Half the Fun Is Not Knowing
A good mystery keeps you guessing until the end. But there’s a different kind of suspense when you don’t know what’s coming next and have to decide what to do.
There’s a reason people get annoyed when someone tells them the ending of a film they haven’t seen. You might have been looking forward to watching it all week, and now some idiot has gone and spoiled the best part. Half the enjoyment comes from wondering what’s going to happen next.
It’s the same reason people enjoy discovering a new place or trying something they haven’t done before. Knowing exactly what you’re getting isn’t always as much fun as finding out for yourself. And when entertainment asks you to make a decision before you know the ending, things get a little more interesting.
A Game Built Around the Unexpected
Most games give you a fairly good idea of what you’re supposed to do. You follow the rules, make your moves and eventually find out whether you’ve won. Aviator takes a rather different approach, putting the uncertainty right in front of you.
The basic idea behind aviator is easy enough to understand. A little plane takes off, and a multiplier starts climbing on the screen. Nobody knows exactly when the plane will disappear, but that’s when the round ends.
Players can collect the current multiplier before that happens. Leave it too late and the stake is gone, so there’s a decision to make even though the game itself doesn’t have complicated controls.
That’s really all you need to understand the premise. There’s no elaborate storyline to remember, and you don’t need to spend half an hour learning a rulebook.
The plane goes up, the number gets bigger, and sooner or later the round finishes. The question is what happens before it does.
Half the Fun Is Not Knowing
Sydney has no shortage of places to go for a drink, so finding somewhere a little different can be half the adventure. You hear about a bar tucked away somewhere, perhaps from a friend who refuses to tell you too much about it, and curiosity does the rest.
Vinabar is a good example. It has an unusual entrance and room for just 18 people, which is a rather different proposition from walking into a crowded pub on a Friday night.
Part of the appeal is finding the place and seeing what it’s actually like. You might have looked at photographs beforehand, but that’s hardly the same as walking through the door.
Of course, nobody needs to turn an evening out into a treasure hunt. Sometimes you simply want a decent drink somewhere comfortable. But there’s something enjoyable about discovering a place for yourself, especially when you’ve heard enough to become curious without knowing exactly what awaits you.
The Problem With Knowing the Ending
Ever had someone offer to tell you what happens at the end of a television series you’re watching? Even when they promise it’s a happy ending, you’d probably rather find out for yourself. What’s the point of watching six episodes if you already know who gets murdered?
That preference for not knowing goes beyond television. Two studies involving more than 2,000 adults found that between 40% and 70% preferred not to know about future positive events.
There’s something enjoyable about waiting for an answer, although Aviator adds another consideration. You’re watching the multiplier climb, but you also have to decide when to collect.
Say you’ve placed GHS 10 on a round. Cashing out successfully at 2.00x returns GHS 20, including your original stake. Waiting until 3.00x would mean GHS 30, provided the plane hasn’t disappeared before then.
The game also offers Auto Cash Out, which lets you choose a target multiplier before the round begins. Reach that number and the game collects automatically. Miss it and the stake is lost.
Neither option gives you control over when the round ends. Previous results won’t tell you when the next plane will disappear either.
That’s where Aviator differs from simply watching a mystery unfold. You don’t know the ending, but you still have a decision to make before you get there.
Sometimes Simple Is Enough
Think about the entertainment you’ve enjoyed most recently. Chances are, the idea behind it wasn’t particularly difficult to explain.
A good mystery gives you a question you want answered. A hidden bar gives you somewhere new to discover, and the enjoyment begins before you’ve even ordered a drink.
Aviator works with an equally straightforward idea. You watch a number rise without knowing when it’ll stop, and there’s a decision to make before it does.
Understanding the rules takes very little time. Knowing what will happen next is another story altogether.
Perhaps that’s part of the attraction of simple entertainment. You can understand what’s going on without knowing the ending, and sometimes that’s exactly what makes it interesting.
Sydney Unleashed is one of Australia’s premier entertainment publications exploring the latest in lifestyle trends. From Sydney’s finest restaurants, cafes and bars to the hottest in gadgets, products, and home entertainment, Sydney Unleashed is your one-stop lifestyle platform.