How do you feel about games "punishing" players?

Technology and Gaming
#1

I’ve been playing through the first Borderlands for the first time and I can’t help but get agitated every time I get killed and the game takes some money away from my pocket. I think that was a really bad decision on Gearbox’s part to incorporate a loss each time you die. Albeit, it’s a really low sum compared to the money you you usually have, but in some of the early parts of the game, it’s bad. I find it discouraging when you’re at a tougher point in the game it ends up costing you a good amount of money when it takes you a few attempts to get past it.

So what other examples of “punishing” the player have you found in games? And what are your opinions on it?

#2

Generally, penalties for dying are necessary, because otherwise there are many situations where dying is easier than, for instance, walking all the way back from a remote objective.

#3

What do you use all the money for anyway? I started playing borderlands yesterday and I’m now a level 20 Hunter. I’ve never bought anything from the stores since it’s just worthless shit compared to the things I find during the quests.

Also, Pyro have a point here. The punishment is fine.

There was some other game I played not long ago that had punishment, I think it was Titan Quest. Everytime you die you lose some experience. Isn’t a big deal.

#4

I think it depends on the game and type of punishment. The GTA games for instance take away some money and your weapons, writing them off as “bribes” or hospital bills, and it doesn’t feel so much like punishment and you usually have it all back within 30 minutes. It does however keep you more cautious, at least until late game.

#5

Usually for magazine upgrades or a quick fix of ammunition. I might buy a shield if there’s one that looks interesting. But I see your point. The game supplies you with whatever you need most of the time.

#6

I feel like a good example of games punishing players is DotA2 versus LoL. If you die in dota, you lose gold whereas you don’t in LoL. In Dota, you can also buyback (as in you’ll revive instantly) if you spend gold. LoL doesn’t really punish anyone for dying besides the experience you’ll miss while dead. So I feel like Dota punishes death a lot more than LoL does

#7

It would have to depend on what punishment the game has. In Borderlands money is a small thing. In the beginning it sucks bad because you have none but it seems it’s a portion of what you have (so it’s not so bad unless you have like 9999999999 money).

It needs to be there. Otherwise, players are not gonna think much about dying or failing and do it all day long. There’s no benefit to “getting better” at something.

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