LogFAQs > #899044497

UltimaterializerX posted...

It can create repetition. You're in jail in Monopoly. Your piece was captured in backgammon. You're trying to play Wild Wurm. Randomness can keep you from accomplishing what you want forcing you to try again and again. Up above, I talked about how important variance was because it keeps things from being the same. Well, sometimes randomness does the opposite. It forces you to keep doing the same thing, which is about as unfun as it gets.

First off, monopoly isn't even a good example because you get out of jail automatically after 3 turns, and the only skill that comes into play in monopoly is once most or all of the properties have become owned (bartering with others to trade, a skill of personality). Also, if you're in jail and didn't get very lucky, guess what, jail is 3 guaranteed turns of not having to pay someone money! Anyway, the example he gives with wild wurm brings up a good point because guess what? Don't like random elements in your deck? You don't have to put the card in your deck, which again brings into play the "deck-building is skillful" argument. If you don't like the fact that you relied on a random element and it let you down, then consider replacing that paladin adapt card with something that doesn't involve randomness!

UltimaterializerX posted...

It can create frustration (and worse). For starters, continually trying to get something and not getting it is frustrating, but randomness adds on an even more disheartening layer. Being unable to accomplish something due to factors outside your control makes you feel powerless. Randomness can not only keep you from getting what you want but can make you feel extra bad about it.

This is true, absolutely. No qualms with what he said here. This isn't exclusive to hearthstone.

UltimaterializerX posted...

It can keep the game from advancing. To add insult to injury, randomness can also keep games from advancing. The classic example of this comes from MMO (massively multiplayer online) games. You need an object to drop to complete your quest. If it randomly drops, that means it might never drop while you're playing. Randomness takes away the assurance that any particular thing ever happens.

We don't care about randomness as a concept, we care about randomness as it relates to hearthstone. Can you give me an example of how this comes into play for Hearthstone? It's not an MMO, the example he gives doesn't apply.

UltimaterializerX posted...

It can make the more experienced player lose. For the record, as a game designer, this isn't a negative for me, but I have to respect the fact that losing to a lesser player is a negative experience for many gamers. There is little more demoralizing to a good player than to see victory hinge upon something they cannot control.

Absolutely agree with this as well, no qualms with that either.

I've run out of room in this post to quote what I want to quote, so 2nd post incoming.
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