Long-term motivation

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Long-term motivation is a term from the development and evaluation of games , especially computer games . It describes the quality of games to entertain the player or players over a longer period of time.

Disambiguation

In a simple definition, long term motivation is the fun a game makes . A boring game structure without special challenges inevitably does not have a high long-term motivation. In board games and multiplayer -Computerspielen the interaction of the players capable of compensating for a boring game concept. The long-term motivation is therefore particularly important in solo computer games, where the player competes alone at the computer.

A related but distinguishable term is the replay value , which is also particularly important in solo computer games. It describes the property of games that after being played through for the first time, they can also be fun in new attempts.

Criteria for good long-term motivation

Since there is a lot of overlap with criteria of a good replay value , reference is also made there at this point . A detailed list is not given. The points listed below apply in particular to long-term motivation and have little or no significance for the replay value . As stated above, these criteria mostly relate to solo computer games.

A combination of the criteria in a game generally increases long-term motivation.

Balanced level of difficulty

If the game is challenging without appearing frustrating, long-term motivation increases. This can be the case with racing games, for example, when the first attempts at driving end in the ditch, but the controls have to be learned so that, with a little practice, top positions can be achieved.

Addiction effect

A game is "addicting" if it repeatedly rewards the player with small "prizes", such as the achievement of a higher prestige, a further level or new game elements. The player would like to continue playing in order to have many little success stories.

This effect can be achieved with surprisingly simple games (like Tetris ) as well as with complex game worlds (like World of Warcraft ).

variety

If a game offers the player enough variety, this also increases long-term motivation. Good examples are first-person shooters , during which you often encounter different monsters and explore new landscapes. Randomly generated parts of the game, for example the structure of a level or a map, increase the variety.

literature

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