（#game #player #think #enlightenment）What do you think about when you're playing games?

Welcome to the endless journey called gaming.

This is not a rigid review detailing what you "should do" or "shouldn't do."

As a fellow player, these are simply the footprints of my casual gaming journey—a "stray note," so to speak.

How many games do you play in a year?

Some might play only two or three a year, while others might stick with a single title for several years.

An unavoidable topic when discussing modern gaming is the timeline of how we spend our "playtime" (disposable time).

In this day and age, what you can do within a single title is incredibly diverse.

Beyond simply beating the game,
taking beautiful screenshots(SS),
editing videos to upload to social media,
or sometimes even utilizing AI.
Depending on the player's approach, the gaming experience can expand indefinitely.

It doesn't matter what the game title is.

You just need to dive into whichever world you happen to connect with.

In my case, the worlds I happened to connect with were "PSO2NGS" and "Tower of Fantasy."

Using these two titles as examples, I would like to unpack modern game design and the ways we enjoy it today.

PSO2NGS & Tower of Fantasy

"PSO2NGS" and "Tower of Fantasy"

Comparing these two titles from the perspective of system design and playstyle reveals some highly interesting differences.

My personal impression is that
"PSO2NGS" seems to have a large number of dedicated players who focus almost exclusively on that single title.

On the other hand, for "Tower of Fantasy," it feels like a higher percentage of people are playing it while balancing other games at the same time.

This difference is deeply related to the "design" of each game.

To put it simply, it comes down to this:

• PSO2NGS: The "Infinite Grinding" System
• Tower of Fantasy: The "Daily Limit" System

In fact, in "PSO2NGS," you can run quests 20 or 30 times a day—as much as your heart desires.
As a result, your playtime can extend indefinitely in proportion to your effort.

In "Tower of Fantasy," major content has a daily attempt limit (such as up to 5 times a day),
so once you do a certain amount, you hit the limit for that day.
This makes it easier to set a clear boundary on your playtime.

This difference is a very visible aspect.

Hearing this, you might think, "Does that mean Tower of Fantasy feels restrictive?" But that is absolutely not the case.

In Tower of Fantasy, the field is incredibly vast.

The fun of Tower of Fantasy lies in the movement.
After all, there are no limits when it comes to exploring the field.

You might wonder, "Can't we just use fast travel to move across the map?"
Yet, in Tower of Fantasy, you strangely find yourself wanting to walk.

The graphics aren't the photorealistic style like "Final Fantasy," but rather a slightly rough, anime-esque texture, which actually feels quite pleasant to the eyes.

The so-called vehicles function properly, too.
You can climb any wall and glide over long distances.
You can move anywhere; you can go straight toward any point.

I experienced this sense of seamless, comfortable movement for the first time in Tower of Fantasy.

Without resorting to shortcuts, you can follow the paths on the field if you want,
or, if you get that sudden urge, you can head directly to your destination in a straight line, going anywhere you please.
When I first experienced this completely free and comfortable style of movement,
along with my surprise, I felt a deep sense of awe at this unprecedented, groundbreaking system, thinking, "Wow, are they really letting me be this free?!"

I believe this is a cutting-edge gaming style that should become the standard for future game design.

Movement in games is becoming a matter of "of course you can fly."
The focus may shift to questions like: how do you express that flight, and what kind of play-feeling does it deliver?

And while making full use of these developer-sanctioned, cheat-like movement mechanics, one of the core elements of the Tower of Fantasy gameplay loop is field exploration.

In fact, even premium items can be obtained primarily through this exploration.

I have about 1,000 Red Nuclei, but...
When it comes to in-game purchases in Phantom Tower, Red Cores are the top priority.

In terms of PSO2NGS Meseta, that would probably be around 100,000,000, right?
Just my personal intuition, of course.

Each Red Nucleus costs about $1.
That's around 150 to 180 Japanese yen.
And you can often get these Red Nuclei as free giveaways.

This time, I was shocked because we received an exceptional amount—like 30 of them at once.
I'm happy, but is it really okay?
Aren't they handing out a bit too much?

I am eagerly waiting for the perfect moment to use these Red Nuclei.

They are used to pull for limited-time characters,
and I want to save them for when the design or playstyle of a limited character or weapon perfectly matches my personal tastes.
Please, let a character or weapon that strikes a chord with my preferences come along.

PSO2NGS, after all, really embraces that mindless, infinite grinding style.
Because of that, it's easy to lose track of time and play for hours.
In fact, there was a perfect moment in PSO2NGS where I hit a matching digit of exactly 4,444 hours.

With Tower of Fantasy, at around 3,000 hours, you start to see the ultimate peak—like, "Wow, I've really come a long way."
That milestone comes into view.

A Fine Line Between Consistency and Rut?

Immersing oneself in a single title and deeply soaking in its world.

The usual daily routine becomes a comfortable ritual, creating a positive cycle that helps you ground yourself.

I am exactly that type of player as well.

If you ever find yourself wanting a little stimulus in your daily routine, exploring so-called "Chinese-developed game titles" can be an interesting option.
Examples include Genshin Impact, Tower of Fantasy, Honkai: Star Rail, Neverness to Everness (NTE), and the like.

Many of them are free-to-play MMO titles, after all.
Though, Final Fantasy XIV also offers a free trial with a massive amount of content.

These free-to-play titles currently dominating the gaming market are crafted with such high quality that they even surprise major Japanese game publishers.

In the first place, their game designs are likely different, so a simple comparison cannot be made.

There is a distinct merit in games like PSO2NGS, where you can clear your mind by running loops over and over again.
The action also has a sharp, straightforward feel to it, and as you repeat it, you can genuinely feel yourself getting better.
That is precisely why it is so easy to lose track of time and keep playing.

On the other hand, an area that could use some reinforcement is the graphics.
Being lightweight comes with the advantage of fast loading times.
Since it is based on the PS4 generation, certain limitations are understandable, but when compared to the visuals of other titles, it inevitably leaves something to be desired.

When you expose yourself to other genres or games from different countries—
and compare them to Tower of Fantasy, which I happened to start playing—there are parts where you go, "Ah, I see."

Oh, come to think of it, that's what gaming was like.

Just like when I first encountered Tower of Fantasy's movement system,
you are bound to experience a fresh, groundbreaking surprise, thinking,
"Wow, games can do this nowadays!"

In-Game Purchases

For free-to-play game titles, how to encourage users to spend money is a crucial aspect of live-service operations for developers.

Breakdown of spending:

• PSO2NGS: About $62 USD over 2 years
• Tower of Fantasy: About $62 USD over 2 years

You might wonder, "Is that really it?" But it's true.

The 1,000 Red Nuclei in Tower of Fantasy mentioned earlier had almost nothing to do with spending real money; it's the amount I gathered through actual gameplay.
In fact, for both games, I assume they will continue to provide enough materials and items to cover the need for purchases.
So, even if I keep playing them for decades to come, I feel like I could easily go "zero spending from here on out."

In reality, my financial situation simply doesn't allow for spending more than that.
That's just the reality of my wallet, though.

Additional Thoughts on Spending

To dive deeper into spending,
there are paid elements in subscriptions and even in this blogging service, too.

Whether it's for games or work software, I don't think it's feasible to pay for every single app you have on hand.

Before you know it, you are using multiple apps.
As your living environment changes, the tools you need will naturally increase.

There is a limit to the 24 hours in a day.
Just because someone is a free-to-play user doesn't mean they are playing half-heartedly,
and just because someone pays doesn't mean they are focusing exclusively on that one app, right?

Particularly in gaming purchases,
even though it's the same act of "paying money," breaking down the underlying psychology makes the structure very clear.

• ①. Spending because "I'm a fan / I want to immerse myself"

  This represents the healthiest and happiest relationship between a player and the developers.
  Tips of support and gratitude: A mindset close to an offering or fan activity, thinking, "Thank you for letting me play in such an interesting world for free."
  An immersion booster: Buying an outfit for a favorite character further increases immersion and affection for that world, actively raising the value of the "time" spent experiencing the game.
  In this case, because the return of "satisfaction" is complete the moment the money is paid, it leaves almost no regret.

• ②. Spending because "I already paid, so it would be a waste"

  This is a highly potent and somewhat dangerous psychological state known in psychology as the "sunk cost effect."
  Losing the reason to quit: Out of fear that "since I've already spent tens of thousands of yen, quitting now would make that money a complete waste," players continue logging in out of sheer inertia.
  A loop of obligation: Even though they might actually be a bit bored or want to try other apps, they play out of a sense of obligation to "get their money's worth."
  If it worsens, it can fall into a vicious cycle of "it's a waste, so I'll pull the next gacha too (and spend even more) and reach a point of no return."
  When it reaches this state, the game shifts from "enjoyable entertainment" to "investment recovery work," resulting in consuming precious 24 hours (disposable time) for the sake of stress.

"Just because someone pays doesn't mean they are focusing exclusively on that app."

These words from our previous discussion take on even greater weight here.
Just because someone is spending money doesn't necessarily mean their heart is 100% in the game.

Being tied down solely by the psychology of "it's a waste" can truly be described as a state where "because of money, the limited asset of 24 hours is being held hostage."

"Where to pay money, and what to gain?"

I want to make sure I carefully discern the purchases that are truly necessary.

Average people have their jobs or maybe their studies,
so even if they can afford to spend money,
when it comes down to it, they probably don't have that much time to spare for gaming, do they?

In a sense, unless you make the ultimate career move and become unemployed, it is incredibly difficult to drastically secure more playtime.

Even the Unemployed Don't Have Enough Time, You Know?

To all the average folks out there: do you think the unemployed just have an endless surplus of time?

Because MMOs and things like that really have a massive amount of content.

Average people might think that "the unemployed have time to burn," but the sheer volume of recent MMOs and open-world games is absolutely insane.

Let alone juggling multiple MMO titles at once—even the unemployed would find that difficult.

Even the unemployed don't have enough time.

If you wander around the fields as your heart desires, or spend hours taking screenshots until you are finally satisfied, the day is over in the blink of an eye.

And that is perfectly fine.
Pouring all your time into these "seemingly meaningless things" is exactly the best way to enjoy a game to the fullest.

If your impression of the unemployed is someone who refuses to get a steady job and just lives a depraved lifestyle, please allow me to add some context.

They aren't just playing games all day long either.
They might be out of work in the traditional sense, but sometimes they are still working.
Whether that generates an income or not is a different story, though.

The unemployed aren't just lazy people chasing after an easy life;
they find their own ways to approach their "work."
Just like ordinary, average people, they also go through days filled with worries and conflicts.

The unemployed have a life, too.

The Happiness of Always Adoring Your Own Character

Are you the type of player who gets deeply into character creation?

A custom character built straight from your own imagination.
Personally, I am the type who "always wants to see my character up close and large" on the game screen.
Even if the close camera angle sometimes causes a bit of 3D motion sickness, I still want to fully take in my character's appearance.

Games like "FFXIV" are highly appealing, but when watching gameplay videos, the camera tends to zoom out a lot, making the characters look rather small.
I want to see my character in a larger size at all times—not just when taking screenshots, but also while moving around.

The hairstyle, body type, facial contours, and the backstory of "why this character was born."
A character crafted with meticulous care harbors a tiny world of your own.
Crossing your own original elements over into the pre-existing lore of the game—
this is the true charm of character creation.

For users who love adoring their own characters like this, PSO2NGS holds a massive advantage.
Its Auto-Chat system frequently displays the character's face in a large cut-in window.
This is a truly unique, one-of-a-kind feature of PSO2NGS that I have never seen in any other modern game.
To be honest, it is a relatively niche title, but having such wonderful, distinct features is likely one of the reasons players continue to stay.

I dive deeper into character creation in this article.
It unpacks the psychology behind what individual players focus on when modeling their original characters.

Ultimate "Fan activities" that reflects one's life！Appeal of Creating Original Characters！

Level Up, Gather Materials, and Craft Gear

Imagine a top-tier player who has maxed out their level, crafted the ultimate gear, and completed every single achievement in Game A.
However, if that person moves to Game B, none of those accomplishments will carry over.
It is a complete start from scratch.
They will have no levels, no gear, not even a single herb.

Since both Game A and Game B are video games,
the actual gameplay loop can feel quite similar in some ways.
In either case, I think the fundamental concept remains the same:
you gather materials to craft something like an "Excalibur."

If the overarching systems are similar,
the criteria for what draws a player in comes down to a matter of "which game's action (or gameplay feel) do you prefer?"
This is a sensation that naturally becomes clear the more games you experience.

For those about to start playing games, you should just play whatever titles you like, following your own interests.
There are so many game titles out there,
and game developers are constantly creating one new world after another.
Right?

If possible, I hope you try to fully explore each of those worlds.
As you do, you will gradually begin to see the underlying structures—thinking, "Ah, this game design is similar to that other title"—making gaming even deeper and more enjoyable.

Regarding VTubers

While I am not a dedicated fan of anyone in particular, I am genuinely impressed by the sheer existence of VTubers.

My fundamental style is to focus deeply on one single title at a time.
Even though I happen to be playing both PSO2NGS and Tower of Fantasy right now,
my main focus on any given day is strictly on one or the other.

VTubers, on the other hand, play maybe two titles a month?
Or actually, aren't they juggling two to three titles simultaneously?
The controls and feels must be completely different depending on the game, and the systems are entirely separate entities.
Where just keeping up with the controls and the storyline would be more than enough to overwhelm someone,
they take it a step further by playing in a way that entertains their viewers as "entertainment (a show)."

I find them incredibly versatile.

If I were to stream my own gameplay,
I would just get nervous about the fact that I'm broadcasting, my in-game movements would get clumsy, and it would end up leaving me strangely exhausted.

I enjoy leaving VTuber streams playing pleasantly in the background as a "substitute for the radio" while writing blog posts like this or doing other tasks.

A Future Utopia Born of Wild Imagination

When you experience various games and get to know different systems and mechanics, a wild imagination like this might suddenly cross your mind.

"What if, even without any specialized programming knowledge, you could mix multiple games together to create your very own title?"

(Example)
This is just a hypothetical scenario, of course.

• 1. The field is the completely free and open world of "Tower of Fantasy"
• 2. The equipment system is from my old favorite, "Game A"
• 3. The appearing enemies include guest appearances from "Game B"
• 4. The gameplay feel and action have the sheer exhilaration of "Game C"
• 5. What should we do for the material items?

If every user could mix multiple game titles like this to create a game with their own original design, it would undoubtedly be incredibly fun.

Realistically, it is quite difficult due to things like copyright issues.

Even though AI is advancing day by day, automatic generation on such a massive scale is still a long way off.
Even if it's over a decade away, is there a world where this will actually happen?
Or is it simply a dream within our imagination?

...Perhaps even the time spent indulging in such daydreams is a luxurious headspace that gaming grants us.

Well, that's enough wandering off the path of thought for now.

Today, once again, let's log into that vast world to go see the person that is "me."