As Paul discussed in a previous post, fun is a powerful way to connect with an audience. But if fun is so important, then we must ask: what makes something fun?

It’s easy to see why games like SSBB are fun. What’s not to like about getting together with a bunch of friends and beating the daylights out of each other in a frenzied orgy of color and sound? Now, contrast that with some gameplay from Grand Theft Auto IV…

"The mobster stuff is fun, but I'm just not looking for a committed relationship right now."

I spoke with one of my friends the other day who said he enjoyed the game, but didn’t like what he had to go through to maintain relationships with his in-game associates. Apparently, throughout the game, the protagonist has to keep his friends happy, or they may not come to his aid or give him new missions. Making them happy involves answering when they call you, going out drinking with them, etc. all while you’re trying to move ahead with the game. To be honest, it sounds pretty annoying. “Is that supposed to be fun?”, I asked.

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