Alex ☕️
@alexegan.bsky.social
Vibin’ ~~~ Programmer, Game Design & Level Design Fellow ; He/Him ; Opinions are my own.
I could be forgetting an occasional one-time notification about a new banner too, and 1-2 new player exclusive things, but that’s about it.
Also lmao yea about the Yostar stuff. Even among the same dev studios (not just publishers) I’m sure you’ll see interesting variance in this kinda stuff.
Also lmao yea about the Yostar stuff. Even among the same dev studios (not just publishers) I’m sure you’ll see interesting variance in this kinda stuff.
December 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
I could be forgetting an occasional one-time notification about a new banner too, and 1-2 new player exclusive things, but that’s about it.
Also lmao yea about the Yostar stuff. Even among the same dev studios (not just publishers) I’m sure you’ll see interesting variance in this kinda stuff.
Also lmao yea about the Yostar stuff. Even among the same dev studios (not just publishers) I’m sure you’ll see interesting variance in this kinda stuff.
Yea, I couldn’t get footage of the login experience during an event but I think at worst it’s been… 4 pop ups? Daily login, daily event “pick 2/3” tickets, some other daily event login thing, and the one-time free 10-pull. Interrupts getting to the game but I don’t think any of it is shop-pushing?
December 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Yea, I couldn’t get footage of the login experience during an event but I think at worst it’s been… 4 pop ups? Daily login, daily event “pick 2/3” tickets, some other daily event login thing, and the one-time free 10-pull. Interrupts getting to the game but I don’t think any of it is shop-pushing?
I’ve a morbid fascination with games that devour their play experiences for the sake of pushing pay systems. So yes I’ve been thinking about this damn Disney Solitaire game for like two days straight and how absolutely horrifying it is.
December 10, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I’ve a morbid fascination with games that devour their play experiences for the sake of pushing pay systems. So yes I’ve been thinking about this damn Disney Solitaire game for like two days straight and how absolutely horrifying it is.
Free to play games usually need to make money somehow, so they usually have some element pushing the monetization - an ad, pushes towards the store, etc.; But it’s interesting to compare how different games interrupt the actual game experience for these elements.
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Free to play games usually need to make money somehow, so they usually have some element pushing the monetization - an ad, pushes towards the store, etc.; But it’s interesting to compare how different games interrupt the actual game experience for these elements.
For a comparison point, Slay The Spire has a very slim and quick login experience. The first game decision the player makes is pretty immediate, and no popups or alerts get in the way of that. However, Slay The Spire is both a paid game and originally a PC game. (Works great on mobile though!)
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
For a comparison point, Slay The Spire has a very slim and quick login experience. The first game decision the player makes is pretty immediate, and no popups or alerts get in the way of that. However, Slay The Spire is both a paid game and originally a PC game. (Works great on mobile though!)
The Store notification is effectively a classic “free items in store daily” designed to have the player look briefly at the store.
Arknights is not free from dark patterns - it’s a gacha game - but it also at least tries to be a game in comparison to Disney solitaire.
Arknights is not free from dark patterns - it’s a gacha game - but it also at least tries to be a game in comparison to Disney solitaire.
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
The Store notification is effectively a classic “free items in store daily” designed to have the player look briefly at the store.
Arknights is not free from dark patterns - it’s a gacha game - but it also at least tries to be a game in comparison to Disney solitaire.
Arknights is not free from dark patterns - it’s a gacha game - but it also at least tries to be a game in comparison to Disney solitaire.
Arknights by contrast has one visible timer (a stamina restoring item) and one pop up. In terms of notifications, it has 4: The aforementioned stamina timer, the “Breaking News” space, items at the Base being ready to collect (the Base is arguably gameplay, long story), and a red dot on the Store.
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Arknights by contrast has one visible timer (a stamina restoring item) and one pop up. In terms of notifications, it has 4: The aforementioned stamina timer, the “Breaking News” space, items at the Base being ready to collect (the Base is arguably gameplay, long story), and a red dot on the Store.
There’s 7 different red notifications. The Play button is there, but if that top bar is the stamina that allows/blocks progression then it requires you to scan past half the popups to check it. It’s so bad.
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
There’s 7 different red notifications. The Play button is there, but if that top bar is the stamina that allows/blocks progression then it requires you to scan past half the popups to check it. It’s so bad.
The original video has 8 pop ups, 4 of which seem to push towards the shop and 7 having timers for when they expire. After the pop ups, there are 13 or 14 menu options that indicate a time limit.
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
The original video has 8 pop ups, 4 of which seem to push towards the shop and 7 having timers for when they expire. After the pop ups, there are 13 or 14 menu options that indicate a time limit.
Arknights being a gacha game, it still has its share of dark patterns: Gacha currencies and stamina prominent, the store/gacha menu are central and sized like other items, there’s a spot showcasing items in the store. But also, that’s it: You can now outright play the game.
December 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Arknights being a gacha game, it still has its share of dark patterns: Gacha currencies and stamina prominent, the store/gacha menu are central and sized like other items, there’s a spot showcasing items in the store. But also, that’s it: You can now outright play the game.
Rest well, our beloved queen 💜💜💜
November 24, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Rest well, our beloved queen 💜💜💜
dude this is damn good work and a damn good tribute. it's so spot-on to the original, too! hell yea to the artist, and for everything coming together! what an excellent tribute!
November 24, 2025 at 5:38 AM
dude this is damn good work and a damn good tribute. it's so spot-on to the original, too! hell yea to the artist, and for everything coming together! what an excellent tribute!
May you never have an internet issue ever again, Jesus fuck
BE FREE
BE FREE
November 15, 2025 at 1:02 AM
May you never have an internet issue ever again, Jesus fuck
BE FREE
BE FREE
Trains would be great economically except for the whole “interacting with The Plebians” thing that rich/upper class folk fear more than anything.
October 22, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Trains would be great economically except for the whole “interacting with The Plebians” thing that rich/upper class folk fear more than anything.
A year of tough competition gets even tougher, damn.
October 9, 2025 at 4:22 PM
A year of tough competition gets even tougher, damn.
As much as I sometimes hate it, I learn too much fighting from a losing position — at least in other, similar games. Plus, I bet that smacking America back and getting the science victory after this is gonna hit HARD.
October 9, 2025 at 4:20 PM
As much as I sometimes hate it, I learn too much fighting from a losing position — at least in other, similar games. Plus, I bet that smacking America back and getting the science victory after this is gonna hit HARD.
Hope the pain fully fades quick! I’m not looking forward to walking to work when all the oft-slippery leaves ‘round here finally start to fall.
October 9, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Hope the pain fully fades quick! I’m not looking forward to walking to work when all the oft-slippery leaves ‘round here finally start to fall.
"Death of a home" is not discussed enough IMO in the field of character deaths
(this comment sponsored by the postgame of Star Wars JEDI: Survivor and Pyloon's Saloon)
(this comment sponsored by the postgame of Star Wars JEDI: Survivor and Pyloon's Saloon)
September 18, 2025 at 12:45 AM
"Death of a home" is not discussed enough IMO in the field of character deaths
(this comment sponsored by the postgame of Star Wars JEDI: Survivor and Pyloon's Saloon)
(this comment sponsored by the postgame of Star Wars JEDI: Survivor and Pyloon's Saloon)
Wishing you a speedy recovery and a kind sick period 🫂
June 18, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Wishing you a speedy recovery and a kind sick period 🫂