this post was submitted on 31 May 2024
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Mobile games like these are designed with the help of addiction experts, each phase of the game is designed to trigger different emotions which builds up to constant frustration in the end.
The key is then manage that frustration by constantly showing the player that they could easily remove the source of the frustration by simply buying more resources.
This has to be done in way to keep the player feeling justly treated according to the rules of the game.
The game can't outright just steal your resources, but it can spawn in enemies to waste them and then limit how many resources you get in a specific time, that makes sure you don't blame the game itself but rather individual parts of the game.
Even better if another human stole the resources, like in clash of clans.
I got caught up in GTA Online, I bought thousands of SEK worth of shark cards, I was able to get a few nice cars, and a lovely house, but Rockstar/Take2 were very clever, in the name of realism you had utility bills to pay, you needed to pay for having your car impounded, you could buy facilities to farm more money, but they cost as well, you needed special offices to get some cars, those cost money on top of needing to buy the car.
It was death by thousand cuts, and after a year or so, I just realized what a shit game it was an uninstalled it, I did have fun in the game, but it also taught me a very valuable lesson.
Don't buy shark cards.
Clash of Clans is kinda safe in this, nobody cares anymore if they get attacked as there are now so many ways to farm resources that got added after the game started dwelling in the player count.
Years ago and it became a hit I realized I needed one more line in Candy Crush to finish the level way too many times for it to be a coincidence. Deleted. And lesson learned