Sadly, it seems I missed Slacktory’s excellent “What Your favourite Video Game (Series) Says About You” feature from a few weeks back.
Many of us play through games and enjoy them just as they are, giving little thought to the design or the psychology behind what we’re playing. Kotaku reader and QUT game design student (who also has a background in psychology), Dominic Williamson, has gone that extra step with his Designer Playbook series.
Apparently we play Farmville because we want to look like good parents, and play Grand Theft Auto for the feeling of power and autonomy. We play Angry Birds because of our primal need to shoot at stuff and Call of Duty because we enjoy being overwhelmed. The Guardian has just posted an extremely interesting article about the psychology of game design, and it’s well worth reading.
