Week 1 Response | Dill DeSantis

Game Thoughts:

• Painstation: The concept is absolutely hilarious, but it’s honestly hard to say if I’d actually go through with playing it; On one hand, I don’t like being hurt – but on the other hand, it would be an extremely unique gaming experience.
• Getting Over It: I’ve had several opportunities to play this game, but i have deliberately chosen not to because I already know I wouldn’t have the patience for it. I don’t dislike it, I think it’s a good looking and well-designed game, but it’s simply not a game I want to play; it seems like you can either love or hate it, there’s no middle ground.
• Townscaper: I was pleasantly surprised by this game; the quality, sound design, and visuals were above what I expected from the pictures. I can certainly see the appeal, but I cannot imagine that I would stick with for long, as the options seem quite limited.

Questions:

• Ian Bogost critiques social games for their manipulative design. He argues that they reduce friendships to mere in-game assets, not genuine connections. Developers exploit this by integrating viral mechanics that encourage players to recruit others, not for fun but for engagement metrics. He also highlights how these games rely on compulsive loops, keeping players hooked with minimal effort yet endless repetition. The most concerning issue, however, is the sheer amount of wasted time—players may spend hours completing trivial tasks, reinforcing an artificial sense of progress.
• Social games like FarmVille turn friendships into transactional relationships. Instead of fostering genuine social interaction, these games treat friends as resources to be used for in-game progression. Players are encouraged to “invite” others to perform tasks like watering crops or feeding animals, making progress feel dependent on social obligation rather than personal strategy. While this mechanic can create a sense of community, it ultimately prioritizes engagement over meaningful social connections.
• These games seep into daily life, constantly demanding attention even when not actively playing. Push notifications remind players to check in, fostering a sense of urgency to return. Additionally, time-based mechanics—such as waiting for crops to grow or buildings to finish—keep players tethered, stretching gameplay across hours or even days. Many games capitalize on this by offering microtransactions to speed up progress, effectively monetizing patience and further reinforcing time-wasting mechanics.