Episode 37 Score Points

Score Points

Hi and welcome to Experience Points by University XP. On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games. I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP. Find out more at www.universityxp.com

On today’s episode we’ll cover point scoring in games.

Scoring points is something that most people are familiar with in games. Scoring can be as easy as earning money in Monopoly or scoring the longest road in Settlers of Catan. But scoring points overall is just one method of giving feedback to players based on their actions. Points can be used for so much more when they are integrated with learning outcomes and a games-based learning approach to design.

This episode will address how versatile points are in their applications. They can be used as a rewards system to help players continue to engage.  Points can also change the player perception of the game through how they gain feedback.  This episode will also cover the different design philosophies when incorporating points into games as well as different methods for scoring. Lastly, we’ll cover actionable takeaways for building scoring mechanics into your games, serious games, simulations or any other applications of games-based learning.

Using points as a rewards system is as old as gaming itself. Though you must always be careful about how those points are integrated into your game. You want players to feel rewarded for doing certain tasks. But sometimes they are intrinsically motivated by the task itself because it is interesting.

What points are best used for in games-based learning and gamification are to reinforce players’ completion of tasks that are boring. This helps to motivate players to complete them despite their lack of intrinsic motivation. Assigning points to their completion helps reinforce WHY they should complete them. Though, why they complete those tasks is often feed into players’ perceptions about points.

Perception of points is crucial for player’s feedback loops in your game. So is scoring. This means that it’s important that your game’s scoring mechanic is well perceived by players. That involves creating a system that continues to engage players to play and motivate them to learn. To do the opposite means losing their attention and focus for their time on task and letting them down as engaged learners.

Applying these units of points in games is pretty straight forward.  What is often difficult for designers to include in their games-based learning projects is how those scores reflect player achievements.

Remember that scoring is just a form of feedback for the player. Some games give lots of them out: Las Vegas is a game that is renowned for awarding players “points” in the forms of $10,000 increments.

Most of us use points as a way to measure who has won the game.  But, you don’t have to always abide by that mentality. You can always turn to other formats.  This includes racing other players to achieve set amount of points first. In addition, you can scale points as the game progresses.

Let’s look at this in the form of a board game that takes place in a series of acts.  Perhaps in the first act taking an action awards players X number of points. But doing the same action in second act gives players 2X points. Your reasons may vary for why you do this; but the increase in scoring potential continues to motivate players to engage.

In addition, you can examine the granularity of scoring. Point Salad is a game whose namesake is based on the sometimes derogatory comment made by gamers for other table top games. To be a “point salad” game means that seemingly everything and anything that you do earns you points in the game. Though that is not necessarily a bad thing.   Being purposeful in the granularity of your scoring approach is a good design choice.

Lastly, it is no fun for players to continue playing a game when they have no hope of winning or otherwise improving their position. That’s when hidden scoring can help you. By making specific scores apparent; players remain engaged in the game in order to see their progress. But games like Stone Age hide a certain element of scoring in cards drafted by players. Some games can end in big swings based on the hidden points contained in players’ hidden hands.

Through these design philosophies you can also consider different methods for players to earn points through their in-game actions.

One of the most basic ways that players can earn points is by taking actions emphasized by the designer as point making activities. For some games you earn points for selling an item. For some classes you earn points for turning in a flawless assignment.

Otherwise, another way that players may earn points is through leveling up. This is another method of credentialing players as they move through their player journey in your game. By doing this, you commodify points into a tangible achievement. That could be a badge or a level. In this method, a player no longer has 10,000 points; rather they are a “master.”

Similarly, you can always reward players by using their points to unlock content. This is done in Fortnite where players achievements in game are used to unlock other in-game items like cosmetic costumes or different dances.

Lastly, achievements are another method for players to engage with the amount of points they earn. Players may earn an achievement by being the first person to do something. That could include reaching a threshold; beating a challenge; or otherwise accomplishing something difficult.

It’s important to build your scoring structure in relation to the core game mechanic. If the game is about racing Formula 1 cars the fastest, then you don’t want to award points based on whose car has the most amount of neon paint on it.

Likewise, you want to make scoring both simple and transparent. If a certain player’s action gives them 1 point in the first round; 2 points in the second round; and 3 points in the third round; then tell them that points equal the round that you’re currently in. You can also easily track player’s progress through what most games include: a score track going around the board.

In games-based learning applications you want to connect your scoring to the learning outcomes for the course. If the course is writing intensive and promotes students proper use of citations; then you want to emphasize students dedication to that by awarding points for proper citation use. You want your point scoring format to support your overarching goal.

However, a common trap that many designers fall into is emphasizing the “winning” aspect of points. Rather, it’s best to emphasize the personal growth and change that players have achieved by taking actions that reward them with points. Through this mindset you emphasize personal growth rather than relative growth.

This episode addressed points as a reward system and what designers can do to use it to influenced player actions. Player actions are mostly influenced by their perceptions of what points are and how they are earned.  Player actions are also influenced by designer philosophies for scoring and applications.

No matter how designers choose to implement points in games-based learning; it should always be aligned with learning outcomes and player objectives. Doing both ensure that a gamified learning system is both engaging and educational.

I hope you found this episode useful. If you’d like to learn more, then a great place to start is with my free course on gamification. You can sign up for it at www.universityxp.com/gamification You can also get a full transcript of this episode including links to references in the description or show notes. Thanks for joining me!

Again, I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP. On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing.

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References

Boller, S. (2017, March 6). Learning Game Design: Rewards and Scoring. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from http://www.theknowledgeguru.com/learning-game-design-rewards-scoring/.

Eng, D. (2019, October 29). Gaming with Motivation. Retrieved November 11, 2019, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2019/10/29/gaming-with-motivation.

Fristoe, T. (2015, October 19). Game Elements: Scoring. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/game-elements-scoring/.

Sparks, M. (2019, February 28). Metafocus: Designing Effective Scoring Mechanics for Learning Games. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://learningsolutionsmag.com/articles/metafocus-designing-effective-scoring-mechanics-for-learning-games.

The 3 Primary Game Design Principles: Ultimate Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2019, from https://www.gamedesigning.org/learn/game-design-principles/.

Reinink, B. (2018, March 26). Victory Points and Board Game Design. Retrieved November 5, 2019, from http://makethemplay.com/index.php/2018/03/26/victory-points-and-board-game-design/.