Item — HN Reader

> it compels play even when it isn't fun

That's the power of positive and negative reinforcement. They want to shape the behavior of players. They want players logging into the game multiple times a day, every single day.

So they rate limit the player's game with "stamina" or whatever euphemism for a timer they come up with. Player was having fun playing the RPG with friends, only to run out of "stamina"! The choice is to stop and wait for the timer to reset or pay money to reset it. Then the player starts waking up at 3 in the morning because that's when the timer resets.

The simple timer reinforces a schedule and creates the behavior the game developer wants players to have.

Then the player starts waking up at 3 in the morning because that's when the timer resets.

This is a common technique for manufacturing commitment: if a person must suffer for a thing, they come to justify to themselves that the thing is worth the suffering, and become more dedicated the more they do. Cults often use this technique.

I lived through a form of that during my time playing a certain mobile MMORPG. I was one of the top players and belonged to a group of other top players. I just didn't want to let my online friends down. It's a powerful motivation. Eventually, the investment became too great and I realized I was being penalized for not spending money on the game.