Timesink
Encyclopedia
A time sink is an activity that consumes significant time. A variant of this term is "time drain." Although it is unknown when the term was coined, it makes an analogy with heat sink
.
In massively multiplayer online role-playing game
s (MMORPGs), time sinks are a method of increasing the time needed by players to do certain tasks, hopefully causing them to subscribe for longer periods of time. Players may use the term disparagingly to describe a simplistic and time-consuming aspect of gameplay
, possibly designed to keep players playing longer without significant benefit. Time sinks can also be used for other gameplay reasons, such as to help regenerate resources or monsters in the game world.
article describes time sinks as "gameplay traps intended to waste your time and keep you playing longer". In most games, boring and lengthy parts of gameplay are merely an annoyance, but when used in subscription-based MMORPG
s, where players are paying recurring fees for access to the game, they become a much more inflammatory issue. Game designers must be prudent in balancing efforts to produce both involving gameplay and the length of content that players expect.
Time sinks are often associated with hardcore games, though whether this is a positive or negative association depends on the context.
s. A cooldown is defined as set time limit between uses of an ability or other form of interaction, ranging in length from milliseconds (such as use of a weapon) to hours or even days (such as quests that can only be completed once a day) depending on the system in question. As soon as that timer is expired, the ability immediately becomes available. A time sink, on the other hand, requires a player to complete certain activities before it is completed. Additionally, cooldowns are front-loaded, in that they can be used once immediately, and then the player must wait until the timer has expired before it can be used again. Time sinks, on the other hand, are back-loaded, requiring the player to spend time and effort before the reward becomes available.
It is worth noting that activities may have both cooldowns and time sinks associated with them. For example, a quest
that can only be done once every 10 hours and requires two hours of work to complete has a cooldown (10 hours between completions) and is also a time sink (in that it requires two hours to complete).
Heat sink
A heat sink is a term for a component or assembly that transfers heat generated within a solid material to a fluid medium, such as air or a liquid. Examples of heat sinks are the heat exchangers used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and the radiator in a car...
.
In massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s (MMORPGs), time sinks are a method of increasing the time needed by players to do certain tasks, hopefully causing them to subscribe for longer periods of time. Players may use the term disparagingly to describe a simplistic and time-consuming aspect of gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
, possibly designed to keep players playing longer without significant benefit. Time sinks can also be used for other gameplay reasons, such as to help regenerate resources or monsters in the game world.
Negative connotations
Many players consider time sinks to be an inherently poor design decision, only included so that game companies can increase profits. For example, one SlashdotSlashdot
Slashdot is a technology-related news website owned by Geeknet, Inc. The site, which bills itself as "News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters", features user-submitted and ‑evaluated current affairs news stories about science- and technology-related topics. Each story has a comments section...
article describes time sinks as "gameplay traps intended to waste your time and keep you playing longer". In most games, boring and lengthy parts of gameplay are merely an annoyance, but when used in subscription-based MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s, where players are paying recurring fees for access to the game, they become a much more inflammatory issue. Game designers must be prudent in balancing efforts to produce both involving gameplay and the length of content that players expect.
Time sinks are often associated with hardcore games, though whether this is a positive or negative association depends on the context.
Trade-offs
Implementing time sinks in a video game is a delicate balancing act. Excessive use of time sinks may cause players to stop playing. However, if not enough time sinks are implemented, players may feel the game is too short or too easy, causing them to abandon the game much sooner out of boredom. A number of criteria can be used to evaluate use of time sinks, such as frequency, length, and variety (both of the nature of the time sink and the actions taken to overcome it). What is considered a good balance depends in part on the type of game in question. Casual games are often expected to have less in the way of time sinks, and hardcore games to have more, though this is not a hard and fast rule.Difference from cooldowns
Time sinks are often confused with cooldownCooldown
Cooldown is, in numerous video games, the minimum length of time that the player needs to wait after using an ability before they can use it again....
s. A cooldown is defined as set time limit between uses of an ability or other form of interaction, ranging in length from milliseconds (such as use of a weapon) to hours or even days (such as quests that can only be completed once a day) depending on the system in question. As soon as that timer is expired, the ability immediately becomes available. A time sink, on the other hand, requires a player to complete certain activities before it is completed. Additionally, cooldowns are front-loaded, in that they can be used once immediately, and then the player must wait until the timer has expired before it can be used again. Time sinks, on the other hand, are back-loaded, requiring the player to spend time and effort before the reward becomes available.
It is worth noting that activities may have both cooldowns and time sinks associated with them. For example, a quest
Quest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
that can only be done once every 10 hours and requires two hours of work to complete has a cooldown (10 hours between completions) and is also a time sink (in that it requires two hours to complete).
Examples
- Gaining levels through experience pointExperience pointAn experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s (especially if grinding is involved). - Lengthy travel times.
- Resource or item collecting (such as asteroidAsteroidAsteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
mining in space-themed MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
s). - Frequent backtracking