Grinding from a Player’s and Game Designer’s Point of View Patrick Perdomo Computer Science Bachelor’s Thesis 15 ECTS credits Spring 2021 Supervisor: Steve Dahlskog CONTENTS I Introduction 3 I-A Related Work and Purpose . .3 I-B Delimitation . .4 II Method 4 III Results 4 III-A Defining ”Grind” . .5 III-B Defining the Sub-Grinds . .5 III-B1 Sub-grind overview . .5 III-C The MMORPG Grind . .6 III-C1 Overview . .6 III-C2 Examples . .6 III-C3 Gameplay . .7 III-C4 Consequences . .7 III-C5 Relations . .7 III-D The Ladder Grind . .7 III-D1 Overview . .7 III-D2 Examples . .7 III-D3 Gameplay . .8 III-D4 Consequences . .8 III-D5 Relations . .8 III-E The Background Grind . .8 III-E1 Overview . .8 III-E2 Examples . .8 III-E3 Gameplay . .9 III-E4 Consequences . .9 III-E5 Relations . .9 III-F The Gacha Grind . .9 III-F1 Overview . .9 III-F2 Examples . .9 III-F3 Gameplay . 10 III-F4 Consequences . 10 III-F5 Relations . 10 III-G The Social Game Grind . 11 III-G1 Overview . 11 III-G2 Examples . 11 III-G3 Gameplay . 11 III-G4 Consequences . 11 III-G5 Relations . 11 III-H The Incremental Game Grind . 11 III-H1 Overview . 11 III-H2 Examples . 11 III-H3 Gameplay . 12 III-H4 Consequences . 12 III-H5 Relations . 12 III-I The Lone Grind . 12 III-I1 Overview . 12 III-I2 Examples . 12 III-I3 Gameplay . 12 III-I4 Consequences . 13 III-I5 Relations . 13 III-J Interview Results . 13 IV Analysis 15 IV-A How Grinding Became Popular . 15 IV-A1 Online gaming . 15 IV-B Interview results vs. Research results . 16 IV-B1 Grind definition . 16 IV-B2 Sub-grinds . 16 IV-B3 How players perceive grinds . 16 IV-C How Grinds Play the Player . 16 IV-C1 Pay-to-Win grinds . 16 IV-C2 Sunk cost fallacy . 16 IV-C3 Limited time events . 16 IV-D How Grinds are Made Enjoyable . 17 IV-D1 Progression . 17 IV-D2 Online . 17 IV-D3 Relaxation . 17 IV-D4 Optimization . 18 IV-E When Grinding is Appropriate . 18 V Discussion 18 V-A Sub-Grinds . 18 V-B Bias ...................................................... 19 V-C Result Limitations . 19 V-D Self-realization Kills the Monotonous Grind . 19 V-E Grinds are Only a Feeling . 20 V-F Are Grinds Bad Game Design? . 20 VI Conclusion 20 Grinding from a Player’s and Game Designer’s Point of View Patrick Perdomo Computer Science, Game Development. Malmo¨ University Malmo,¨ Sweden [email protected] Abstract—Frequently in MMORPGs, players will encounter Grinds continued to show up in single-player RPGs long something known to players as farming or grinding. Grinding after the release of ”dnd” in 1975, even though it was said to be is a controversial matter in the gaming community, as many a result of poor game design [3]. However, some do embrace do not enjoy it and see it as a sign of lazy and poor game design. However, it is a difficult topic to argue as whatever is a grinds and enjoy them [4]. With the release of MMORPGs, grind, differs to each person. To elevate the discussion about grinds took on a new form and evolved. Competitive and social grinds in the gaming community, this paper aims to give a aspects made grinding even more profound and meaningful to definition to grinds and answer how they are perceived by players players as now they had others to compete and show off their and designers alike. Grinds are argued to be dull, tedious and hard work to. Grinds leveled up themselves with MMORPGs monotonous, but they are ever prevalent in games today. To find what differentiates between a satisfying or waste of time grinding, and became a bigger time sink than ever before. this paper also aims to discover what makes a grind enjoyable, According to some game designers, incorporating a grind and when they are appropriate. into a game means having.