Comment What isn't a treadmill? (Score 2, Insightful) 74
No really...someone tell me.
A game that requires you to complete challenges in order to gain a reward is, in effect, a treadmill.
Tetris is a treadmill - stack shapes, clear, new level, repeat
Doom is a treadmill - Kill enemies, find widget, proceed to next level, repeat.
The Sims is a treadmill - Manage daily activities, increase abilities, make money, buy stuff, repeat.
Ico is a treadmill - Lead the girl, find widget, kill enemies, solve puzzles, unlock next level, repeat.
Metal Slug is a treadmill - Go forward, kill enemies, rescue hostages, find vehicles, find weapons, repeat.
I only point this out because the gaming community has a tendency to grasp on to handy derisive phrases and then repeat them without digging into the meaning.
Anywho...the overall perception of the treadmill is what breeds discontent. It always exists, it is the foundation of just about every reward over time based game play system.
But, if the gameplay is bad or mundane, then the treadmill sticks out. There isn't any gameplay aspect compelling enough to distanciate you (i.e suspension of disbelief and all) from the fourth wall of the underlying mechanics.
However, if the game is good, the treadmill recedes from the forefront of your consciousness, and the decent gameplay it enables takes over.
The real issue here isn't the treadmill concept, but how many times the exact same treadmill has been cloned.
A game that requires you to complete challenges in order to gain a reward is, in effect, a treadmill.
Tetris is a treadmill - stack shapes, clear, new level, repeat
Doom is a treadmill - Kill enemies, find widget, proceed to next level, repeat.
The Sims is a treadmill - Manage daily activities, increase abilities, make money, buy stuff, repeat.
Ico is a treadmill - Lead the girl, find widget, kill enemies, solve puzzles, unlock next level, repeat.
Metal Slug is a treadmill - Go forward, kill enemies, rescue hostages, find vehicles, find weapons, repeat.
I only point this out because the gaming community has a tendency to grasp on to handy derisive phrases and then repeat them without digging into the meaning.
Anywho...the overall perception of the treadmill is what breeds discontent. It always exists, it is the foundation of just about every reward over time based game play system.
But, if the gameplay is bad or mundane, then the treadmill sticks out. There isn't any gameplay aspect compelling enough to distanciate you (i.e suspension of disbelief and all) from the fourth wall of the underlying mechanics.
However, if the game is good, the treadmill recedes from the forefront of your consciousness, and the decent gameplay it enables takes over.
The real issue here isn't the treadmill concept, but how many times the exact same treadmill has been cloned.
