I have been doing some serious digging, and have stumbled upon a article(http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3085/behavioral_game_design.php) written in 2001 by Bungie's current head of User Research. John Hopson(Head of User Research) holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral and Brain Sciences from Duke University and is currently the chairman of the IGDA Games User Research SIG. Before he was hired by Bungie in 2002, John wrote an article explaining formulas to get gamers addicted to games, which many were based on lab mice experiments. Once you read the article you can see tons of these examples for each of his formulas to get people hooked on a game. I would post each theory in its entirety on here but I feel like that violates the guidelines because its pretty much the whole article. If I can post it that way then let me know, but for now I will post each theory title in the article and summarize it for the lazy and relate it to the destiny formula. CONTINGENCIES AND SCHEDULES To keep lab rats interested in food and extend the supply of food on hand they limit giving food to the rat to certain circumstances, instead of every time he does what he's supposed to do to get food. You can see this being used in Destiny's reward and loot system. It also mentions giving random power ups which can be related to PvP Heavy Weapon Ammo drops, and how your guaranteed one super in an match without doing good RATIOS AND INTERVALS Talks about two different contingencies, fixed ratios schedules and interval variable schedules. Fixed Ratio- Is a very distinct pattern that gives a burst of activities to do at a time but then followed by a long pause. For example, in RPG you try to level up by gaining experience but once you hit the new level you have to go get more experience to try to get to the next level. The "pause" is what keeps you wanting to push forward into the game, but if a "pause" is too long players will walk away. Some long pauses can be positive if it makes the gamer concentrate on another game feature that could get them hooked on. This can be related to having factions to level up to reach a high enough level to buy certain items from that faction. Leveling up new weapons and gear can create this burst of activity of trying to work your way up to unlock new mods. Everybody can relate to this long "pause" in Destiny, and I think they had a goal with it to get you start a new character where you literally restart the cycle that will keep giving you stuff to grind towards. Variable Ratio Schedules- Is a set limit to reach before being rewarded but the limit is different everytime. The limit will be randomly generated each time and the gamer will not know the set limit before the next reward. This encourages gamers to play knowing they have a chance for good reward with the mystery of when and what you could possibly be rewarded. This could be a possible relation to how the cryptarch decrypted engrams before patch 1.02. But this is the reason we do raids, strikes, and daily/weekly activites. SPECIAL CASES This goes on to explain other less common theories to game addiction that can be effective if used in the right way. Chain Schedules- Activities that have multiple stages that normally have form of puzzles and timed based enemies. This is 100% talking about the idea mechanics of the raids. Extinction- Game mechanics built in to gradually reduce a spawn in the game after every time it is received or killed. This results to eventually receiving nothing and/or enemies stop spawning in. I could be wrong but the only thing I can think of in Destiny that is similar to this is the invisible ascendant material limit for completing Public Events. At some point you won't receive anyhting but glimmer after so many public events. I haven't figured out if its weekly, daily, or planet based. Avoidance- is where the objective is to do something so that something negative won't happen. He uses his evidence with lab mice to prove this will keep you doing something. The example is where the mice were "shocked every so often" but the shock would be delayed for 30 seconds if they pressed a lever. There might be more places in the game where this is used but the only ones I'm coming up with are the raid. The beginning you hold pillars and avoid Minotaurs from coming in because it will stop the forming of the tower, you also have a similar concept on the first boss where you can't let them sacrifice. Lastly, we shoot the oracles to prevent being marked for a time initiated instadeath(very similar to the rat test). HOW TO MAKE PLAYERS PLAY HARD Here is where he brings in all of his theories on "what makes us want more in a game". He pretty much says the game needs to have his theorized aspects all tied into the game in the right amount of proportions. HOW TO MAKE PLAYERS PLAY FOREVER Here he says games need to always have something new for the player to do and have a consistent rewards with constant probabilities. I have read other articles that have bashed his article years ago. That makes me wonder if the arcticle was editted with rewording or removed some of the content since its original posting. Because in his post in 2012(http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/172409/10_years_of_behavioral_game_design_.php) he seems to have alot of influence by bungie to give a explanation from a post 10 years ago. Let me know what y'all think of this. I know its pretty much old news but I doubt anybody had actually seen a detailed description on how to make you addicted to a game and then that same person 13 years later releases a game built upon his core principles. Edit: I did not write this

This guy has been at it a long time. [url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gdc-2009-quality-testing-halo-3/1100-6206812/]Here he is making sure Halo 3 is fun,[/url] but no one complained then. Basic psychology is part of game design. There's no conspiracy here. God forbid they try to make a game people enjoy...

Sooooo what your trying to say is.... [spoiler]Nerf Fusion Rifles?[/spoiler]

That's just dirty... Next cereal companies will start using cartoon characters like a leprechaun or a bunny or brown bear to appeal to children to help sell their sugary cereals....... oh wait...

People susceptible to gambling ploys are the guys hooked the hardest.

Uhm, well seeing as advertising companies have done this for over a hundred year. Cigarette companies analyzed what tactics and pitches would peak people's interest the most then shoved these advertisements down their throats. You act like Bungie created the concept of analyzing how to get people to buy and keep coming back to your product. Every single Christmas sale ever is an example, hell every sale in the history of sales is. They know if you see the low price you will be more likely to buy even if you don't need it.

This ain't the first game that's had this effect on people. *points to WoW*

I rarely use the phrase "complete bullshit" in my life, (^^^ complete bullshit) But when you're losing fanbase players every single day that you don't give a single clue as to what the future of a game holds for everyone, "behavioral psychologists" is complete bullshit. [spoiler]That wasn't directed at OP btw lol[/spoiler]

That's why approximately 20 or so million people quit? Like they've lost 80 to 90% of their account base? And you say they've done this perfectly? All while keeping people from getting bored? Huh?

Yeah. so does every form of advertising you look at. You say this like it some form of new mechanism. At the end of the day, YOUR responsible for controlling your habits.

The way you make it sound is as if Bungie has nefarious intentions. I highly doubt the goal is to frustrate people, they just haven't found a sweet spot yet and with games like these they have to have a grind, that's the point of the genre. MMO rpgs are kind of like living in a virtual casino

It is said, that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. It is also said, that the truth shall set you free. It has been my observation of human behavior that in regards to "self honesty", or telling the truth to oneself, so many times, people are more interested in being right. I know nothing of Bungie psychologist. Nevertheless, "slickwilly" has brought forth an interesting point of view about our feelings and behavior in regards to this game. I see so many of my fellow Guardians expressing feelings of angst, to the point of being in "victim posture" over this game. And yet, so many of them, keep coming back, don't they? For some, only to give SALT, and nothing more. Read slickwillies post once more, and ask yourselves Guardians... Who is ultimately responsible for your behavior, feelings, and finally, your experience in Destiny.