What Makes Games FUN (Psychology in Gaming)

Let's talk about what makes games fun, using the psychology of gaming.

✈︎ The longer description

In this video, I share with you the valuable game development and game design concepts I learned over the years about how to design fun games.
Today you'll learn how fun works (in video games).
Whether you're a big-time game developer, a game designer, or an indie game developer, the science behind how fun works in video games is important as it opens your eyes to understand why video games are boring, why some video games get boring, and how you can make sure that the game you're developing is fun.
Indie game developers commonly need to ask themselves, why are games fun? This way they can stop themselves from making boring games.

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#howfunworks #invideogames #gamedev

[MyGameDevPal]

👉🏼 Answer the questions at the end of the video in the comments section!

[clee]

I'm absolutely loving these "less tangible" topics that explore theory, design, and structure!

[SkySpiral_Lets_play]

"A Theory of Fun" 6 patterns in games and how they map to MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics):
2:19 1. Calculation of odds and prediction of events => Challenge
2:38 2. Social Status => Competition (Extra credit's version)
3:07 3. Spatial Reasoning => Challenge
3:17 4. Memory => Challenge
3:25 5. Visceral Responses => Sensation
3:33 6. Teamwork => Fellowship

6:39 3 core questions:
1. What is the core lesson your game teaches?
2. How does your game keep itself interesting?
3. At what point will your game get boring?

[moonlightblue]

Your point of stripping the game down to it's core gameplay to determine whether or not it's fun is really interesting! this is such a helpful video, thank you!

[titanseekr]

I was coming to the point where I felt the game I'm working on was pretty close to artistically and mechanically complete....

Then I asked myself "but is it fun?"

Now I'm realizing my game lacks structure, risk and reward, and a satisfying loop - so it's back to the design stage!

Great video as always Ori :), and perfect timing no less!

[cheezylettuce]

Super high quality video for a channel this size! Great stuff!

[HugoLSouza-xtix]

Congratulations for the content, you managed to synthesize well what was extremely useful.

[KekoahJones]

This guy is so underrated, great video! I liked the fact that you explained the video for people who don't know stuff about designing games. I was actually wondering about the stuff you talked about in this video recently. I can see your channel growing, and you'll hopefully get far with the channel sometime in the soon.

[jessicarouge]

This video was extremely helpful, especially to a beginner who just recently decided she wants to start a video game. I know I have a lot to learn, and taking into account all the points you have listed will really help me in the long run. I always knew variety is an important factor when it comes to video games, but I never thought of it in depth like this. It's really eye-opening. I love this video!!

[yazzindev]

You have a very great way of storytelling. Thank you for this great video and I hope more will come in the future, subbed!

[shresthaditya]

0:14-Fun is a boast of dopamine that we get when we learn something new
0:38-Learning in games is different as it provides us with an environment where we can freely learn without bearing the consequences of our actions
1:16-
1:56-
2:18:1st Category
2:41-2nd Category: Social Status
3:05-3rd Category: Spatial Reasoning
3:18-4th Category Memory Reasoning
3:24-5th Category Visceral Reasoning
3:34-6th Category Teamwork
3:58-Game Mechanics
4:02-Gamplay Paradigm
4:12-
5:27-
6:23-
6:40-

[hugobarrientos]

What an amazing video, I've never seen anyone explain fun this way. Keep it up!

[PedroGuineu]

This video was great. I'm not one to consume much visual media, but you were short, concise and clear. I'm following you just for the quality and depth. Good work!

[gigaknight]

underrated video just WOW you described all those feelings i felt in a video that i couldnt put into words until today. Thank you! Hope you reach your deserved fame!

[D__Digital]

So much amazing information in one video. Thank you for sharing!

[KooKoogm]

This video is awesome. First time ever watching a video from you, and I'm already subscribed. Thanks for the great info.

[EightBitRam]

I am currently working an a mobile gallery shooter, and here are my answers to your question atm.

1. The Core Lesson? Balancing the decision to attack an enemy, duck an incoming threat, and/or reload for a player buff.

2. Keeps Interest? As you progress, you will find bullet types that can be loaded in a certain order in the magazine. These bullets will provide the player that buff when the weapon is reloaded after firing the round. Choosing to end a run without dying allows you to take these bullets into the next run. If the player dies they will lose the custom bullets and will need to rebuild their collection the next run. A small set a base bullet buffs are not lost to allow players to incrementally gain power, similar to mechanics in roguelites.

3. Game grows Boring? When the player has learned all the patterns of the enemy AI, when the player has obtained their favorite bullet buffs and mastered the gameplay loop, and when the player has experiences all the unique bullet buffs and small room arena's that the game becomes repetitive.

I do have some other ideas to provide more interest into a game genre that has heavily stagnated over the years, given that the format essentially rips away the movement aspect of a shooter. But given your point that a game needs to be fun in its purest form with no audio/visual enhancements, I am only focusing on what I consider to be the core game for my audience at the surface. That is to say that I have focused these answers only on the gallery shooter portion of my game, as that portion of the game will need to instill fun in players even if they never progress out of the gallery shooter. If my game is not fun on those merits, then there isn't really a purpose of packaging an expansion into a more traditional PvE FPS game to be discovered by the player. I also am aware I am riding very close to the line when I have trouble concisely describing my game in a sentence, which is typically a sign of a poor game from a game design perspective. But I am going to ignore that red flag and keep pushing forward :D

Great video btw, keep up the good work!

[recenityz]

Criminally underrated channel and video, keep it up

[SkeletonBro]

Looking forward to the video including beautiful ascetics and visual effects. keep up the good work!

[dsk]

BEEN, looking for video like this for a long time, Thanks for the incredible thoughts