I'm going to shut up about Hades very soon, but BEFORE I DO, I just want to quickly talk about what a masterclass it is in the power of narrative motivators !!

I regularly quote Todd Howard's DICE keynote where he says the feeling games provide that non-interactive media cannot is pride; This is a tasty soundbite, but ofc agency (+the resulting responsibility & ownership) actually opens the door to a whole cocktail of possible emotions

One example: Gratitude. Another thing I say a lot: if you want players to like/care about an NPC, make them useful in gameplay. Even the most ludo-brained player will learn to love the sight of NPCs they associate with items, healing, combat help- or checkpoints and safe zones

Most of the characters in Hades act as a literal support system, they believe in you & want you to succeed- each offering vital gameplay benefits, you're always happy to see them. Personally, I start to feel thankful/loyal to them, and will take any opportunity to reciprocate

I absolutely love the "Nectar" mechanic in Hades; a built-in way for the player to show clear appreciation to any character they meet - it's the closest thing to a "do a nice thing" button I've seen in a game

Characters problems are oft the framework for quests etc but in Hades, with endearing characters acting as an oasis of support & help for you in the midst of your gameplay challenges, all the while struggling with their own problems, it develops the desire to help them back

I don't think there's a specific name for the warm feeling of doing nice things for other people (isn't that weird?) but you definitely can't get it from watching a TV show. You can maybe get it from letting Dusa know she's seen and appreciated though

Another feeling you can't get from watching something is SPITE - while most characters cheer you on, making you want to win so as not to waste their support or let them down, the others who tell you it's impossible: they make you want to prove them wrong!

PS: While this thread was brewing in my head I read this comic, which was bam; right on topic https://twitter.com/WritNelson/status/1310977931334823941?s=20

Hades knows that to get players to re-enter the gameplay loop it needs super effective retention strategies: it already has multiple unlock systems working in parallel to ensure constant ludo-prizes, but it isn't just a case of unveiling "more" story as a reward

Where at first you're "using" the characters to progress your escape, at some point it flips, and you're using the escape to progress the characters and relationships. That's where I'm at now, and it's a fascinating subversion of goals