Since the first time that friends and I played the original board game Monopoly as well as when Coleco released its Telstar Pong, I have been fascinated with the psychology which underlies gaming.
As I observe players in and outside of their game play and from what is posted on forum boards, this following quote does come to mind…
“We like the negative emotions. We really like it because it leads to that glorious result. In fact, if it’s strong negative, it leads to a stronger postive. We want that roller coaster hill to be higher, if possible.”
— Chris Hoge, Monolith Productions
There are a diversity of experiences which gaming is host to.
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It’s not unlike eating a bag of chips with a bottle of pop. Want real diversity of experience? Go for a long walk.
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Sure, negative reinforcement can create a feedback system, reiterating the circumstances over and over.
In my experience, most people avoid it after they understand it. Or have experienced it for an extended period.
Social systems can and do derail the response stated above. A club, friends, family, social expectations/roles.
Its a rare soul who whips themselves for fun, beyond the initial experience.
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masochists are fairly common.
and at times you are simply confronted with content or playstyles, decision making processes that are not understandable with common sense, outside of: yo that person has no clue what he/she is doing.
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my favorite kind of psychology in games is reverse psychology and psychological warfare. there are so many ways to put a toxic player on edge by doing the unexpected, like charging naked into battle. although admittedly, that kind of psychological warfare has been popularized a little too much over the years. it does not have that same kinda oomph to it these days
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you know what, i was actually thinking… fire potions coupled with throwing mastery and double throw, that could be a build since its half physical. but, i am too afraid to try it, i dont have that many potions to spare. and i will blame the horadric cube for this.
i can transmute a strangling potion and a healing potion into an antidote, but i cant transmute a thawing potion and super healing potion into an oil potion… why is that?
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Because the old horadrim alchemists who made the cube (AKA the devs) didn’t think of it 
As a rhythm game tryhard player who also likes to do long playthroughs of stupidly difficult 80’s and 90’s arcade games, NES games, etc, I can confirm. Games that make me miserable 90% of the time with their unfair difficulty are the best. And I’m not talking Dark Souls, that stuff is for babies compared to something like Castlevania 3.
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