back to protect his plants and without noticing he will be addicted to the game and will schedule his living around harvesting. As the example given by Liszkiewicz P. (2010), to plant a fourteen by fourteen terrain, it takes approximately six hundred clicks to farm and forces you to revisit in a couple of hours to do it another time (Para 4, p. 2).

Analysis:

Playing real-time games can lead to games addiction. As we saw in the earlier paragraphs, the player will be fascinated with the visual immersion because of the 3D graphics and lighting effects. Moreover, he will feel a lot of psychological satisfaction while receiving awards and socializing during the game. Additionally, he will be concerned in the game and will believe that his responsible of his work because of his repetitive actions; routine and the obligations.

Conclusion:

In brief, the creators intentionally employ several strategies and techniques to connect players totally in the real-time game. As Dickey, M. , (2005) notes these games includes tasks while playing, sequence of events, challenges and interactive choices contained by the game, as well as communication with other players (Para 2, p.67). Once that the gamers are aware of these three strategies, would it make any difference with there way of playing? Would they be less controlled and addicted?