Dan Cook introduces a model ((Some models are wrong but still helpful #citation)) for game design pivoting on human psychology, countering the traditional mechanistic analyses of games. He suggests that pleasure in games comes from mastering new skills that have perceived value to the player. This is backed by neuroscience, linking the joy in learning to the release of pleasure-inducing chemicals in the brain ((immersion book #citation)). Game design, thus, should incorporate a psychological model of the player that accounts for intrinsic motivation, the desire to learn, and the pursuit of skills that appear valuable (We play to make sense of the world), even if their practical use is limited.

Skill Atoms Article

#toolong