Grinding
Being required to perform repetitive and tedious tasks to advance.
Grinding is a game mechanic where players are required to perform repetitive tasks. Each task earns the player experience points, levels, items or some other in-game benefit. The player will need to repeat the task many times to accumulate enough of the rewards for them to make a difference.
Often, the more you play the game, the more tasks you have to perform to get the same benefit as before. For example, level 1 may require you to perform 5 tasks, but level 2 may require you to perform 10 tasks for the same increase in level. This "ramping up" of the repetitive tasks allows new players to get hooked on the gameplay before it becomes too repetitive and boring. By the time the grind becomes excessive, players have already become addicted to the gameplay and continue playing even though it's not enjoyable anymore.
It should be noted that Grinding is the core mechanic of many games, and some people enjoy it. For those people, this isn't a dark pattern. However, if Grinding is combined with other dark patterns, like Pay to Skip where you can spend money to skip parts of the grind, then this dark pattern can be amplified.
Another way this can be amplified is by combining it with the Wait to Play dark pattern. If you need to perform 10 tasks, but you only have enough energy to perform 5, now you have to put the game down and retain some Endowed Progress. This is a powerful urge to come back to the game later and complete your goal.
Often, the more you play the game, the more tasks you have to perform to get the same benefit as before. For example, level 1 may require you to perform 5 tasks, but level 2 may require you to perform 10 tasks for the same increase in level. This "ramping up" of the repetitive tasks allows new players to get hooked on the gameplay before it becomes too repetitive and boring. By the time the grind becomes excessive, players have already become addicted to the gameplay and continue playing even though it's not enjoyable anymore.
It should be noted that Grinding is the core mechanic of many games, and some people enjoy it. For those people, this isn't a dark pattern. However, if Grinding is combined with other dark patterns, like Pay to Skip where you can spend money to skip parts of the grind, then this dark pattern can be amplified.
Another way this can be amplified is by combining it with the Wait to Play dark pattern. If you need to perform 10 tasks, but you only have enough energy to perform 5, now you have to put the game down and retain some Endowed Progress. This is a powerful urge to come back to the game later and complete your goal.
Citations and Sources • Dark Patterns in the Design of Games
• Why are Video Games Addictive?
• Behavioral Game Design
• Why are Video Games Addictive?
• Behavioral Game Design
Examples
King of Thieves"Continously gather gems and gold to upgrade your dungeon, rank, defenses, skills, etc"
Township"You may have to repeated gather certain items to fulfill difficult orders or gather money to build certain buildings"
Monster Legends"Breeding monsters is grindy due to the random chance of getting a specific monster. For maximum strength you're required to acquire multiple monsters of the same kind to destroy the duplicates and turn them into cells to upgrade your monster's strength."
Assoluto Racing"A given that it is a racing game"
Single City: Life Metaverse"Grinding resourses."
Titan Quest: Legendary Edition"Farming bosses for good unique items. Takes a long time to get to max level, well after game is completed"
War Robots Multiplayer Battles"unless you pay, everything in the game is grindy af, you have to play 100 matches a day to have a good progress, which no one does... at least i hope no one does."
The Tribez: Build a Village"example - Farmers bay. To open up sections of the map needed to access new building types and resources youu need to complete LOTS of deals in one of two buildings. To complete deals you need to obtain certain items from the Market by using resources abtained from other areas. Types of items dropped by the market are random! The number of items needed for the sections number in the 1000s but only 10's are available with each deal.."
The Walking Dead: Survivors"Grinding for upgrade materials for heros"
Life Makeover"There is a stamina system used to collect material to craft clothes"