To Toon Blast or not to Toon Blast, that IS the question

[Mindf'Elle'ness]

Does this happen in ALL video games...
Where you expect randomness, and that you will accelerate through the levels based on how darn good you've become, but instead:
- you find that on weekends you seem to lose more than win (team points count towards the big weekend championship)
- they let you 'win' one after making you lose 10 - 20 in a row
- maybe every 2nd day they let you earn enough points (20) to earn a bunch more 'tools/coins/lives'
I don't play so much any more because it's not really so fair as I expect. I have gone back to Sudoku.

 

[Ken S.]

What sort of video game are you referring to?

 

[Raggamuffin]

If you're talking about mobile games with in app purchases for coins, power ups etc - yes, they have complex algorithms behind them. You're not just imagining why you might be stuck on the same level for ages, and then suddenly it all went right for you. I think one interesting example is the evolution of the Soda Crush game. I mean, as a sequel to the original it had new features added - but over time it's added more and more with a real drive towards getting people to play as long as possible and granting particular bonuses for logging on daily, or keeping winning streaks going. It's all very clever I must admit and quite a genius business plan. Greedy, but clever - like big game franchises in general.

Games with in app purchases are huge cash cows. A friend of mine spent many years in the games industry and has spoken to me at length several times about just how much goes on in the background to keep the games making money.

Someone I work with is an extreme case - he spent over £10,000 on one games in app purchases. He is still paying off his credit card.

Kind of scary how far it can go. But, similar to gambling - a lot of games with in game purchases can have randomised loot containers. You then have people chasing the dream of getting the ideal costume, or item and before they know it, they've spent way more than they expected to.

Ed

 

[Mindf'Elle'ness]

If you're talking about mobile games with in app purchases for coins, power ups etc - yes, they have complex algorithms behind them. You're not just imagining why you might be stuck on the same level for ages, and then suddenly it all went right for you. I think one interesting example is the evolution of the Soda Crush game. I mean, as a sequel to the original it had new features added - but over time it's added more and more with a real drive towards getting people to play as long as possible and granting particular bonuses for logging on daily, or keeping winning streaks going. It's all very clever I must admit and quite a genius business plan. Greedy, but clever - like big game franchises in general.

Games with in app purchases are huge cash cows. A friend of mine spent many years in the games industry and has spoken to me at length several times about just how much goes on in the background to keep the games making money.

Someone I work with is an extreme case - he spent over £10,000 on one games in app purchases. He is still paying off his credit card.

Kind of scary how far it can go. But, similar to gambling - a lot of games with in game purchases can have randomised loot containers. You then have people chasing the dream of getting the ideal costume, or item and before they know it, they've spent way more than they expected to.

Ed

The game has a 'store' but you're not obligated to buy anything to keep the game going. I've never paid to play it by buying coins and some might think I'm cheap.

 

[Mindf'Elle'ness]

What sort of video game are you referring to?

C'mon, you've never heard of it? Even Ryan Reynolds plays it. Don't tell me you don't know who he is? LOL

 

[tree]

Even Ryan Reynolds plays it. Don't tell me you don't know who he is? LOL

Nope.
I don't.


"Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American
actor, comedian, film producer and entrepreneur."
Ryan Reynolds - Wikipedia

 

[Ken S.]

C'mon, you've never heard of it? Even Ryan Reynolds plays it. Don't tell me you don't know who he is? LOL

I still don't know what game you are talking about and no I don't know who he is.
I should add the only video game I play when I feel up to playing is Diablo III.

 

[Tom]

I also stand shoulder to shoulder with those who don't know anything about games and current culture.

 

[Michael Balog]

Would the name of the game happen to be “Toon Blast” ?? Cause I’m thinking there is a strong chance I’m right about that.

 

[tree]

Would the name of the game happen to be “Toon Blast” ?? Cause I’m thinking there is a strong chance I’m right about that.

I think you are.

I know nothing about the game.
Aside from, today, becoming aware that it exists.

 

[onlything]

From pay-to-win mobile games, I prefer some like Raid. At least if you grind a lot you can sooner or later win the level through your effort, not random chance. Helps with improving patience and perseverance

 

[WildCat]

Sorry, I was playing too much Enter The Gungeon to notice. Yes, you might lose 10-20 times but you win every once in a while, so pretty similar I guess?

I didn't find out about Toon Blast until today and just now after reading this thread. I don't do mobile games so can't say a whole lot about it.

 

[Wolfnox]

Eh. Not a fan of mobile games. Lots of cash traps. Rather binge watch anime.
Miss when addicting games was still active.

 

[onlything]

As a side note, if any of you guys like books and games based on your own choices, I would definitely recommend checking out Choice of Games or similar. They're novel-based games where outcome is based on the choices you make for the character you create .

 

[Misery]

I could give an explanation of how these work, and why the difficulty seems to get weird, but let's do this in a different way:

Yes, it's a comedy video, but I can guarantee you that it's also 100% correct.


On a side note, I actually looked up this Toon Blast game. It fits the formula almost too well. I'll put it this way: Though I'd never heard of the game, I knew what I was going to see before I searched for it. And I was right.

 

[Ken S.]

@Misery I rated funny only because I can't pick two (Winner being the other choice). They are called "Pay To Win" and there are many online MMORPG's that are like this as well. They all should be avoided like the Covid-19 virus.