games are a grind
everyone thats ever played an mmo knows flipping specific builds/leveled accounts using botting software is some of the most common middle schoolers first money making enterprise
at some level almost all games could be reduced to a version of cookie clicker
good games keep players actively looking for a new meta by tweaking and adding content, similar to the everchanging running of a business
>at some level almost all games could be reduced to a version of cookie clicker
I can think of some interesting counterexamples: in games like Minecraft and Factorio, you create something and are left with an interesting artifact you've designed. In MMOs, you're often left with new friendships.
But I'd be lying if I said I played those games primarily for those outcomes. It feels like each of those games still have some core meat that's shared with cookie clicker, and those other things that come out of it are somehow secondary in my short-term choice to play the game.
ive yet to delve into factorio (afraid itll have the same effect as civ tbh) but minecraft is very mind numbing early to mid game with all the farms esp with mob spawner/villager procurement to create their farms and resource grind. building and exploration in mc alongside amount of mods and great servers do make you forget about how insanely grindy it is for a bit
I got into cookie clicker and such incremental games only last year or so, but it's made me incredibly cynical about a lot of games now, lol.
While I agree in principle, the rewards in a lot of games isn't only the satisfaction in watching numbers go up (= progress, I guess?), but also an enjoyable game loop (I experienced that with Diablo 3 in which you play through the same content over and over again, but the speed of which you eventually blow through thousands of enemies is gratifying) and an unfolding storyline. I had that best with the old Final Fantasy games, where progress was frequently rewarded with cutscenes and the whole game is mostly a storyline you can follow.
On that note the FFVII Remake is a great game to get into.
GTAV is actually a really interesting game in this regard. It's trying to balance full, immersive gameplay and story, with grind and grow mechanics like a traditional MMO has.
The grind is the least fun part of the game, but also why you keep coming back.
at some level almost all games could be reduced to a version of cookie clicker
good games keep players actively looking for a new meta by tweaking and adding content, similar to the everchanging running of a business