Freezie KO said:
Further, I would argue that Person B is not hindering Person A's enjoyment at all. It's very laissez faire.
that doesn't change the fact the psychologically, their IS a difference between having an option and not using it, and not having an option. you can't say 'well they can just choose not to use that option' as if thats equivalent to the option not being there.
person A and person B both, cannot have their own way in a manner that doesn't effect the other. person A likes having an achievement (or unlocking something) because it *means* something. whether that's access to a mode, or a level, or a magic badge on their profile, that thing has worth to them because it can't just be easily unlocked.
if you make the required work to unlock it optional, you have drastically devalued it for person A. there's no way around that. you have now made 'unlocking X' feel like less of a reward.
now i don't have any issue with a game that has everything unlocked from the beginning, and i'm no fan of grinding, but it means something to me to say 'have you unlocked that level yet?' to my friends.
i don't like the new levels and unlocks direction that online gaming has gone in, personally, but i can clearly see that millions do, and i understand that it can't be had both ways. not because it fits what i want to hold that position, but because its true.
people like grinding to earn things, or they wouldn't buy the games that required it. it would absolutely fundamentally change their experience to make the griding optional even if they chose never to excercise that choice, because they'd always know that whenever they felt like it they *could* excersize that option.
it can't be had both ways. that's all i'm getting at.