Game Decisions

Game Decisions

Ok. Hear me out. 
I can't find the article that Shaun wants us to read on Daniel Cook's blog. So I looked around and read the one I find interesting and digestible. "Cosy Games" is the name of the blog and I think it's worth looking into because it goes into what about the game makes people feel cosy.

In this blog, Dan Cook talks about how feeling cosy in the game you're gaming can make you more productive and engaged in the game.

A well-designed game environment can help fulfill certain needs besides our basic ones.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs as it relates to coziness
as shown in Daniel Cook's blog.

A cosy game setting can help us:
1. See game as a form of safe practice.
2. See games as a means to satisfying unmet needs.
3. Help players practice fulfilling higher order of needs.

These games provide space for the player's emotional, social and psychological maintenance and growth which can really break the monotony of everyday life.


There are thing of which can negate cosiness simply because they exist in the game. Such as:
Extrinsic reward.
Danger, threat and fear.
Distractions.
Responsibility (that are unnecessary).
Intense stimuli (eg. sudden loud noises.)

Dan also mentions why cosy game design should be implemented: to replace the old, narrow motivational models that itself was an experimental one which needed more change.
The new motivational model (shown below) went to describe that players often have broader and more diverse sets of behaviours and motivations of which proper cozy designs can satisfy them.

The things about the game that interests and motivates the players to play.

He then went to talk about how it can shape the game's community, their behaviours. With Realm of the Mad God and Alphabear as examples. One being aggressive easily irritated MMO players brought about by the game's great risks and crushing losses. The other being a more relaxed and casual environment where players are more polite and easy to chat with.

There also various aspects of cosy design which plays an important role when creating a cosy game:
Cosy Aesthethics. Visuals. Audio. Locations. Items. Mechanics. Narratives and Characters etc. all go hand in hand when creating a game with cosiness in mind.

There so much in this article to read and comprehend that it's probably best if you read it for yourself:
http://www.lostgarden.com/
You might find some interesting or inspiring ideas for your own projects.

Anyways, thank you for reading.
Have a nice day!