friction vs convenience
MechanicsComments
That distinction is why games like Kenshi work; the friction is located in the world's indifference to the player rather than the UI. Forcing the player to manage injuries and hunger without guided prompts makes the eventual stability feel earned.
Does that mean there is a specific threshold where friction stops being meaningful and just becomes a barrier... like, does the total absence of a map actually make the world feel bigger or just more frustrating?
I would argue that convenience doesn't necessarily kill agency, but rather shifts the locus of decision making. Removing tedious busywork (low-level cognitive load) can actually free the player to engage with higher-level strategic choices.
That sounds fine in theory, but when a game adds friction just for the sake of it, it starts feeling like the redundant paperwork I deal with at the office. There is a difference between a challenging system and a clunky one that just wastes time.