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What motivates the authors of video game walkthroughs and FAQs?

firstmonday.org

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Re: What motivates the authors of video game walkthroughs and FAQs?

#61
post #40

[...guide authors approach games with the mindset of a medical examiner. They do not play games so much as dissect them, which erodes enjoyment of the hobby they like best. Rarely can authors “just enjoy the game;” instead they must “stop every 20 seconds to write something.” ...] Is this really the case? I would rather believe that the writers are gamers too. It's quite common for gamers to play a [fun] game through…

Yeah I think it's a bit unfair too. Taking things apart to learn how they work is fun, it's part of the hacker mindset. I view FAQ and walkthrough creation the same way. Teaching is also the best way to learn or retain knowledge, and the process helps you get to know and appreciate a game you already enjoy. I've never done that but I've played many games where I spent more time outside the game thinking and plotting…

Article didn't say guiding isn't fun. It said the guiding interrupts the game playing.

> I spent more time outside the game thinking and plotting and planning than I do actually playing the game

So you support the article's statements.

Re: What motivates the authors of video game walkthroughs and FAQs?

#62
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I think it's a bit unfair too. Taking things apart to learn how they work is fun, it's part of the hacker mindset. I view FAQ and walkthrough creation the same way. Teaching is also the best way to learn or retain knowledge, and the process helps you get to know and appreciate a game you already enjoy. I've never done that but I've played many games where I spent more time outside the game thinking and plotting…

Article didn't say guiding isn't fun. It said the guiding interrupts the game playing. > I spent more time outside the game thinking and plotting and planning than I do actually playing the game So you support the article's statements.

It also says "erodes enjoyment of the hobby they like best" though. That's more than just interruption. The difference here is probably one of degree more than anything, you can take anything too far.
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