Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Why do humans love roguelikes? What's the difference between games that last for 5 hours or 500 hours, or even a lifetime? As a former Lead Game Systems Designer at Warner Bros, it was my job to create worlds that answered these questions. The secrets arise from patterns that come pre-installed in our brains that make us excited, build anticipation, and create joy from the pursuit of a goal. In this talk, I'll dive into common behaviorist patterns in roguelikes and why people love them. We'll explore ancient games like Chess and Go, and modern titles like Oregon Trail, Slay the Spire, and Hades. I’ll discuss how dopamine truly works to create feelings of motivation and the psychological impact of randomness and procedural generation. We’ll also talk about the emotional impact of permadeath, how repeated failures lead to skill development and mastery, and what makes roguelikes infinitely replayable.
Why do humans love roguelikes? What's the difference between games that last for 5 hours or 500 hours, or even a lifetime? As a former Lead Game Systems Designer at Warner Bros, it was my job to create worlds that answered these questions. The secrets arise from patterns that come pre-installed in our brains that make us excited, build anticipation, and create joy from the pursuit of a goal. In this talk, I'll dive into common behaviorist patterns in roguelikes and why people love them. We'll explore ancient games like Chess and Go, and modern titles like Oregon Trail, Slay the Spire, and Hades. I’ll discuss how dopamine truly works to create feelings of motivation and the psychological impact of randomness and procedural generation. We’ll also talk about the emotional impact of permadeath, how repeated failures lead to skill development and mastery, and what makes roguelikes infinitely replayable.
