Dan Talks Games
@dantalksgames.bsky.social
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I just find if I'm *only* ever wanting to do the stuff I switch my brain off too, there's likely other extraneous factors contributing to draining my spoons that my gaming has to be zero-effort, like before I got medicated.
I'm assuming the same would be true if others.
I'm assuming the same would be true if others.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
I just find if I'm *only* ever wanting to do the stuff I switch my brain off too, there's likely other extraneous factors contributing to draining my spoons that my gaming has to be zero-effort, like before I got medicated.
I'm assuming the same would be true if others.
I'm assuming the same would be true if others.
But then I'll often reach a point where I'm bored with that and go alright, time to hit some Steel Path nodes again.
There's nothing wrong with a mix of both. It's just when I *only* ever want to do the low-effort tasks that I worry I'm falling into bad habits indicative of other problems.
There's nothing wrong with a mix of both. It's just when I *only* ever want to do the low-effort tasks that I worry I'm falling into bad habits indicative of other problems.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
But then I'll often reach a point where I'm bored with that and go alright, time to hit some Steel Path nodes again.
There's nothing wrong with a mix of both. It's just when I *only* ever want to do the low-effort tasks that I worry I'm falling into bad habits indicative of other problems.
There's nothing wrong with a mix of both. It's just when I *only* ever want to do the low-effort tasks that I worry I'm falling into bad habits indicative of other problems.
And to be clear - I don't think there's anything wrong with occasionally doing mindless grinds or effortless tasks in games.
Some nights I switch on the console after a long day of work and decide I'm just going to grind low level nodes to farm relics and void traces while listening to a podcast.
Some nights I switch on the console after a long day of work and decide I'm just going to grind low level nodes to farm relics and void traces while listening to a podcast.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
And to be clear - I don't think there's anything wrong with occasionally doing mindless grinds or effortless tasks in games.
Some nights I switch on the console after a long day of work and decide I'm just going to grind low level nodes to farm relics and void traces while listening to a podcast.
Some nights I switch on the console after a long day of work and decide I'm just going to grind low level nodes to farm relics and void traces while listening to a podcast.
At the same time, the answer isn't to say you're only a true gamer if you can beat Malenia. Flow states are about *your personal sweetspot*, not a wider baseline.
The goal is *your* personal best. Growth without comparison. Challenge without torment. Betterment without being the best.
The goal is *your* personal best. Growth without comparison. Challenge without torment. Betterment without being the best.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
At the same time, the answer isn't to say you're only a true gamer if you can beat Malenia. Flow states are about *your personal sweetspot*, not a wider baseline.
The goal is *your* personal best. Growth without comparison. Challenge without torment. Betterment without being the best.
The goal is *your* personal best. Growth without comparison. Challenge without torment. Betterment without being the best.
...and using that to prey on them with exploitative engagement models such as microtransaction, loot boxes, and gatcha games.
I legitimately believe challenging people to get into flow states is the way to break the hold those games have, and will create a more fulfilling experience for people.
I legitimately believe challenging people to get into flow states is the way to break the hold those games have, and will create a more fulfilling experience for people.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
...and using that to prey on them with exploitative engagement models such as microtransaction, loot boxes, and gatcha games.
I legitimately believe challenging people to get into flow states is the way to break the hold those games have, and will create a more fulfilling experience for people.
I legitimately believe challenging people to get into flow states is the way to break the hold those games have, and will create a more fulfilling experience for people.
...I *do* think some games trend towards dumbing down mechanics and complexity to appeal to people who don't want to put *any* effort into their gaming experience. And I think this has overlaps with the increasing evidence of lowered attention spans brought on through modern tech use...
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
...I *do* think some games trend towards dumbing down mechanics and complexity to appeal to people who don't want to put *any* effort into their gaming experience. And I think this has overlaps with the increasing evidence of lowered attention spans brought on through modern tech use...
And I think that's what good design does; it enables enough of that granularity to encourage flow states, trying to subtly encourage the player to *want* to get better while not throwing them in the deep end.
To give what may be a *slightly* inflammatory opinion...
To give what may be a *slightly* inflammatory opinion...
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
And I think that's what good design does; it enables enough of that granularity to encourage flow states, trying to subtly encourage the player to *want* to get better while not throwing them in the deep end.
To give what may be a *slightly* inflammatory opinion...
To give what may be a *slightly* inflammatory opinion...
It's also why I enjoy running my beloved PF2e on the GM side. Because the maths is so accurate, I can tweak the challenge to help hit the perfect flow state for my players.
As I keep saying about it, it's not about making a difficult challenge. it's about crafting the exact experience you need.
As I keep saying about it, it's not about making a difficult challenge. it's about crafting the exact experience you need.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
It's also why I enjoy running my beloved PF2e on the GM side. Because the maths is so accurate, I can tweak the challenge to help hit the perfect flow state for my players.
As I keep saying about it, it's not about making a difficult challenge. it's about crafting the exact experience you need.
As I keep saying about it, it's not about making a difficult challenge. it's about crafting the exact experience you need.
This is also what I enjoyed about WoW mythic+ before I stopped playing. The scaling challenge meant I had an opportunity to improve and push myself to a higher limit.
The only bad thing was interacting with others because WoW players are scum (so many wasted keys on awful randos).
The only bad thing was interacting with others because WoW players are scum (so many wasted keys on awful randos).
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
This is also what I enjoyed about WoW mythic+ before I stopped playing. The scaling challenge meant I had an opportunity to improve and push myself to a higher limit.
The only bad thing was interacting with others because WoW players are scum (so many wasted keys on awful randos).
The only bad thing was interacting with others because WoW players are scum (so many wasted keys on awful randos).
(I also don't play Revenant, which helps with not just mindlessly switching off)
But it's also a good example of a game that presents granular opportunities for engagement. If I go into an endless mode, enemies keep scaling until they become too tough for me to deal with and I have to bump out.
But it's also a good example of a game that presents granular opportunities for engagement. If I go into an endless mode, enemies keep scaling until they become too tough for me to deal with and I have to bump out.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
(I also don't play Revenant, which helps with not just mindlessly switching off)
But it's also a good example of a game that presents granular opportunities for engagement. If I go into an endless mode, enemies keep scaling until they become too tough for me to deal with and I have to bump out.
But it's also a good example of a game that presents granular opportunities for engagement. If I go into an endless mode, enemies keep scaling until they become too tough for me to deal with and I have to bump out.
So now I play...mostly Warframe, really, which is still a very grindy action RPG/3rd person looter shooter, but at the very least the gameplay when I'm doing more than the grindiest low-level relic farms forces me to stay engaged, and that helps me reach that flow state much better.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
So now I play...mostly Warframe, really, which is still a very grindy action RPG/3rd person looter shooter, but at the very least the gameplay when I'm doing more than the grindiest low-level relic farms forces me to stay engaged, and that helps me reach that flow state much better.
I actually started playing other games. I looked for things that challenged my mind to think. I wanted things that challenged my reflexes. But nothing that would punch me in the dick from the get-go. Just something I could ease into and find that flow state to tickle my brain.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
I actually started playing other games. I looked for things that challenged my mind to think. I wanted things that challenged my reflexes. But nothing that would punch me in the dick from the get-go. Just something I could ease into and find that flow state to tickle my brain.
Once I got medicated, I didn't just get bored, I became actively *repelled* from that style of game and gameplay loop because I was starting to crave more engaging gameplay that challenged me and forced me to use my mind more, up my reflexes, multitask and react in real time...
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
Once I got medicated, I didn't just get bored, I became actively *repelled* from that style of game and gameplay loop because I was starting to crave more engaging gameplay that challenged me and forced me to use my mind more, up my reflexes, multitask and react in real time...
But I also didn't want to do anything else. I didn't want to do harder content. Some days even dungeons were too mentally taxing for me. I didn't want to play a new game because it would be effort to learn it's processes and gameplay. I was stuck in a rut I didn't realise I was in.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
But I also didn't want to do anything else. I didn't want to do harder content. Some days even dungeons were too mentally taxing for me. I didn't want to play a new game because it would be effort to learn it's processes and gameplay. I was stuck in a rut I didn't realise I was in.
But the thing I didn't realise until I became medicated was that I wasn't actually having fun anymore. It was worse than easy, it was *unengaging*, because ultimately doing the same rote class rotations against mobs that will barely threaten you isn't actually engaging gameplay.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
But the thing I didn't realise until I became medicated was that I wasn't actually having fun anymore. It was worse than easy, it was *unengaging*, because ultimately doing the same rote class rotations against mobs that will barely threaten you isn't actually engaging gameplay.
I used to play a tonne of MMOs, but I stopped engaging in higher-end content and mostly focused on solo grinding not just because I didn't have as much time to do it, but because I was increasingly becoming burnt out and just wanted to do something mindless that gave me that quick dopamine hit.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
I used to play a tonne of MMOs, but I stopped engaging in higher-end content and mostly focused on solo grinding not just because I didn't have as much time to do it, but because I was increasingly becoming burnt out and just wanted to do something mindless that gave me that quick dopamine hit.
I like playing games to engage in flow states. In fact it's something I've been thinking about a lot since I've been medicated for ADHD and realizing a lot of my previous gaming behaviours were a by-product of being undiagnosed and wanting to engage in quick-hit dopamine-style gameplay.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
I like playing games to engage in flow states. In fact it's something I've been thinking about a lot since I've been medicated for ADHD and realizing a lot of my previous gaming behaviours were a by-product of being undiagnosed and wanting to engage in quick-hit dopamine-style gameplay.
Flow states are different for everyone, at different levels. I get the arguments about why set difficulty games like Soulsbornes are anti-player in ways that expect standardisation across the board.
At the same time, I think there's virtue in games that challenge players *at their own pace.*
At the same time, I think there's virtue in games that challenge players *at their own pace.*
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
Flow states are different for everyone, at different levels. I get the arguments about why set difficulty games like Soulsbornes are anti-player in ways that expect standardisation across the board.
At the same time, I think there's virtue in games that challenge players *at their own pace.*
At the same time, I think there's virtue in games that challenge players *at their own pace.*
...and paint the modern gaming scene as a bunch of crybabies who need easymode and self-playing modes disguised as 'accessibility' options to carry them.
But it's not zero sum, and more importantly there's a lot of people who fit in the middle of that with lots of granularity in what they want.
But it's not zero sum, and more importantly there's a lot of people who fit in the middle of that with lots of granularity in what they want.
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
...and paint the modern gaming scene as a bunch of crybabies who need easymode and self-playing modes disguised as 'accessibility' options to carry them.
But it's not zero sum, and more importantly there's a lot of people who fit in the middle of that with lots of granularity in what they want.
But it's not zero sum, and more importantly there's a lot of people who fit in the middle of that with lots of granularity in what they want.
...and assume they are judging the need for accessibility tools.
Meanwhile, the hardcore crowd who's flow state can only be reached at the most upper echelon of challenges want games to be more heavily skill gated to a level most gamers don't want to bother with, let alone will acheive...
Meanwhile, the hardcore crowd who's flow state can only be reached at the most upper echelon of challenges want games to be more heavily skill gated to a level most gamers don't want to bother with, let alone will acheive...
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
...and assume they are judging the need for accessibility tools.
Meanwhile, the hardcore crowd who's flow state can only be reached at the most upper echelon of challenges want games to be more heavily skill gated to a level most gamers don't want to bother with, let alone will acheive...
Meanwhile, the hardcore crowd who's flow state can only be reached at the most upper echelon of challenges want games to be more heavily skill gated to a level most gamers don't want to bother with, let alone will acheive...
The problem I see in modern gaming is that the difficulty discussion swings too far either way, often strawman ING each other; people who want a breezier experience cast anyone who wants even a sliver of increased challenge as hard-x-core elitist Soulsborne bros who hate casuals...
January 21, 2026 at 4:47 AM
The problem I see in modern gaming is that the difficulty discussion swings too far either way, often strawman ING each other; people who want a breezier experience cast anyone who wants even a sliver of increased challenge as hard-x-core elitist Soulsborne bros who hate casuals...