Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Whittling Part Of the Brain

(One of the reasons I started this blog, besides pimping my games, was to resurrect some of my old writing that has disappeared from the face of the Earth. For example, about a decade ago, I wrote a column for the late, lamented Computer Games Magazine called The Grumpy Gamer. Here it is, only slightly updated.)

(This was the first column in that series, and, while its basic idea is simple, I still think this piece or writing is True. What still fascinates me is the way some people feel that their way of resting their brain makes them oh so superior to people who rest their brains in a different way.)


The Whittling Part Of the Brain

I have spent the last several years of my life designing computer role-playing games for a living. Thus it came to be that after a friend of mine, who designs board games for a living, couldn’t figure out why anyone found Everquest to be the slightest bit fun, he came to me for an explanation.

For those of you who haven’t experienced this particular brand of delight, most of the Everquest experience tends to involve waiting next to a place where wimpy monsters appear, waiting for them to appear, butchering them once they do appear, collecting their loot, and repeating this process until it’s five in the morning. For the uninitiated, this looks, let us be frank here, like a big waste of time.

But, when he asked me why anyone would want to do this, I had an explanation ready. It’s the same explanation I give whenever anyone asks me what the point of playing computer games is. I simply say that computer games satisfy the Whittling Part of the Brain.

Some of you, in this advanced, techmological age, may not be familiar with the concept of whittling. To whittle, you sit down with a knife in one hand and a stick (or other piece of wood) in the other. Then you take the knife and systematically proceed to carve thin slivers of wood off the stick until there’s nothing left but a pile of wood shavings and your own sense of deep self-satisfaction.

(This sounds, of course, like a pretty dubious source of entertainment, but people do some pretty bizarre things to kill time. Like watch Jersey Shore, for example.)

Of course, this sort of thing is what people did before computers were invented. Or televisions. Or fun. Nowadays, people can do all sorts of low-thought things to pass the time. Knitting and needlepoint. Crossword puzzles. TV. Reading mystery novels. Playing Minesweeper. And playing computer role-playing games.

The human brain just seems to have a need for resting, for passing some time in a low-energy state. Computer role-playing games are perfect for that. When I fight fifty basically identical combats against darkspawn in Dragon Age or spend five hours finally getting my level 13 druid in World of Warcraft to level 14 or piled a hundred bricks on top of other bricks in Minecraft, I’ve done more than waste my time. I’ve given by brain rest that, for reasons I can’t begin to understand, it craved.

And, of course, some of my friends think that I’m wasting my time, both designing the games and playing them. The same friends who don’t think twice about doing their five thousandth crossword puzzle, or reading basically the same damn mystery novel for the billionth time. Or read The Onion, like that’s such an enriching activity. People just like to fritter time away, and computers give us an unusually satisfying way to do it.

The most important thing about these low-brain activities is that they have to be rewarding in some way. They have to give us occasional positive feedback, little flashes of satisfaction. Sometimes, when whittling, you might carve away a particularly long and attractive spiral of wood. (Yeah. I know. Just bear with me on that one.) When knitting, you have the satisfaction of finishing your sweater. With a crossword puzzle, you feel smart when you finish.

And when playing a role-playing game, you get a constant, pleasing form of feedback in the form of gold and experience points. Or upgrading from a +1 to a +2 sword. Or getting a new spell, or completing a quest. Everquest is particularly cunning in the way it rewards the player. It has the character’s skills constantly creep upward, a tiny bit at a time, providing a constant stream of tiny rewards.

Now sure, when described this way, the whole activity sounds a little sad and lame. But really, when you think about it, if it’s such a pointless activity, why do we want to do it? I have found that, in general, our brains our smarter than we are. They want what they want, and if my brain wants to spend a while in front of a computer screen stabbing orcs, who am I to tell it it shouldn’t?

So there you go. In just the first column in this series, I’ve come up with a complete, comprehensive explanation for why it’s good and healthy and productive for us to like to play computer games. And I will recite it to myself, again and again, at two in the morning, when I’m lying awake trying to convince myself that I’m not wasting my life.

49 comments:

  1. This is all so very true.

    I would like to add that there is quite a bit of satisfaction can be gained by applying the knowledge you learned at level 13 to get to level 15 by only killing 49 things, or maybe 45 if you're really good.

    Because that is more efficient, right;)

    Let's face it, we all just like seeing numbers get bigger.

    This may even explain the behaviour of some of our more prominent businessmen - it's not like they need the cash to buy more stuff past the first billion or so, it's just a kind of personal 'level' at that point...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great blog! I really love how it is easy on my eyes and the information are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your rss feed which really should do the trick! Have a nice day! Sbobet

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  2. Just a few points:

    The whole concept of "grinding" is pleasing, but there's one aspect of that which really hits the happy centre of the brain: random rewards at carefully timed intervals. Slot machines and World of Warcraft have this down to a fine art.

    I spent as much time staring at the Minesweeper graphic as reading this article. Even though (after a few seconds' contemplation) it becomes apparent why there's no point in staring at it. Still hits the happy centre of my brain.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think there's a huge gap in the analysis here. Many computer games involve repetitive and unchallenging activities, but not all of them. Other games are difficult and test the ability to think quickly or deeply or confront new challenges. You can't lump "why people play computer games" under a single answer, any more than you can lump "why people read books" under a single answer.

    ReplyDelete
  4. All very true. Some games are more mindless than others. Something like 'Bejeweled' is enjoyable on the same level as playing with worry beads. It's a way to turn off our brains by doing a very simple repetitive task which helps us avoid thinking about bigger issues. A kind of zero-effort meditation. In fact most game playing could be thought of as a kind of procrastination - to avoid other more stressful tasks. Unless you play games for a living, in which case I guess doing spreadsheets would be fun.

    ReplyDelete
  5. To be fair, there is a difference between games, but that's just taste. Some people love really challenging puzzle, while others prefer more simple knitting.

    People then try to apply these principles to other activities and game-ify them. I wonder how successful they can be, or even how base and degrading it might become. Do we really need to have a progress bar every time we mow the law to get us to do it? Sometimes, is it not more satisfying to take a slow, hard rout to things? A digression, but not entirely unrelated.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good points as usual, Jeff. I have to ask: did you use any books or other resources to help you become a better writer? I'm always impressed by your articles and the way you convey your points.

    I don't think you should worry too much about the work you do. People have a need for entertainment, as you've pointed out, and you're able to enrich the lives of thousands of people with your games. I'm working toward being able to do that and release my first game, and while it might not be the life of a scientist or Batman it still seems pretty awesome to me :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes, tell us about your progression as a writer Jeff.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dude, I'm so glad to know you and to be able to read your writing. You enrich my life.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree in general, but I have to protest that whittling can also mean actually carving something, not just whittling away to nothing:
    whittle(courtesy of wordnik)

    Which may fit your argument better - after all, you're not left with the digital equivalent of a pile of shavings after grinding, hopefully...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Bravo. Consider your RSS feed subscribed to.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've been saying basically this for years...and I'm sure I never read the original!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This might not really contribute to the discussion, but I just wanted to say that I appreciate your insight, and find all of your blog posts fascinating. Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nicely written, interesting perspective. Now I must sweep up all these wood shavings and get some actual work done.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Jeff, you just blew my mind. I read that original article, and have been using that term ever since. Seeing it as the title on your "new" post led me to question reality and myself for a good few seconds. Thanks for putting this back up!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Late to the game, but I would highly recommend reading a book called "Reality is Broken" for a decent analysis of why this time of gaming and feedback is important, the value it actually provides and why we need to bring it to reality, rather than treating it as escapism.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Absolutely amazing. Never would have thought of it that way.

    ReplyDelete
  17. The marketplace is Oakley Sunglasses On Sale flooded with manufacturer for artist Oakley sunglasses for equally males Oakley sunglasses and ladies dfgkcxy0rtw Oakley sunglasses. The amounts are seemingly unending. as well as in that checklist your vendor of option can be there. Oakley Sunglasses For Sale The model continues to be traditional however continuously on craze along with the series of Oakley sunglasses involves an excellent choice of oversized, wraparound styles, aviators, and shields or visor styles, all total using the popular Oakley logo.Anyway, Id say the elegance and style flavor of style Oakley Radar defy explanation along with the style Oakley sunglasses hierarch undoubtedly contributes to offering an borders for the wearers attractiveness and glamour and accordingly lead to their stealing the limelight. Oakley Gascan Sunglasses Cheap But in the function you decide on Oakley, then you definitely is often certain with the best. it's correct that Oakley Jawbones are higher finish goods and thus rather high priced but it is feasible to stay apart from using up holes within your pocket on the pair.

    ReplyDelete
  18. So youhare looking for the complete hottest prom dresses 2012 for 2010 or 2011 for you would definitely often nevertheless be a legislationion dollars to choose from online. You haudio-videoe seen countless styles now tons of colors like every heaudio-videoenly flower the universe hregarding offer in one flower shop probtummyly you ststyle enquire of yourself one question: how much should you pay for your prom gowns?cocktail dresses

    The most straight-forward way to contridespite the fhvact thateress this question is by looking inside of the quhasity of the gown. If something is lush couture you should expect to pay for that quhasity. Youhare ptating for volumes of luxe ftummyric the goodd mesmerizing the nevertheless bedroomarizonazlement.prom dresses 2012 If it looks worth it it probtummyly is.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your forever friend holds your hand and haoxiod81 tells you that everything is going to be okay.
    Wholesale New Era Hats
    Cheap New Era Hats
    Wholesale Hats
    New Era 59fifty Hats
    Cheap Hats

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hrmm that was weird, my comment got eaten. Anyway I wanted to say that it's nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere. This was the first place that told me the answer. Thanks. Agen Casino Casino Online

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for posting such a useful website. Your weblog happens to be not just informative but also very stimulating too. There are a limited number of people who are capable of write technical articles that creatively. we are on the lookout for information regarding this topic. We ourselves went through several websites to find knowledge with regard to this.I will keep coming back !! Agen Bola Sbobet Casino Online

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks combination of suitable and useful information and well-written sentences that will certainly entice your sense.There are so multiple comments here that are really entertaining and conducive to me thanks for sharing a link especially for sharing this blog. Bolainter.net

    ReplyDelete
  23. UltimateWoWGuide has produced the NUMBER 1 in-game guide for the gold hungry World of Warcraft players that desperately want to reach the highest level and make lots of gold.

    Unlike PDF methods our unique guide works inside the game, to constantly tell the player what to do, step-by-step.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Trying to get rich in World of Warcraft?

    You should Install the DYNASTY: TYCOON GOLD ADDON.

    It will automatically hint on the most profitable gold making methods inside the game, in seconds.

    ReplyDelete
  25. ROBLOX is driven by an ever growing membership base of over 300,000 creators who produce an infinite variety of highly immersive experiences.

    These experiences range from 3D multi-player games and competitions, to interactive adventures where friends can take on new identities to explore what it would be like to be a dinosaur, a miner in a quarry or an astronaut on a space exploration.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

    Gravatar.com
    Click Here

    ReplyDelete
  27. مهمترین عامل در داشتن گیاهان خوش رنگ و خوش بو و خوردنی استفاده از بذر مرغوب و با کیفیت است. خیلی از ماها با شروع عید و فصل بهار به فکر کاشتن سبزیجات در گلدان یا بغچه مان می افتیم اما حوصله بیرون رفتن و خرید بذر از فروشگاه ها را نداریم. اما دوران خرید از مغازه ها به پایان رسید می توانید به سایت بذر سرا مراجعه کرده و بذر های مورد نظر خود را تهیه نمایید

    خرید بذر


    بذر سبزیجات
    خرید بذر سبزیجات


    بذر آفتابگردان


    بذر کدو تنبل


    بذر کاکتوس


    بذر گل
    بذر گوجی بری قرمز

    ReplyDelete
  28. It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks.

    Click Here
    My.vienna.at
    Website

    ReplyDelete
  29. J'ai adoré jouer pendant longtemps, mais je n'ai pas pu trouver un casino décent. Maintenant, j'ai un Casino dépôt 10 € de 2020, ce que j'aime beaucoup. Je ne cherche plus d'autres sites, tout me convient.

    ReplyDelete
  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Recently, the word "self-development" is increasingly heard check over here. There are many opinions about what ultimately means self-improvement and self-development. Some see this as an impetus for the external relations that preside over society. Others are exclusively an internal aspect of deep self-knowledge of oneself and only oneself, which has nothing to do with society. These opposing views are extremes that express many views. We still live in society. Therefore, they must be able to "show themselves and look at people."

    ReplyDelete
  32. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Concentration will not allow your energy to go where it should not check this link right here now. You will be able to direct all your enthusiasm and potential in the right direction. Quit smoking - you will feel a surge of energy. You can not drink alcohol at all (or completely give up bad habits) - get rid of laziness, become healthier and more active, start sleeping better. At least a little systematize your daily routine - you will have more time. Travel, and your worldview will be much broader, and you will gain experience and wisdom.

    ReplyDelete
  35. My controversy creates problems, but it's not my fault Home Page, I only try to find myself in this world, I try to become someone, not just cut off from all the gap. Do you understand what I am? I choose the roads in which no one went before, and of course I lan. But I learn, you understand what I am? I become stronger and I know what I'm saying about.

    ReplyDelete
  36. If you work in an office, houseplants will not only create a warmer, more homely and comfortable atmosphere, but also improve the air condition have a peek at this website. The presence of houseplants helps to relieve stress, or prevent the likelihood of its occurrence. For a positive result, it is enough to decorate the workspace with a few favorite plants.

    ReplyDelete
  37. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  38. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  39. UniFi Network is easy to set up and manage, even for those with no experience with networking. The UniFi Network Controller provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to create SSIDs, set security policies, monitor network performance, and troubleshoot problems.

    ReplyDelete