A Response to “Trapped in Destiny” / “Addictive by Design” Dear Comrades in Destiny, Two articles recently address the features built into Destiny which encourage us as players to play the game more and more. I’d say that some of this is encouragement / enticement and other elements of the game require players to play / grind more and more simply to level up characters and the abundant weapons and armor they acquire to stay competitive. "Bungie worked Hard to Trap you in Destiny" http://www.gamesradar.com/heres-how-bungie-trapped-average-playtime-destiny-77-hours/ The question of how to keep players playing by providing just enough rewards is a part of this design as well. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131494/behavioral_game_design.php http://gdcvault.com/play/1022355/User-Research-on "Stranger than Fiction / Addictive by Design" http://planetdestiny.com/loot-cave-cravings/ Planet Destiny’s article acknowledges that Destiny is purposefully designed to be “crazy addictive”, and points out that Bungie worked hard to identify player behaviors, types of players, and how to best keep those players engaged. [b]So what if I’ve engaged way more than is good for me ? What if my excessive play in Destiny is damaging to: my relationships ? my work ? my studies ? my family ? my health ? [/b] It’s time to put it out there…. [b]If you feel you’re putting too much time into the game compared to the rest of your REAL LIFE…..then you ARE. [/b] [b]How can I tell if I’m playing a game too much ? [/b] If you’ve neglected responsibilities… If you’ve ignored your chores… If you gave up time needed for sleeping…. If you’ve avoided friends… If you find your family is getting in the way of your game time… If you find your significant other is getting in the way of your game time / jealous of your game time… If your ability to show up to work / school on time is suffering… If you’re less productive at work / at school because you stayed up all night gaming… [b]1) [u]Okay, if you have a problem with excessive gaming / obsessive gaming, there are options for help out there.[/u] [/b] There are two support groups to choose from in this specific area: CGAA: Computer Gaming Addicts Anonymous: http://cgaa.info/ OLGA: Online Gamers Anonymous: http://www.olganon.org/ These are a good place to start. [b]2) [u] A person who is having problems might also consider calling a helpline to talk anonymously about what’s troubling them.. [/u] [/b] The United States has a 211 referral hotline which can refer a person to services in their area..including local telephone hotlines, and counseling services. Just dial 211 to be connected to an operator who will give you a referral for your issue. For comrades in other countries…. I encourage you to seek a local crisis support helpline to find services. Check the Internet to find local support services. A starting place could be: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ [b]3) [u] If you decide that you have a problem and want help for it, you may want to seek counseling. [/u] [/b] Counselors can be helpful. Do ask them about their approach to helping you. Counseling services usually have to be paid for….so decide for yourself what you want to get out of counseling and for how long you need the service. Does the counselor have any experience / training to help people with addictive behaviors ? Adults with health plans may have counseling services available to them as part of that coverage. Counselors may also be found through referral services. Young adults in college have services available to them on their college campuses. Teens in the U.S.A. can find support through the 211 referral line to locate support in their area. [b]4) I[u]f we have balance in our lives then there’s time to do all the things we need and want to do - right ?[/u][/b] If we lose the balance in our lives and one thing takes up far too much time, then it’s time to re-create the balance that we need to feel healthy, happy, and whole. The game of REAL LIFE is up to you. [b]You CAN CHOOSE to change your behavior…..if you need to. [/b] [b]For those who need more support, I encourage you to seek it……now ! [/b]