Comments on: A Repeat Performance

By: Yi-Fan (Arthur) Shih

Yi-Fan (Arthur) Shih — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:00:39 +0000

I agree with this article. I have been playing so many different games and almost every game I played is repetition. However, they are still fun to play because the games are become more and more difficult to play. It is the fun part because humans like challenge. People always like to try the thing that is difficult and challenge to us. Even they are repetition. For example, the Resident Evil is the game that you need to follow the story and try to pick up the ammo, recover the life, and kill the zombies or enemy. You have to repetition the same thing again and again to finish the game. However, the fun part is the challenge part because we believe we can finish the game, so we will keep trying until we finish the game. In our life is the same thing, repetition is happens all the time. However, we are still doing the thing that is repetition because they are keeping us in interesting. The reason why it keeps us interesting because we can feel the challenge inside it and when we finish the challenge, we will feel so much successful inside it.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:22:38 +0000

Even subtle differences can help in these games!

By: David A

David A — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:35:58 +0000

I think that we find forms of repetition interesting. With games like Assassin’s Creed, it has spanned multiple games all essentially finding one’s target and then eliminating them usually resulting in a cutscene that gives the player more insight into furthering the game. Some may ask how can this be fun? Let’s look at a simpler earlier game like Tetris. This game has to be one of the most repetitious but addicting games that anyone has ever played. Why? In Tetris the player stacks bricks and tries to elimnate rows as more bricks fall from the top of the screen and to add, everybody always loses. The thing that I think makes repetition interesting is the increased added difficulty and subtle factors that make similar situations significantly different. With Tetris, after each level, it gets more difficult as the bricks fall faster. However, it’s not so hard that we lose the desire to play. The fact that we eliminate bricks, get little beeping sounds and visual satisfaction when the lines disappear all help to make repetition interesting. With Assassin’s Creed, subtle differences make the game interesting like increased difficulty, or even play style. One can play as stealthy as they wish or even bum rush to the target if the parameters allow for it.
In life, repetition happens all the time, but the things that keep it interesting are the subtle changes that make it different.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 17:45:07 +0000

Alan,
There is something about our psyche that warms up to repetition, especially in games and athletic contests. I was thinking about this the other day in watching an NBA game. Not too much difference from one of the court to the other: dribble, pass, shoot, rebound. Then we watch it again on the other end of the court.

By: Alan Feng

Alan Feng — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:33:03 +0000

It is absolutely true. American entertainment is all about repetition. Take TV shows for instance, Jersey Shore is just repetitive bickering and fighting over drama. Monk is about solving repetitive cases, and Glee is repetitive singing. However, somewhere in the repetitiveness, we find entertainment. I believe that humans are creatures of habit, that is why once we get adapted to something that entertains us, we stick to it.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:28:37 +0000

Always a balancing act, Brandon, between striving for new territory while presenting the familiar that people are accustomed to.

By: Brandon France

Brandon France — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:48:39 +0000

I do believe that repetition is very key to the success of show or game. As much as we hate to admit it, we as humans crave structure and when we get thrown off our path, than we become irritable and uneasy. That’s why it is important when producing a sequel to a successful game or movie to not go overboard, but capitalize on what was built before. I believe the new Batman movies have done a great job of building upon their success and not trying to do too much, but sticking with the original storyline.

By: Casey C. Smith

Casey C. Smith — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:43:15 +0000

The issue with repetition seems to be whether or not it is a serviceable way to spend ones time. My argument would be that as individuals in an advancing society in the 21st Century, we have become much more efficient in conducting business and leisure. Because of our ability to connect with others almost immediately, as well as our attitudes toward accepting new mediums of communication we are left with far more downtime.

For the most part, I believe that people search for easy, mindless activities to feel their free time. Just look at the advent of reality television which boasts a wide array of rather thoughtless characters. The repetition of any medium provides a much less engaged audience and as a result seems more popular with a more efficient culture.

By: Casey C. Smith

Casey C. Smith — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:38:19 +0000

By: Karen Kenderes

Karen Kenderes — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:13:22 +0000

I think that people often get used to doing something so often that it becomes almost like a routine. That is not to say that the routine is not enjoyable, because I’m sure that it still is. But this habit has become comfortable, and I believe people take pleasure in doing things that they’re accustomed to doing. Using the example of video games, people have learned what games are popular, and those games have grown on them. It doesn’t matter that they’re repetitive. The fact is that people like them. If humans need variety, they can attain it in other areas of their lives. However, I agree that repetition is sometimes necessary to achieve greatness in things such as sports and music. I think there is a time and place for repetition and it is up to the discretion of the person who is engaging in the activity to decide whether or not much good will come out of what they are doing.