The Chemistry of Game Design (2007)

To start, I agree with the arguemt in this article. It was recently found that glutamate, a neurotransmitter actually is an activator in mesolimbc dopaminergic pathways. This neurotransmitter produced in the daphne raphei nuclues has previously only been associated with motor cortex operations and serotonergic pathways. With this relay in the in rewards system, there are means of supressing current thalamic sensory input relay mechanisms.

One of the reasons that 'addictive' behaviors exist is due to the concept of social myopia. We are not able to conceive future gains, the less concrete they are less propensity towards risk aversion we have. Fudenbergs utility functions provides a model which can be converted in to Volterra-Weiner kernel s representative of the expected belief, choice utility, emotive state, max utility gained that all interconnect (either with a specific point in time, 1st order, or non-linear, 2nd) in order to lead us to the decision that we will execute. Now the issue lies when the perceived value isn't registered, instead the actual sensory information is proccessed, this leaves us with a marginal loss, that our brain must again try to find another source representative of that kernel in order to meet that demand. Piaget discusses how schema in action-oriented environments similar to that of the game, result in schema instantiations that enable participants to assimilate or accomodate certains rewards into new learning structures. Based off sensory input these kernels are reconsolidated, but amygdala based responses activate anisomycin production leading to an inhibition oftranscription factor Zif268 neccesary for memory reconsolidation of memory kernels. Meaning that the short-terms gains approach in the skills-chain atoms must be mapped in a way that such amygdala-autonomic responses are surpressed in order to keep the marginal utility of gains relevant for a attenuation of memory reconsolidation.

Lastly, motivation from a higher perceived value and reasoned action is a neccesary function in order to be able to induce actionable motivation. In order to diffuse the burnout that occurs from non-progressive skills earned then high risk aversion gains must be presented in order to faciltate accomidation of new representatvie schemas. Through what you have called 'Red Herrings' which I call associative memory structures, then being able to use old gains and stories that relate to these past experiences either through intersymbol interference or other stimuli then then the possibilty for value attenuation exist. Thanks.