Comparing Top Ten Movies, Books, Video Games, and Board Games
You may also like Part I of this article:
Measuring Cost Effectiveness Of Entertainment Over Time
In this essay, I will use CE and PV to compare the top ten in various media. I will also discuss how to adjust the formulas to better represent the underlying experience.
Short Recap of Part 1 (Link to Part 1)
Previously, I suggested a metric that could be used to compare the cost effectiveness of various types of entertainment.
Cost effectiveness (CE) = cost of entertainment / duration of entertainment
For example, a new movie at AMC theater costs $12.00, and let’s say the movie lasts 90 minutes. The CE = $12.00 / 90 minutes equals 0.133 dollars per minute.
The lower the CE value, the better the cost-effectiveness.
Alternatively, inverting the CE to get a Pleasure Value (PV) might make it more intuitive to use: PV = Duration of Entertainment / Cost of Entertainment. Again, using the same movie, PV = 90 minutes / $12.00 = 7.5 minutes per dollar.
Here, the higher the PV value, the better the cost-effectiveness.
To include a subjective enjoyment factor so you can make the measure more personalized, a person might rate their enjoyment of the movie on a scale from 1 to 10. This rating can be factored in using the following formulas:
Adjusted CE = Cost of Entertainment / (Duration x Rating)
Adjusted PV = (Duration x Rating) / Cost of Entertainment
I will now use CE and PV to compare the top ten in various media. Later I will discuss how to adjust the formulas to better represent the underlying experience.
Top Ten IMDB Movies
In this comparison I will compare IMDb Top Ten movies of all Time. This might prove useful if you are trying to determine what movies to own for a collection you are assembling. In this comparison I am going to add one additional factor to the adjusted CE and PV to better represent what occurs in human decision making in regards to entertainment.
One factor that might be considered for some entertainments is just how much the entertainment can be repeatedly enjoyed over time.
In this example, the movies are being bought not rented because the buyer is anticipating multiple viewing of the movie because ownership is likely to be less expensive than multiple rentals.
To factor in the amount of repeat use let’s use:
Repeat Factor(RF) where RF is the anticipated number of times the movie will be viewed again over a year’s time.
Adjusted Rating = Duration x Rating x Repeat Factor
First, let’s list the Top Ten IMDB movies their buy to own cost, its run time, and IMDB rating and its CE, PV and adjusted PV. To spare you reading all the data and calculations I’m going to just present the spreadsheet.
Top Ten IMDb Movies of all time
Next, I’ll give each movie my subjective Repeat Factor and see how it alters the cost effectiveness of the film.
To determine the Repeat Factor I will estimate the number of times I would want to watch the film over a period of one year.
The Shawshank Redemption — 1
The Godfather and Godfather Part II — 0
The Dark Knight — 2
12 Angry Men — 0
Schindler’s List — 0
The Lord of the Rings — 1
Pulp Fiction — 1
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly — 1
Forrest Gump -2
The formula for Adjusted PV using Repeat Factor is
Adjusted PV = (Duration x IMDb Rating x Repeat Factor)/ Cost (to own)
Now to recalculate the using the spreadsheet using Repeat Factor. Again, to spare you reading all the data and calculations I’m going to just present the spreadsheet.
Top 10 IMDb movies of all time using Repeat Factor
Analysis
As expected movies with Repeat Factor of zero (zero times watched per year) yields an Adjusted PV of zero. Zero divided by anything is zero.
The only two movies I deemed worth watching more than once were The Dark Knight and Forrest Gump at twice a year. I really couldn’t see subjecting myself to any movie more than twice a year.
Thus, The Dark Knight has the highest adjusted PV of 182.52 beating out Forrest Gump at 166.72 This is of course due to The Dark Knight’s longer duration of 152 minutes to Forest Gump’s 142 minutes.
Summary and Commentary on use of Repeat Factor
The movies that I rated with the most Repeat Value, The Dark Knight and Forrest Gump, of course were calculated to have the highest adjusted PV.
Suggesting they would be good to add to my movie collection.
You, of course, are likely to rate the Repeat Value of certain movies differently and thus, more inclined to buy other movies for your collection.
Just as lower costs increases the adjusted PV rapidly (e.g. at zero cost the effectiveness is infinity) as the Repeat Factor increases the adjusted PV increases. It, therefore, is not suprising that entertainments that offer high repeat usage often are considered to have higher adjusted PV than other entertainments.
Video games are a great example of this. It’s not unusual for some people to put thousands of hours into repeat playing of a video game. I know I have.
Movie Gross versus Video Game Gross
In 2023, the global box office gross for newly released movies amounted to approximately $29 billion. This figure represents the total revenue generated by cinemas worldwide from ticket sales (Box Office Mojo) (NBC).
In 2023, the global video game market generated approximately $187.7 billion in revenue. This figure encompasses all segments of the gaming industry, including mobile, console, and PC games. (Newzoo) (Newzoo)
This is suggestive evidence that people perceive greater cost-effectivess in spending on video games than seeing movies and that use of adjusted PV may have useful predictive utility.
Comparision of top tens of for books, video games, and board games.
Current Top Ten Paperback Books of 2024
It’s time to start your summer reading list. Let me help you by rating New York Times current top ten paperback trade fiction books.
Data
- “ERUPTION” by Michael Crichton and James Patterson — $19.99 (Barnes and Noble) (Barnes and Noble)
2. “LEATHER AND LARK” by Brynne Weaver — $16.99
3. “CAMINO GHOSTS” by John Grisham — $18.99
4. “THE WOMEN” by Kristin Hannah — $17.99
5. “A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES” by Sarah J. Maas — $19.99
6. “YOU LIKE IT DARKER” by Stephen King — $19.99
7. “FUNNY STORY” by Emily Henry — $18.99
8. “THE COMFORT OF GHOSTS” by Jacqueline Winspear — $19.99
9. “THE ASHES & THE STAR-CURSED KING” by Carissa Broadbent — $18.99
10. “THE WREN IN THE HOLLY LIBRARY” by K.A. Linde — $18.99
For book duration I am going to use How Long to Read website. It allows you to search for any book and find out the expected reading time.
- The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 5 hours and 25 minutes to read Eruption by Michael Crichton.
2. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 6 hours and 16 minutes to read Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver.
3. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 5 hours and 17 minutes to read Camino Ghosts by John Grisham.
4. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 7 hours and 37 minutes to read The Women by Kristin Hannah.
5. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 3 hours and 12 minutes to read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.
6. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 10 hours and 12 minutes to read You Like It Darker by Stephen King.
7. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 5 hours and 39 minutes to read Funny Story by Emily Henry.
8. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 7 hours and 30 minutes to read The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent.
9. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 5 hours and 12 minutes to read The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear.
10. The average reader, reading at a speed of 300 WPM, would take 7 hours to read “The Wren in the Holly Library” by K.A. Linde.
To spare you reading the calculations I’m going to just present the spreadsheet.
Current Top Ten Paperback Books of 2024
Analysis
“You Like It Darker” by Stephen King is the clear winner with a Cost Effectiveness of 1.96 and Pleasure Value of .51
Top Ten Video Games for 2024 (so far)
I decided to use Mashable as a jumping off point for a list of top ten video games for 2024.
I used Steam website for most of the prices, but Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is not currently available on Steam so I used Playstation Store instead.
Using the website Howlongtobeat I found how long to complete main story of the video games. Howlongtobeat does also provides Main + Side Quests and Completionist duration times.
Data
- Animal Well
Cost: $24.99 (Steam)
Publisher: Bigmode
Duration to complete main story: 6½ hours - Helldivers II
Cost: $39.99 (Steam)
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Duration to complete main story: 55 hours - Balatro
Cost: $14.99 (Steam)
Publisher: Playstack
Duration to complete main story: 6½hours - Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Cost: $52.49 (Playstation Store)
Publisher: Square Enix
Duration to complete main story: 46 hours - Dragon’s Dogma 2
Cost:$69.99 (Steam)
Publisher: Capcom
Duration to complete main story: 29½ hours - Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Cost: $69.99 (Steam)
Publisher: SEGA
Duration to complete main story: 57½ hours - Persona 3 Reload
Cost: $69.99 (Steam)
Publisher: SEGA / Atlus
Duration to complete main story: 64 hours - Hades 2
Cost: $29.99 (Steam)
Publisher: Supergiant Games
Duration to complete main story: 18½ hours - Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Cost: $59.99 (Steam)
Publisher: Cygames
Duration to complete main story: 15½ Hours - Tekken 8
Cost: $69.99
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Duration to complete main story: 4 hours
To spare you reading the calculations I’m going to just present the spreadsheet.
Analysis
Helldiver 2 by Sony Interactive Entertainment appears to be the clear winner for cost-effectivenss with a CE of .01 and a PV of 82.52. Interestingly, Persona 3 Reload has a greater duration of 3840 minutes to Helldiver’s 3300 minutes. The $30.00 price price difference of Helldivers 2 $39.99 versus Persona 3 Reload of $69.99 results in a Helldiver 2 having a much better Pleasure value of 82.52 to Persona 3 Reload’s Pleasure Value of 54.86. It’s likely Persona 3 will sell many more copies when its price is lower. CE and PV metrics support the classical economics law of supply and demand.
Side note: I just might put “Helldiver 2” on my wish list for Father’s Day. It looks like a good buy and a great game.
Top Ten Board games of all Time
Imagine you’re spring cleaning and there is a pile of games cluttering up a storage self you want to better utilize. Let’s use CE and PV metrics to determine which games to donate to Goodwill.
Data
For calculation of of CE and PV I’m using the average game duration for the top ten board games of all time, based on data from the website Rock Fire.
- Chess: 35 minutes.
- Scrabble: Average playtime is about 50 minutes to 90 minutes. Duration = 50+90/2 = 70 minutes.
- Monopoly: Generally lasts 60 to 180 minutes, though games can go on much longer depending on the number of players and house rules. Duration = 60 + 180/2 = 120 minutes.
- Checkers: Usually takes about 30 minutes.
- Backgammon: Average game duration is around 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Duration = 30+60 = 45 minutes.
- Catan: Typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes, but can extend to over 2 hours with more players or expansions. Duration 60 + 90 /2= 75 minutes.
- Risk: On average, a game takes about 2 to 4 hours to complete. Duration = 120 + 240/2 = 180 minutes.
- Pictionary: Generally lasts about 60 minutes. Duration = 60 minutes
- Battleship: Average playtime is about 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Duration = 30 + 60/2 = 45 minutes.
- Trivial Pursuit: Usually takes around 90 minutes to 2 hours. Duration = 90 + 120 = 105 minutes.
For Cost I am using Amazon website for new unused standard/classic editions. You, of course, can find cheaper slightly used editions.
Chess: $10
Scrabble: $20
Monopoly: $20
Checkers: $10
Backgammon: $10
Catan: $44
Risk:$30
Pictionary: $20
Battleship: $17
Trivial Pursuit: $35.
To spare you reading the calculations I’m going to just present the spreadsheet.
Comparison of Top Ten Board Games of all Time
Analysis
In this scenario we want to find the games with the lowest CE and PV so as to cull the collection to help free up storage space. Catan, Checkers, Backgammon, and Battleship have the lowest PVs so they might be the best to donate. You also might want apply a quick rule of thumb and only keep the games you know your family and friends like to play repeatly. While I didn’t factor in Repeat Factor in the spreadsheet calculations any game that hasn’t been played in a year might be a good candidate to donate.
Other Factors to Consider
To refine the Cost-Effectiveness (CE) and Pleasure Value (PV) formulas, it’s essential to consider various factors that can influence the perceived value and cost of entertainment. Here are some other key factors and suggestions on how they might be integrated into the CE and PV formulas:
Importance Based on Context:
For example, listening to the radio during a tornado alert is essential. Such contexts can be assigned a high importance factor (IF), which can be factored into the rating or cost adjustment.
Adjusted Rating = Enjoyment Rating * IF
(IF) can range from 0.5 (low significance) to 2.0 (high significance).
Personal Significance:
Attending a child’s first recital vs. an expensive opera gala can be weighted based on personal significance. Adjustments: Context Factor Introduce a context factor (CF) that modifies the enjoyment rating based on the importance of the event.
Adjusted Rating = Enjoyment Rating * CF
CF can range from 0.5 (low significance) to 2.0 (high significance).
Availability from Public Libraries:
Many books, videos, and games are available for free from public libraries, reducing their cost to zero or near zero.
Incorporate an availability factor (AF) to adjust the cost.
Adjusted Cost = Cost * AF
AF can be 0.1 (high availability, e.g., library) to 1.0 (low availability, e.g., exclusive event).
Repeat Use and Longevity:
Items like a chess board or a deck of cards offer repeatable experiences, increasing their overall value.
Adjustments: Repeat Factor (RF): Include a repeat factor to account for the potential repeat use.
Adjusted Duration = Duration * RF
RF can be based on estimated uses (e.g., RF = 10 for a chess set used 10 times).
Personal Budget :
Entertainment must fit within a person’s budget.
Adjusted Cost = Cost / BF
BF can range from 0.5 (tight budget) to 2.0 (flexible budget).
Time Constraints:
Entertainment must align with their available time and life schedule.
Adjustments: Time Factor (TF) adjusts the duration based on available time.
Adjusted Duration = Duration * TF
TF can range from 0.5 (limited time) to 1.5 (ample time).
By integrating these factors, the formulas for CE and PV can be refined to better reflect real-world scenarios and personal circumstances. Here’s how the adjusted formulas might be used:
Example: Public Library Book vs. Purchased Book Library Book
Library Book:
Cost: $0.00 (free)
Duration: 10 hours
Enjoyment Rating: 8
Availability Factor (AF): 0.1 (high availability)
Repeat Factor (RF): 1.0 (single read)
Budget Factor (BF): 1.0 (neutral)
Time Factor (TF): 1.0 (neutral)
Context Factor (CF): 1.0 (neutral)
Adjusted Cost = $0.00 * 0.1 / 1.0 = $0.00
Adjusted Duration = 10 hours * 1.0 * 1.0 = 10 hours
Adjusted Rating = 8 * 1.0 = 8 Adjusted CE = $0.00 / (10 * 8) = 0
Adjusted PV = (10 * 8) / $0.00 = ∞ (infinity)
Purchased Book:
Cost: $20.00
Duration: 10 hours
Enjoyment Rating: 8
Availability Factor (AF): 1.0 (low availability)
Repeat Factor (RF): 1.0 (single read)
Budget Factor (BF): 1.0 (neutral)
Time Factor (TF): 1.0 (neutral) Context Factor (CF): 1.0 (neutral)
Adjusted Cost = $20.00 * 1.0 / 1.0 = $20.00
Adjusted Duration = 10 hours * 1.0 * 1.0 = 10 hours
Adjusted Rating = 8 * 1.0 = 8
Adjusted CE = $20.00 / (10 * 8) = 0.25
Adjusted PV = (10 * 8) / $20.00 = 4
Analysis
Unsurpisingly, the library book wins with a CE of 0 and Adjusted PV of Infinity! This tells us that your libary card is one of the best deals on the planet. Use your library card for its super cost-effectiveness.
Only own books, videos and games if you need them readily available (i.e. have high Importance Factor) or they have high sentimentality (i.e. high Personal Significance). Simplify! Get rid of all those unneeded collection of videos, books, video games and board games. Henry David Thoreau would approve.
By incorporating these factors, the CE and PV metrics become more tailored to individual preferences and circumstances, providing a more accurate and useful assessment of entertainment options.
Additional Factors to consider
1. Social Value
Social Interaction and Networking:
- Social Factor (SF): Accounts for enhanced enjoyment from social interactions.
- Range: 1.0 (no social interaction) to 1.5 (high social interaction).
2. Cultural and Educational Value
Cultural Enrichment and Learning:
- Cultural/Educational Factor (CEF): Incorporates cultural and educational value.
- Range: 1.0 (pure entertainment) to 1.5 (high educational/cultural value).
3. Health and Well-being
Physical and Mental Health Benefits:
- Health Factor (HF): Accounts for physical and mental health benefits.
- Range: 1.0 (no health benefit) to 1.5 (high health benefit).
Revised Formulas
Adjusted Cost-Effectiveness (CE)
Adjusted CE=Adjusted Cost / Adjusted Duration×Adjusted Rating
Where:
Adjusted Cost=Cost×Availability Factor (AF)/Budget Factor
Adjusted Duration=Duration×Repeat Factor (RF)×Time Factor (TF)
Adjusted Rating=Enjoyment Rating×Context Factor (CF)×Social Factor (SF)×Cultural/Educational Factor (CEF)×Health Factor (HF)
Adjusted Pleasure Value (PV)
Adjusted PV=Adjusted Duration×Adjusted Rating/ Adjusted Cost
Example Adjustment: Cultural Festival
Cultural Festival
- Cost: $30.00
- Duration: 5 hours
- Enjoyment Rating: 8
- Availability Factor (AF): 1.0 (exclusive event)
- Repeat Factor (RF): 1.0 (one-time event)
- Budget Factor (BF): 1.0 (neutral)
- Time Factor (TF): 1.0 (neutral)
- Context Factor (CF): 1.2 (high personal significance)
- Social Factor (SF): 1.3 (high social interaction)
- Cultural/Educational Factor (CEF): 1.4 (high cultural value)
- Health Factor (HF): 1.1 (moderate health benefit)
Calculations
Adjusted Cost=$30.00 × 1.0/1.0 =$30.00
Adjusted Duration=5 hours × 1.0 × 1.0=5 hours
Adjusted Duration=5 hours × 1.0 ×1.0=5 hours
Adjusted Rating=8 × 1.2 × 1.3 × 1.4 × 1.1=19.27
Adjusted Rating=8×1.2×1.3×1.4×1.1=19.27
Adjusted CE=$30.00/ 5 × 19.27 = .311
Adjusted PV=5×19.27/ $30.00=3.21
Analysis
This was just a demonstration of how various factors can be incorporated into formulas for adjusted Cost Effectiveness (CE) and Pleasure Value (PV) metrics.
Summary
By incorporating these additional factors, the Adjusted CE and PV metrics provide a more nuanced evaluation, considering social, cultural, educational, and health-related benefits. This holistic approach allows for a more personalized and accurate assessment of entertainment options.
Thank you for reading. And let me know if you’d like a cost-effectiveness analysis of watching television shows, music CDs, playing sports and entertainments.
All personal statements were written by me and edited for spelling and grammar by ChatGPT. Sections of this article have been refined by AI to enhance comprehensibility and to provide facts that only online search engines would know.
© David Speakman 2024
