ThatGrrl

I'm trying to understand about NFT's (non-fungible tokens). The more I read the more this seems to be some kind of backlash to online games in which you work/grind/farm to get what is essentially a digital image or file, one copy of it, which you in fact do not own.

NFT seems to be a way to own something which you still don't really own. You may have fought, worked, or otherwise feel you own it, but you did not create it so you have no copyrights to the original image/game/whatever digital file it is.

If the original artist does not create an NFT for their image and then agree to sell the rights along with the NFT, what does anyone who buys the NFT really own? Kind of claiming to own something without having any real rights to do so. Or, do they own a copy, like a screen capture of the original, and then believe the artist no longer has rights to the image?

Complicated.

Idle, incremental, and clicker games, are they good or bad for people who obsess about things? Can an online game like Cookie Clicker help you beat the worse (less physically healthy) habit of chain smoking? Maybe. Luckily, I'm not a smoker so I can't test out that theory.

But, I thought I would post about my habit, limited obsession, mild addiction, with idle games. They probably are not healthy but, I do wear out some of my obsessive compulsive energy madly making progress while knowing it really doesn't matter at all. It also doesn't bother anyone, and its been a little secret I've kept hoarded to myself, until now.

What are idle, incremental or clicker games?

Any simple (usually fairly uncomplicated) game in which you increase your score in whatever format: points, gold, cookies, cows, candy... anything. I don't think any of these games have an ending. They just keep going with new additions, features, and fluff. Like so many Facebook games, you work to get stuff but you actually have nothing. Little image files you don't own, no copyrights. Why would anyone play such games, you might wonder. Try one and see. But, don't get addicted to it. Be careful, it sneaks up on you.

How about a list of Idle and Clicker Games to Become Madly Focused and Obsessed With:

• Cookie Clicker
• Candy Box
• Adventure Capitalist
• Crusaders of the Lost Idols

I know there are others. I've played others. These four seem to be the ones I've stuck with, or come back to and stuck with again, and again. At least two of them are also on the Steam site. Most of them are free to play, or to start playing.

My Mother likes to watch game shows: The Price is Right, Let's Make a Deal, Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, and the odd other. Wheel of Fortune is the only game show I haven't seen anyone jump on the host. But they do scream, sometimes. I don't think it is especially encouraged there. But, all the others seem to work people up into a frenzy.

I'm sure its a marketing thing. Getting people to show all that excitement helps promote the products, whatever they are. A game show can have people jumping all over the place and screeching over winning a pen and paper. Then they drop a car into the mix to keep everyone on their toes and crazy excited.

I can see how it works for the shows and the marketing which is what the shows are really about. Selling stuff to the public.

But, all this rabid excitement, the screaming and jumping, isn't good for people. That level of excitement, in our past, would have been over seeing a large predator about to kill and eat us.

Have you noticed TV shows and movies and even commercials are all about excitement. They are louder, more colourful, bigger reactions (over reactions), far more emotions and being very emotional and sensitive. Its all gone over the top.

What kind of people are they turning us into?

Of course, its great for marketing. The goal of marketing is to make people feel they need more stuff. Marketing preys on people, as I have written before. Not just to sell us stuff but to make us feel we really need all that stuff. What would we be without blinding white teeth?

But, the funny thing, watching these game shows, we look more and more like prey. But, there are no big predators, no monsters, right?

Why don't stores, with online shopping, use more gamification?

Games online use it, but they don't have the merchandise to take it farther. I think an online shopping retail outlet, like Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, Etsy, etc. should combine with an existing game site. Or go on their own with a game developer of their choosing. But, it would be simpler, cost effective, to work with an existing game and merge together.

Set up an account and create a character (your personal avatar won't start with much, features can be earned) - you get a permanent 5% discount on anything you buy, as long as you keep that account. This could be limited to early adopters, which of course, could last an entire year. After that they would have to spend X amount of money to get the permanent 5% discount.

Use your character to battle the mighty monster and get 10% off your purchase. This carries on with different discounts as they level up. If they want to buy books have them fight a library related monster - get a discount and a badge (level one). If they buy electronics they battle something related, with levelling up, discounts for successfully defeating the monster. When they get to level ten in defeating that particular monster they get another reward, a feature.

Features can be unlocked. People can spend X amount, level up, post to social media, to earn a garden, a farm, a house, different outfits for their character, more and better weapons, seasonal and holiday stuff to decorate their house and character. It can go on forever. Once someone has everything there are better everything, deluxe this and premium that, for them to work towards.

People won't want to shop somewhere else and miss out on points and rewards for their character.

Of course, characters can be posted to social media, with branding for the store. A mobile application which they can take with them anywhere and show off to friends. Bragging rights for who has the most, gets the best, etc.

Rewards can include branded merchandise too. Send them a 'store name' Christmas t-shirt as a reward they can wear outside of the game. Also merchandise which proclaims their status as a big winner, a home owner, etc. at the 'store name' online shop.

Bring in guilds so people can meet at the online shop and get together to buy more. Let them pool their resources to make big purchases together. Sell them credit cards to build up more online shopping points with the store.

People who level up and have lots of rewards can be featured on the site. A reward for being such a loyal shopper and an example/ showcase of what others can achieve with store loyalty and frequent shopping.