Cookie clicker

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

I like how the pictures of the grandmothers change as you add more of them. 

Yeah, what is even the deal there? 

I'm entertained by the eldergod grannies. But I don't want to be the one eating the cookies they make.

ETA: We'll send THOSE cookies to Night Vale.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What is fascinating to me about this game, and all games of its ilk, is that it is totally entertaining mostly because it triggers the hoarding urge. NEED TO MAKE MORE COOKIES. MORE MORE MORE. Even though there is literally zero benefit from any of this.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

MORE COOKIES OOK OOK

See, this is the urge that I think drives the super-rich, who have no need for more money but can't seem to resist the drive to accumulate more and more.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

Yeah, it's an interesting loop. Get cookies to get things that give you more cookies to get more cookies to get you more things that get you more cookies to get even more more more more more more moremoremoremoremoeromeromeroeromeoroermeormeroereor . . . .

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yes... there is absolutely no point to getting more, yet it is, nonetheless, pleasurable to accumulate more, even though in a very literally sense "more" is simply a fiction.

[Junkenstein]

What is fascinating to me about this game, and all games of its ilk, is that it is totally entertaining mostly because it triggers the hoarding urge. NEED TO MAKE MORE COOKIES. MORE MORE MORE. Even though there is literally zero benefit from any of this.

On this angle it may be interesting to look at the Skinner box and schedules of reinforcement. The main thing that seems to differentiate these kind of games for me is how effective they are at setting up the inital schedule.

For WOW kind of gamers, I'd guess this to be more addictive than the "candies!" one that came up as you can quickly increase the rate of rewards. I bet (know) there's a scary number of people still playing both of these and similar for considerable months.

Yes... there is absolutely no point to getting more, yet it is, nonetheless, pleasurable to accumulate more, even though in a very literally sense "more" is simply a fiction.

An increasing arbitrary number can be very psychologically pleasing to watch increase. Ever thrown a huge jar of change through a coin-counting machine? Same part of the brain lights up. Part of the reason pretty much every subscription game has some kind of XP bar. Think I threw a thread up about this kind of shit in general a few months ago, there may be some stuff in there that's related.

[McGrupp]

What is fascinating to me about this game, and all games of its ilk, is that it is totally entertaining mostly because it triggers the hoarding urge. NEED TO MAKE MORE COOKIES. MORE MORE MORE. Even though there is literally zero benefit from any of this.

It would be interesting if they added a game mechanic that showed what the consequences of such exponential hoarding were. Showing scorched earth cityscapes and the lower quality of life of the grandmas as the cookie industrial complex expands.

It reminds me of another game called Oiligarchy, which puts the player in the role of an oil tycoon. Your job is to exploit the oil to gain money to make more oil while keeping your shareholders happy. This is easy at the beginning but by the end as the oil runs out more it forces the player to do progressively more morally wrong things. Bribing politicians, squelching protests, destroying the environment, and creating unrest in third world countries are all things that the player is forced to do if you want to win. It's a pretty fun game but also illustrates a good point.

http://www.molleindustria.org/en/oiligarchy/

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What is fascinating to me about this game, and all games of its ilk, is that it is totally entertaining mostly because it triggers the hoarding urge. NEED TO MAKE MORE COOKIES. MORE MORE MORE. Even though there is literally zero benefit from any of this.

It would be interesting if they added a game mechanic that showed what the consequences of such exponential hoarding were. Showing scorched earth cityscapes and the lower quality of life of the grandmas as the cookie industrial complex expands.

It reminds me of another game called Oiligarchy, which puts the player in the role of an oil tycoon. Your job is to exploit the oil to gain money to make more oil while keeping your shareholders happy. This is easy at the beginning but by the end as the oil runs out more it forces the player to do progressively more morally wrong things. Bribing politicians, squelching protests, destroying the environment, and creating unrest in third world countries are all things that the player is forced to do if you want to win. It's a pretty fun game but also illustrates a good point.

http://www.molleindustria.org/en/oiligarchy/

Oooh, this looks like a pleasing demonstration of unsustainable practices.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What is fascinating to me about this game, and all games of its ilk, is that it is totally entertaining mostly because it triggers the hoarding urge. NEED TO MAKE MORE COOKIES. MORE MORE MORE. Even though there is literally zero benefit from any of this.

On this angle it may be interesting to look at the Skinner box and schedules of reinforcement. The main thing that seems to differentiate these kind of games for me is how effective they are at setting up the inital schedule.

For WOW kind of gamers, I'd guess this to be more addictive than the "candies!" one that came up as you can quickly increase the rate of rewards. I bet (know) there's a scary number of people still playing both of these and similar for considerable months.

Yes... there is absolutely no point to getting more, yet it is, nonetheless, pleasurable to accumulate more, even though in a very literally sense "more" is simply a fiction.

An increasing arbitrary number can be very psychologically pleasing to watch increase. Ever thrown a huge jar of change through a coin-counting machine? Same part of the brain lights up. Part of the reason pretty much every subscription game has some kind of XP bar. Think I threw a thread up about this kind of shit in general a few months ago, there may be some stuff in there that's related.

I have an article for you. For the whole board, really; I'll post it in another thread.

[Pæs]

I like how the pictures of the grandmothers change as you add more of them. 

Yeah, what is even the deal there? 

Your mines/factories/other facilities buff the grandmas increasing their productivity and making some of the grandma's styled as factory workers, miners or time travellers.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I like how the pictures of the grandmothers change as you add more of them. 

Yeah, what is even the deal there? 

Your mines/factories/other facilities buff the grandmas increasing their productivity and making some of the grandma's styled as factory workers, miners or time travellers.

Ohhhhhhh!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Hahaha the alchemy grandmas are solid gold.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

Apparently it's time for me to stop playing. Too many cookies.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I want to get 50 of everything and then I'll quit.

AND THEN I'LL QUIT, I SAY.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Grandma is terrifying.