Diablo IV reminded me that grinding can be fun...but how?
Before my graphics processor strode triumphantly onto the Elysian Fields last weekend during the Diablo IV pre-order beta, I had a moment of startling clarity: I was running around the early areas of Sanctuary, putting off progress on the main quest line and looking for cellars and side-dungeons to clear. I was grinding, and I was having fun, and I was doing these things at the exact same time.
As far as I can tell, “grinding” is a pretty value-neutral term these days—performing repetitive tasks to earn experience or loot is a pretty normal part of the gaming experience, even outside traditionally grindy experiences like MMORPGs. Battle passes are inherently grinds, single-player games frequently feature RPG-style systems that encourage grinding, and heck, we even grind weapon attachments and skins in every Call of Duty now.
So grinding is just an expected, accepted aspect of life these days, but the concept has a controversial history. Grinding—like “farming”—was originally a term players used derisively, usually to make the point that a game was poorly designed or had too few original activities. That certainly described my attitude toward grind, and I’ve frequently found myself resenting games for making me repeat some rote activity in order to, for example, boost my character up to a point at which they’re capable of taking on the next bit of “real” content.
Playing Diablo IV reminded me that I don’t always hate grinding, even if I have some deep-seated misgivings about it. So why does the Diablo formula work for me, when Destiny 2’s has only gotten me more and more frustrated every time I’ve gone back? I think it boils down to these three key factors:
1. Low vs. high mental bandwidth. In Diablo IV’s case, most of my moment-to-moment action happens on what is functionally a 2D plane, and I’m just using one hand to click where I want my character to go or what I want him to hit. Yes, there are hotkey abilities to use and potions to quaff that require my left hand to get involved, but the game is demanding my full and undivided attention the way a 3D shooter does—especially one like Destiny 2, which has lots of aerial maneuvering involved in most encounters. Playing an FPS, I feel like more of my body is actively engaged, and that’s often a good thing, because it almost automatically means I’m more immersed in the game.
It’s frustrating, though, to maintain that level of concentration for something I’ve seen a hundred times already, or for rewards that are only marginal increases toward my goal. If I’m going to be grinding for something, I find it much more tolerable if I can switch to a more meditative, autopilot mode—casual grinding, you might call it, the kind I can do while listening to a podcast.
2. A constant sense of real progress. The early hours of Diablo IV are exciting in the way all games with extensive gear grinds are. New abilities and better gear show up every few minutes, so there’s a real sense of momentum even when I’m playing the same public event or clearing the same dungeon multiple times in a row. That power curve will no doubt level off into a plateau once we’re into the endgame, of course, but even then, the “trash” gear that’s always dropping is useful—it can always be sold or broken down into crafting components. The main thing is that even when I’m doing something repetitive, I can still feel progress happening, rather than simply seeing a meter tick up or, worse, hoping to get a specific rare drop or god roll on a run and coming up empty.
3. Low stakes. I found it easy to say “yes” to a new activity in Diablo IV because I quickly realized that nothing was going to ask for more than 10 or 15 minutes of my time, and often it was less than that. Even when I was on my way to another story marker or other objective I’d planned out, I was happy to hop into public events along the way because they weren’t going to waylay me for very long.
Time is valuable, and so the reassurance that each turn of the wheel isn’t going to be a huge investment helps offset the repetitive nature of a grind, or the possibility that any particular run will fail to turn up the piece of gear I’m looking for.
The more those conditions are met, the more I find I enjoy a bit of grinding now and again. Games are meant to be rewards in themselves, and for me that means bailing out as soon as they turn into chores—I’ve got plenty of those to do already!
Everyone’s tuned a bit differently, so a grind that I find dull and frustrating may work just fine for someone else. Broadly speaking, though, I think it’s important that games respect our time and the fact that we all have real lives to tend to. The time we spend in games should be rewarding, fun, and relaxing—and well-designed grinds can achieve all those goals.
💬 What games stand out to you as being examples of good grind experiences, or particularly bad ones? Let me know in the comments!
Mentioned games
Comments
Latest
No more comments. Why not add one?
