Nathan Taylor

The "first hour feels like a job" problem is the real test for me too. If the basic actions are satisfying before any reward structure kicks in, I can tolerate some grind later; if not, no unlock schedule keeps me around. That's part of why Minecraft still works for my short sessions, as you said, it doesn't punish stopping mid-task. On Deron and Nin Online, I'd frame it less as patience and more as whether the routine itself is pleasant, since a routine you dread isn't a hobby.

I've bounced off a few free-to-play games where the first hour felt like a job, so the HEAT question lands for me too. Minecraft is the one I keep returning to for short sessions; the sandbox doesn't punish you for stopping. The point about Deron and Nin Online asking for a routine rather than a quick visit matches how those older-style online games tend to work, though. For me, the moment-to-moment play has to carry the grind, otherwise the rewards feel like a chore.