I enjoy job simulator type games and really like the aspect of decorating and taking something and improving it. I’m a sucker for visual progress and I’m comfortable with physical labor in real life, so why can I only do it in games and structured activities?
Because a well designed game does not include drudgery. “Work-simulators” focus on results and progress and gloss over many of the hours of outright boredom or physical exertion to get there.
For example, truck driving simulator does not include the pain in the ass and boring part of loading or unloading the truck. Farming simulator does not include the painstaking process of removing rocks from the field.
While I grew up on a farm, my first proper career was something called OBC seismic. What it is isn’t as important as the fact that it involved placing a 6km long sensor cable on the seabed with a winch and position it properly. To do this right requires practice, and as the principle is farly easy I wrote a small simulator that our trainees could try out. At first they found it interesting, and even the seniors from other departments enjoyed toying with it. The biggest lack of realism was that it didn’t involve doing it for 12 hours straight, only stopping to unscrew 25 meter sections and replacing them. Barring drudgery and repetitive boredom could’ve probably made it an interesting game similar to other work simulators.
Because a well designed game does not include drudgery
Better remove Ship graveyard simulator from that category…
I don’t mind drudgery though. I’ve done real life construction work, I love legos, before I had internet I dug a hole in the backyard just to see how deep a hole I could dig. Progress being made is the goal sure but that doesn’t make me shy away from the boring and frustrating parts. It’s just that when it comes to decorating my apartment, cleaning my room, doing dishes, mowing lawns, whatever, I just can’t find myself getting started in the first place rather than giving up partway through.
I think a lot of the stimulus that comes from interacting with mobile devices is more insidious than most people realising.
Try changing your phone to grey scale in the usability settings for a day and you’ll see what I mean.
Basically, real life just doesn’t stimulate dopamine production in the same way, it’s not as satisfying.
Games are designed to be fun. Work isn’t.
Welcome to Lemmy!
You might want to look into getting checked out for ADHD. Someone close to me was diagnosed as an adult a few years ago, and your behavior overlaps somewhat with their behavior. Many hours of making schedules and charting plans, but a strong mental block with putting plans into action to actually get things done. It’s more common than you’d think.
OP: I don’t like doing physical labor instead of playing a game that is designed to be addictive.
Lemmy: It’s ADHD
Why the fuck is ADHD literally everywhere for the past 6 months? Is there some kind of massive advertising campaign from ADHD medication manufacturers on every social media platforms? Jfc. There’s a million possibilities here for OP’s lack of drive and yet I KNEW before clicking on the comments that ADHD would be right at the top. Because it always is whenever someone makes a post that could be even vaguely caused by mental health. And advertisements for ADHD medications and testing are all over the internet! t’s all I see anymore! Hell, my boyfriend told me last week that he wants to get tested for ADHD and when I asked him why he said it’s because all of the new ADHD memes are super relatable. Hey guess what, THEY’RE DESIGNED TO BE RELATABLE TO EVERYONE. It’s like the telephone psychic of mental illness symptoms. Here’s a fun fact: “From 2020 to 2021, the number of stimulant prescriptions filled rose by more than 10% among females ages 15 to 44 years and males ages 25 to 44 years. Among women ages 20 to 24, there was a nearly 20% increase.”
Unless you’re a qualified medical professional, how about just suggesting that OP sees a mental healthcare specialist and leave it at that? Surely if their ADHD is so perfectly obvious, a trained professional will spot it right away.
For fuck’s sake. Armchair psychiatrists out here.
Thanks for your feedback, Kit. You may be glad to realize that I had already done exactly what you suggest I should have done, which is recommend that OP get checked out. Have a great night!