This week opened my eyes to how game design focuses on capturing attention rather than just providing simple fun. The games we looked at often lacked clear endings or resolutions, with no defined final state.
Take Calvinball, for example. It shows how instability can reach absurd levels. Its rules change constantly, often in response to recent events, making it impossible to master or plan long-term strategies. At first glance, this seems chaotic, but it means the game only exists in the moment. The most stable this game ever felt while in motion in class was when Grace set a definitive goal, or end state to the game, with knocking down the chain of monkeys being the aim. Once everyone stops paying attention, the game ends. There’s no lingering need to return or feel like you’re missing out. This is very different from many modern games aimed at sticking in your mind.
On the other hand, Cow Clicker caught my attention due to Bogost’s critique. It’s not just that social games are shallow; they thrive with minimal gameplay. Cow Clicker reduces interaction to a single click every six hours. While this might seem silly, it’s a surprisingly effective satirical comment. The game doesn’t require deep involvement or focus; it just wants a spot in your daily routine. You are not really “playing” the game; you’re more like checking in.
Things become more complex when social mechanics are included. Games like FarmVille treat friends as resources instead of players. A friend becomes someone who can send energy, unlock progress, or fulfill a request you feel you should return. While these interactions are technically social, they become mere exchanges. This subtly pressures players to maintain connections that benefit the game, reflecting broader trends in the attention economy where social interaction is something to optimize.
A troubling aspect of these systems is how they blur the lines between game time and real life. Social games rarely require long play sessions, but they never really let you go. Timers, cooldowns, and notifications keep the game running in the background, making it feel less like a choice and more like a constant obligation.
So, considering all of this, I don’t think the issue is whether games have endings. It’s more about how they manage the player’s attention and time. Cow Clicker shows how easily attention can be drawn with minimal interaction, while Calvinball illustrates what it’s like when play occurs only in the present. Games like Townscaper suggest that endlessness doesn’t have to be exploitative. This week made me view motivation less as engagement and more as responsibility.