> continuous gaming productivityTalk 9: The Dark Side of Habit by Natasha Dow Schull
Author of Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas
◦Many people think large denomination slots are the biggest money makers, but penny slots actually bring in the most revenue.
◦There is a lot of sensationalism when discussing casino gaming, but also a lot of truth
◦Slot machines are designed to be rapid, solitary, continuous
◦Core players want to reach "The Zone" which is a trance-like state where daily demands, worries, and
even sometimes bodily existence fades away◦Addicts are not playing to win, they are playing to keep playing
◦Education is not an answer to this because the allure of winning is only the initial hook, but not the hold
◦Winning can actually be a disappointment for core players particularly in the 90s with earlier generation machines
◦They get attention, have to wait for the machine to get refilled -- all this breaks "the zone"
◦Designers today have built in features to skip the celebration animations and noises
◦"Our best customers don't want to wait..."
◦"Time on device" is the number one metric in the gaming industry, less about risk and excitement and more about continuous gaming productivity
◦The focus is on faster loops, more & longer gaming sessions
◦Change from levers to push buttons
◦The "play" should take no longer than 3 1/2 seconds per game which equals 1200 hands an hour
◦Other ways to increase time on device: better seats, sensory ergonomics like sound engineering (people want soft colors and tones (played in C)),
touch screens with relevant, specific haptic feedback
◦"The math will make them stay"◦Random number generator mixed with algorithms See: Skinner box
◦This type of behavior can be in online MMOs (grinding out levels), or constantly cycling through Facebook photos.
