Why We Play Games...

Why We Play Games, And Why We Grumble About Them

Sometimes, one gamer's flaw is another's feature. Even the highest-rated games aren't always perfect – but what determines the flaws we'll tolerate versus the ones we can't forgive? It all depends on why you play games.

Some of our best-loved gaming experiences, from God Hand to Psychonauts, earn adoration for the strength of their ideas even when the execution isn't exactly pitch-perfect. Even this year, when Grasshopper Manufacture rolled out No More Heroes 2 with an extra coat of polish and a streamlined design, many fans opined they preferred the "character" of the first game, flaws and all.

Yet other times, gamers are ready to grab the pitchforks and torches just for a couple frame rate drops, for cutscenes that are a few minutes too long, or over minor problems with controls. What gives? What determines the flaws we'll tolerate and those we won't?

Surely, to some it's just personal taste. For example, if you like J-Pop remixes, you'll like Bayonetta's soundtrack; if you don't, you won't. Some people care if a game has a bad story, others couldn't care less. But when it comes to whether or not a flaw is a dealbreaker – or, game-breaker, if you prefer – it helps to look at why people play a particular game and whether or not a flaw interferes with the player's motive.

A player's motivation is more complex than "to have fun." Think on it closely and you'll agree – everyone plays to scratch a particular itch, and some games serve some itches better than others. While plenty of the details are complex and subjective, it's possible to divide play motivations into four different groups.

To Feel Powerful

Games like: Crackdown, God Of War, Call of Duty, Devil May Cry

You're stepping into the shoes of someone much bigger and stronger than you, commanding a massive arsenal of weapons, or enjoying a stable of incredible vehicles. Games like these put players at the helm of a power fantasy, where the enjoyment of the game comes from being able to impact its world (or the faces of the enemies that live in it).

If you get your fun out of feeling powerful, the flaws that get in the way will be those that distance the player from the action. Of course, the controls need to be immediately responsive and the physics need to work correctly – how powerful can you feel when your character doesn't react correctly, or an object he throws bounces like a piece of plastic when it ought to break? Music and sound stand out, too: crescendos create emotional peaks, and combat sound effects create a sense of impact.

In this motivation group, artistic elements may be less important: You can have fun even with rough-edged polygons, ugly characters or a boring story, as long as there's a satisfying crunch when your fist connects.

via kotaku.com