Only one run

Imagine a bullet hell game. One of those games where the screen is full of enemy fire, and you have to shoot enemies while dodging their bullets. The most fun way to play would be bouncing between enemies, dodging shots, and pulling off some stylish moves along the way.

But if the player discovers the best strategy is to camp in a corner and shoot enemies from there, the core fun gets wasted.

Given the opportunity, players will optimize the fun out of a game.

– Soren Johnson, Water finds a crack

I often flip on a screen when I’m bored. It rarely delights me, it’s not fun, it just an easy way to make the hours fly by. But it is the same idea as camping in a corner, and shooting enemies. It’s the most effective way.

In a game, the designer can introduce things to avoid this exploit. Maybe the ammunition is limited so the player is forced to move, or there are ranged enemies that punish standing still.

Heck, the designer can even kill the player and they will learn next round. The problem is that, by the time I’m dead in real life, the lesson arrives too late. There is no second chance to learn.

The best I can do is track my own score and get out of the corner.