An interesting article about why a certain kind of Geek likes games.
Gaming the SystemQuote:
As I said before, geeks are system thinkers. We see the world as a very complex but knowable flowchart where there are a finite number of inputs, which cause a similarly finite set of outputs. This impossible flowchart gives us a comfortable illusion of control and an understanding of a chaotic word, but its existence is a handy side effect of a life staring at, deducing, and building systems. It’s also why we love games — they’re just dolled up systems — and the more you understand this fascination with games, the better you’ll be at managing us.
As with all mental excursions with geeks, there’s a well-defined process by which we consume a game, and it goes like this:
Discovery
Optimization, Repetition, and Win
Achievement
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