The world is running out of oil. Clean water. Topsoil. Ozone. These represent serious resource problems about which I know … little. Do your research, and then shop or vote appropriately. On the other hand, a certain problem of digital limited resources has consumed much of my time of late. First, let me refine my topic. I’m …
Tag Archives: game difficulty
De Consolatione Philosophiae
In the beginning, there was the quarter. The business model of the arcade inspired games that were designed to vacuum up the most quarters per hour. Simple economics and self-interest of the gamemaker: Keep the player entertained, but also keep him dropping the quarters into a slot as often as possible. The “virtual death drive” …
Let me adjust difficulty during play!
One thing I didn’t mention a couple weeks ago when talking about what game designers can do better with difficulty is: let the player adjust his game difficulty after he plays. Why should we presume as game designers that our definition of “medium” or “normal” is the same one that the player is ready for. …
Set Your Difficulty Higher…
Painful lessons seem to be the ones that teach the most, whatever the subject. Pain provides motivation to find a path that leads to success. I remember the first time I waved a bat as a baseball sailed on by. It was an ugly swing. And my coach let me hear it, in front of …