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[alabtrosMyster]

Fun can be subjective, but some times developers actively try to make you have "no" fun, period as a form of their "design". They want you to feel emotional first and limit what you can do, when, to try and "amplify" those emotions.

This is poor design.

Thankfully it also is mostly in very specific Indie games which can be safely ignored. But I am starting to see a few of these design choices rear their head, tentatively in particular AAA SP titles.

Well, searching emotions is not wrong, some people get seriously high on this... I'm not sure where you are trying to go with that, don't you get some kind of emotion when you do something that challenges you in a game?

 

[Trazyn the Infinite]

Well, searching emotions is not wrong, some people get seriously high on this... I'm not sure where you are trying to go with that, don't you get some kind of emotion when you do something that challenges you in a game?

Sorry, not sure if I am explaining myself well. The issue isn’t that the devs want to focus on pushing the player to experience particular emotions - the issue is that there are devs who are trying to do that by making the game objectively unfun to meet that goal.

For example, take a look at Dark Souls. The game creates an oppressive atmosphere through its art direction, sound design, and brutally difficult combat encounters. You are constantly feeling on edge. Yet, you can overcome this and become the oppressor. Have fun in beating the challenges and making the enemies feel like fodder.

Meanwhile there are some games such as Outlast that try and create similar atmospheres by forcing the player in unwinnable situations or incredibly slow walking segments. There is no fun in such gameplay moments because it removes any real gameplay from the player’s control.

 

[kubricks]

Depends what you want out of the medium, if I treat gaming as an entertainment for relax during my free time then fun is the top priority; whether the creator has the intention to convey a deeper message within the game is none of my business. And Vice Versa.

Keep making games in both category, have some in-between.
Choice is a good thing.

 

[MasterDerico]

What is important is not if the game is fun, the question is if you are enjoying the experience.

Your brain couldn't handle playing something you don't like just "for fun", because our brain associate fun with pleasure, not a job or torture.

If you keep playing, your brain are saying that you are having fun, does not matter if the game is fun or not.

Our brain can only give to you one response.

 

[Arsic]

If you aren’t enjoying your time doing something… then why do it ? I mean sure there’s activities we HAVE to partake in that aren’t fun in life, but video games is a hobby and pastime . Why you would waste that time not actively enjoying yourself seems like a waste of that time.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

Playing Immortality now...this game kind of shows what I am saying. Its a narrative non linear game that I wouldn't even call a game. If its a game premier pro is a game. It's an interactive experience that isn't meant to be fun but engaging enough to keep you interested. They could have told this story in many other ways but by doing it this way it pushes the definitions of "video games" in way where you question what can be classified as a video game. For all the people who say asking if a game needs to be fun is silly I think you just need to expand the range of games you play. Or not, we all game for our own reason but I love unconventional films and games. Projects that deconstruct their said medium are always interesting to me.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

What is important is not if the game is fun, the question is if you are enjoying the experience.

Your brain couldn't handle playing something you don't like "for fun", because our brain associate fun with pleasure, not a job or torture.

If you keep playing, your brain are saying that you are having fun, does not matter if the game is fun or not.

Your brain can only give to you one response.

I think the word enjoyment means you are getting a dopamine rush...I use the erasehead example because its a miserable experience to watch...I wanted to turn it off because it made me feel disgusting and uncomfortable and that was the goal of the director. I think of the scene in GTAV where treavor tortures the victim, I hated him and didn't want to play that scene anymore. Its not enjoyable, fun, but it does the job the game director is trying to protray...you stick with it to see what happens next often against you own internal judgement.

 

[MasterDerico]

I think the word enjoyment means you are getting a dopamine rush...I use the erasehead example because its a miserable experience to watch...I wanted to turn it off because it made me feel disgusting and uncomfortable and that was the goal of the director. I think of the scene in GTAV where treavor tortures the victim, I hated him and didn't want to play that scene anymore. Its not enjoyable, fun, but it does the job the game director is trying to protray...you stick with it to see what happens next often against you own internal judgement.

Your brain wants that for a reason.
When we know its fantasy, bizarre things can be interpreted by our brain as fun, curiosity, but when our brain DONT WANT, we don't do.

And yes, all about dopamine and serotonin.

 

[Trazyn the Infinite]

I think the word enjoyment means you are getting a dopamine rush...I use the erasehead example because its a miserable experience to watch...I wanted to turn it off because it made me feel disgusting and uncomfortable and that was the goal of the director. I think of the scene in GTAV where treavor tortures the victim, I hated him and didn't want to play that scene anymore. Its not enjoyable, fun, but it does the job the game director is trying to protray...you stick with it to see what happens next often against you own internal judgement.

I think its important to note that those such situations are only one small part in much larger adventures. Those scenes aren’t fun, no - they do make you experience very particular emotions - but that isn’t indicative of the product as a whole. The majority of the games are very fun and designed to be.

I think OP is asking more on games whose majority are those incredibly unfun, disgusting, or otherwise segments that can not be filed under “fun”.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

I think its important to note that those such situations are only one small part in much larger adventures. Those scenes aren’t fun, no - they do make you experience very particular emotions - but that isn’t indicative of the product as a whole. The majority of the games are very fun and designed to be.

I think OP is asking more on games whose majority are those incredibly unfun, disgusting, or otherwise segments that can not be filed under “fun”.

Yea, or games where you don't utilize fun as the primary driving force of gameplay. I use tlou2 as an example because the fun bits are completely antithetical to the primary themes of the game. Violence is bad as I take the most cartoonish weapons, traps and tactics to kill hundreds on my journey. The story is apocalypse now while the gameplay is rambo...it doesnt add up.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I play video games to have fun.

If you're looking for something to do to suffer, please kindly fuck off from people's hobbies like video gaming that they do for fun. Thank you.

 

[AJUMP23]

It doesn’t need to be. But it helps.

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

Your brain wants that for a reason.
When we know its fantasy, bizarre things can be interpreted by our brain as fun, curiosity, but when our brain DONT WANT, we don't do.

And yes, all about dopamine and serotonin.

Our brain doesn't want alot...my brain doesn't want to be in the gym 2 hours a day pushing myself to lift heavy weights. But I don't feeding your brain what it wants only is an excuse for engaging in only dopamine fueled experiences. Films, books and music have this. Now those art forms are older and have gone through multiple renaissance, I think gaming somewhat is but primarily in the indie space.

 

[Alexios]

They need to be engaging, entertaining, whatever way they achieve that. You wouldn't call an old school adventure game fun in the same way a beat 'em up/action game is fun but plenty of them keep you going clicking all over your screen on items or choices and watching/reading what happens. And sure you could say the story you follow is fun, or you get a serotonin kick whenever you solve a particular riddle, puzzle or somehow achieve progress but still. They could have (true, not cheesy fun to watch) horror or depressing or whatever stories and still be engaging, like books or movies

 

[Trazyn the Infinite]

Yea, or games where you don't utilize fun as the primary driving force of gameplay. I use tlou2 as an example because the fun bits are completely antithetical to the primary themes of the game. Violence is bad as I take the most cartoonish weapons, traps and tactics to kill hundreds on my journey. The story is apocalypse now while the gameplay is rambo...it doesnt add up.

Yep. Meanwhile you have Spec Ops the Line that makes it fun *and* serve a point in the story. You can do both and many games have done just that. NieR is another series that takes the gameplay systems and marries it to the narrative being told.

 

[LordBlodgett]

I understand what you might be getting at. I guess a game might be artistic out thought provoking without being "fun" per SE. For me though I need the game to grab and keep my attention. If it is monotonous or boring I'm going to stop playing. Even more so if I need to grind. I have played through some games with mediocre gameplay just because I'm sucked into the story though.

 

[Barakov]

I think entertaining basically means fun so I voted yes. You can hate/dislike certain aspects of a game and still be entertained, I think.

 

[GeekyDad]

Wow...

 

[alabtrosMyster]

For example, take a look at Dark Souls. The game creates an oppressive atmosphere through its art direction, sound design, and brutally difficult combat encounters. You are constantly feeling on edge. Yet, you can overcome this and become the oppressor. Have fun in beating the challenges and making the enemies feel like fodder.

I see, but I have never been a Souls fan... but I get the appeal of the series.

Meanwhile there are some games such as Outlast that try and create similar atmospheres by forcing the player in unwinnable situations or incredibly slow walking segments. There is no fun in such gameplay moments because it removes any real gameplay from the player’s control.

I loved Outlast, how it did what is tried to do was amazing and the atmosphere was just right. I can understand why it makes someone feel insecure.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Yes. They should be fun or at least somewhat enjoyable. If interactive media or entertainment isn’t fun or entertaining, then what’s the point?

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Chess is a game and is not necessarily fun...

It gets better when you win

 

[Ryūtō]

Yes and that's really all they need to be. Now don't get me wrong graphics are important, but games certainly don't need to be photorealistic. Art direction is way more important imho. However, what contributes to fun is subjective.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

Yes, but a lot of other emotions compose fun than maybe most consider. I can imagine someone so engrossed in the bad gameplay of certain cutscene heavy, story first, prestige projects that they would describe the experience fun after it is turned off.

 

[Ishma3L]

Wrong forum.

 

[KormaChameleon]

Why would you waste time on something that isn't fun?

 

[bentanchorbolt]

The only reason I play games is because I enjoy them and in large part that is because I am having fun. You remove the fun factor from the game then its not worth my time tbh.,

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

Yes. They should be fun or at least somewhat enjoyable. If interactive media or entertainment isn’t fun or entertaining, then what’s the point of it’s existence?

You only engage in things you have fun with? Reading a book like to kill a mockingbird isn't fun...and engaging isn't synonymous with fun. You can stay engaged with something out of pure curiosity.

 

[Trazyn the Infinite]

I see, but I have never been a Souls fan... but I get the appeal of the series.

I loved Outlast, how it did what is tried to do was amazing and the atmosphere was just right. I can understand why it makes someone feel insecure.

 

[Gambit2483]

Defining "fun" in gaming is the first thing I guess.
For some people, grinding is "fun".
For some people, ultra violence is "fun".
For some people, cinematic storytelling is "fun".
For some people, just tactile pressing of the button and response on screen is "fun".

Exactly.

Maybe you should all collectively define the meaning of the word "fun" first...

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

You only engage in things you have fun with? Reading a book like to kill a mockingbird isn't fun...and engaging isn't synonymous with fun. You can stay engaged with something out of pure curiosity.

There are exceptions, but there has to be something there drawing your interest and curiosity though. I feel video games are a little different since you are interacting with them. There’s a reason so many gamers pour hundreds, if not thousands of hours into a single video game. They are having fun and there’s something they’re pulling them back in consistently. Even if a something like a book doesn’t have a compelling story or isn’t somewhat engaging, then it’s probably not doing it’s job too well.

When life is full of monotony and boredom, why would people waste their free time with something that doesn’t entertain them or is just plain boring?