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YSK about Darkpatterns.games, a website that rates mobile games on their "Dark patterns"
(www.darkpattern.games)
this post was submitted on 25 Oct 2024
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Tbf, last time I checked the site it had stuff like ”random loot” listed as a dark pattern. Gacha sucks, but random loot from a boss is IMO valid game design.
I think it depends on the extent and context behind it. Some games have random loot, which give you a random chance to get an actual reward, which may also just be part of a greater pool of things you need for the actual reward to be completed.
Meanwhile, for a hack'n slay game it would be natural to have randomized loot as a feature. But it could also be unnaturally bad in balance to encourage other aspects - for example back then Diablo 3 and their real money auction house.
I mean it is a dark pattern. It drives us to play more even when we're not having fun. How many times have we all done a dungeon 10+ times, not because it's fun, but because we want it to drop the thing?
But at the same time, if that's the "only" dark pattern, that's probably fine! And it'll most likely get a high score of 3+ on the positive side. But if you combine the random loot with time gate, pay to skip, pay to win, etc. then the score rightfully craters.
I think the site is good because it empowers us to pick what we actually want to deal with.
There's a spectrum, but if I were to map all and every dark pattern, random loot surely qualifies.
If a fight is compelling it has its own reward, random drop chances (especially abysmal drop-rate) will have you mindlessly repeating it no matter the quality of the boss design.
I like the strategy most Terraria bosses go for: You always get something good, it just might not be exactly what you'd wanted in that exact moment, but the re-spec to use it effectively will be pretty easy.
Boss fights definitely, your sentiment reminds me of Warframe. Don't miss farming bosses. However, there are a lot of ways randomized loot can be implemented, and I wouldn't call all of them dark patterns
Well 1 dark pattern doesn't ruin their score or make a dark pattern game. Because like games with random loot where every piece is viable and goes for a fun build like a rogue like is wonderful, but it's a thread of a dark pattern. Alone it's not scary, and can be fun. Combined with time gates, terribly low drop rates, and pay to skip? Suddenly we have a very nasty dark pattern.