<![CDATA[If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game.]]>If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game.

If the economy is only beneficial when you’re rich, it’s not a good economy.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/9dbf5f56-9ca6-4f3d-b630-08972af80a0c/if-the-game-is-only-fun-when-you-win-it-s-not-a-good-game.RSS for NodeWed, 15 Apr 2026 10:36:48 GMTWed, 18 Mar 2026 19:34:45 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:46 GMT]]>Monopoly, of course, fits both categories.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116255729017132090https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116255729017132090Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:50:06 GMT]]>@Andrev @RosaCtrl I really like that. I think sports clubs have that kind of thing figured out, with rankings and matchmaking. It’s much harder to do when you’re playing FPSes with your friends.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252148142346184https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252148142346184Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:50:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:48:45 GMT]]>@samir @RosaCtrl yes!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://types.pl/users/Andrev/statuses/116252142849497005https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://types.pl/users/Andrev/statuses/116252142849497005Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:48:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:47:16 GMT]]>@datarama @RosaCtrl Gonna add these all to the list.

We’re playing Grounded now. I am not really into games with crafting, so I find that annoying, but otherwise I think it’s pretty good.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252136974266591https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252136974266591Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:47:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:45:26 GMT]]>@samir @RosaCtrl We're currently stumbling our way through Valheim. One is actually a genuinely good player; us two others are basically Viking Laurel & Hardy.

We've also played *lots* of Stellaris, Don't Starve Together, and one very long Stardew Valley game with a *ton* of community mods. (and many other shorter games)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/datarama/statuses/116252129819977217https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/datarama/statuses/116252129819977217Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:45:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:42:01 GMT]]>@datarama @RosaCtrl Also sounds great.

We just finished the video game adaptation of Gloomhaven. It took us a few years, with breaks to play other stuff. Probably about 70 2-hour sessions? Anyway, I recommend it, if it’s your thing.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252116358514160https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252116358514160Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:42:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:40:29 GMT]]>@samir @RosaCtrl We only play video games (all co-op), though perhaps we branch into TTRPGs (for some definition of TT) later. Occasionally we've watched a movie together instead, though.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/datarama/statuses/116252110301670543https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/datarama/statuses/116252110301670543Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:40:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:39:05 GMT]]>@Andrev @RosaCtrl That’s fascinating. So your goal is to improve, and you can’t do that as easily if you win. Am I getting it?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252104846647029https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252104846647029Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:39:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:38:28 GMT]]>@datarama @RosaCtrl Yes, same. I have a weekly online gaming group that’s been going since mid-2020 and we mostly play co-op video games or D&D.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252102409990898https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252102409990898Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:38:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:35:44 GMT]]>@RosaCtrl Agreed, and I do like winning, but typically the feeling of causing my friends distress overshadows it.

There’s a few people I can play competitive games with, and I have known them all for over 20 years.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252091625872344https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252091625872344Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:35:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:27:18 GMT]]>@samir @RosaCtrl depending on how serious I am with a game "winning" is actually a problem because it's harder to find the flaws analysing a game that is won, rather than finding the problem in a game that is lost.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://types.pl/users/Andrev/statuses/116252058493515910https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://types.pl/users/Andrev/statuses/116252058493515910Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:27:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:25:52 GMT]]>@samir @RosaCtrl That's where I am too. Me and two of my university friends have had a weekly (online) gaming session together every Friday since 2020, and we've pretty much only played cooperatively because we have more fun that way.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/datarama/statuses/116252052846616618https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/datarama/statuses/116252052846616618Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:25:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:18:01 GMT]]>@samir I think wining is rewarding when it happens, but you don’t need it to have fun!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/RosaCtrl/statuses/116252022013183153https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/RosaCtrl/statuses/116252022013183153Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:18:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:12:47 GMT]]>@RosaCtrl Yeah, those people should play with each other and no one else.

I rarely play competitive games, because I don’t actually enjoy winning against my fellow players. I realise I am probably quite far on the other end of the spectrum though.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252001394553409https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.functional.computer/users/samir/statuses/116252001394553409Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:12:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to If the game is only fun when you win, it’s not a good game. on Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:09:40 GMT]]>@samir counterpoint, off topic: if the game is only fun when you win, maybe you aren’t a nice person.

Personal rant: my ex was so competitive that at some point I had to tell him to stop otherwise I wouldn’t play with him again because he and his pal were making the whole thing bad for the rest of us

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/RosaCtrl/statuses/116251989130710101https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/RosaCtrl/statuses/116251989130710101Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:09:40 GMT