SCORE - you like it?

Started by Jakerpot, Tue 27/01/2009 00:49:48

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Jakerpot

Hi guys! I will like to know, did you like more games with score? Like Ben Jordan, or games with no score?
I prefer games with no score because i dont like "collectables" kind of things.
And You?



Matti

I don't like scores either. It makes adventures look like non-adventure-games and it's unnecessary too. I don't want to know how far I've got in the game either (like a score of 87/100). But as far as I can remember I haven't ever played an adventure with a score (except one of the larry-games many many years ago I guess).

Jakerpot

yeah, i played leisure suit larry games too.
They are very funny  :D
but the score system its too boring... I dont want to investigate everything, just play and finish the storyline!



GarageGothic

I don't really like scores, because it always makes me feel that I missed out on something unless I score every single point there is to score. I especially dislike games where you have to perform some arbitrary action, often in almost easter-egg like fashion, to gain those last elusive points. On the other hand, I don't think it's a bad thing to give the player a suggestion that he has missed out on something and may want to replay the game. I just prefer the way it was done at the end of The Colonel's Bequest, where you were given hints to what tasks you might have skipped.

What I do enjoy however, is games with more tangible "collectables", especially if they unlock some bonus feature in the game. As long as it doesn't feel like busywork, I certainly don't mind hunting for hidden items or taking photos of all the creatures. Sometimes it can even offer gameplay variety, if you're stuck at a specific puzzle, maybe you could take a break and go hunting for some of those comic books that are hidden throughout the game world?

Jakerpot

hum, thats ok, i agree with you, but searching for points, isn't my kind, just if have a reward. I wont re-play a game just for points, unless them unloack something or i really liked the game.



matt

i hate game where you all you have to get the points.
BUT some points like the master points in test drive are really good.
I only like points if you get them for time playing at high speeds and thing like that and then once you get to a certain amount it gives you something.

what?

Jakerpot

Well, you are talking about POINTS, we where discussing about SCORE, but its OK, points are cooler than scores  ;D
I really like point systems, like money and the Gamescore on Xbox360  ;)



Helme

I think game scores simply feel artificial.

@Garagegothic
Sound like your thinking of 'Beyond good & evil'. This game has a cool system of collectables to unlock new areas.

InCreator

#8
I think that few games (not adventures) have got it right. Manhunt, for example. Score lets you unlock concept art, initial level designs, etc. Why not? Of course, in Manhunt it was a bit different, and depended also on how you played.

In an adventure game, it could work if score is not awarded for every move, but for finding special things, which presumes deep exploration from player's part.

I'd like a system like this. If game is so good you want to see how it was made, all the sketches, developer commentary, etc, you WILL be motivated to look for hidden score. There could be in-game instant rewards too, like jokes and funny situations or whatever. Take Monkey Island 2 for example. After having that LONG "philosophical" discussion about tree color with hermit on Dinky Island, wouldn't it be cool to have a background sketch unlocked as reward? And maybe something cool or funny would also happen after the dialogue?

But classical scoring system leaves me unimpressed. Many times, you do not get full score at the end, which kind of takes away of joy finishing the game. What for?

Ghost

Score is great if it is more than just a simple number, and that's why I like games like Legend of Kyrandia and Indy 4. In both games the score ties in with the game logic: Kyrandia has you playing a mischieveous jester, and you get score for doing whacky, evil things. Indy has the "IQ" score, rewarding you for "playing Indy style".
So in such a way, score is great, and as InCreator said, when a high score unlocks some extras, all the better. I'm trying to do the this in my WIP, there *is* score, and if you get lots of it a "special ending" is unlocked.

It's boring, though, just to have the old "pick up treasure, get points" routine of the old days of Zork.

Jakerpot

Yeah, when making my RPG game on Rpg Maker i added a system to give Kharma point's, like on fable, that you would gain points by doing good thinks like disarming a bomb (a.k.a. Fallout 3) or loss points by killing them all *Evil Grim that Should Have on Smile Bar*
J-



Vince Twelve

I'm using score in an different way in Resonance.  I'm not sure how popular it will be.  You can read all the details here with a follow-up here.

Basically, you get points for doing things in the game.  Some of them are things that you have to do to progress the game, some of them are optional puzzles or tasks, and some of them are easter-eggy things.  There are plenty of points to get throughout the game.  However, your point counter only holds a max of 99 points, so there's no point in worrying about missing some here or there.

The points are used to rewind the game when you die.  If you die in an obvious manner, doing something you clearly shouldn't be doing, like manhandling a live power cable, it will cost a large number of points to rewind and undo your error.  If you die by failing to accomplish something that is difficult, like a timed puzzle or something, it will only cost a small number of points to rewind (allowing you to try multiple times).  If you die and don't have enough points to rewind... game over.

Of course, for people that don't like that idea, there will be two alternative game modes:

-Infinite Rewind, where you can just rewind as many times as you want, and points never play into it.
and
-No Rewind, where it's just like a regular adventure game.  No points, no second chances.  If you die, you'd better hope you saved recently.

ALPHATT

#12
I like score in the old sierra games.
You don't have to find every single secret to play through the game but you can see how much you did find, and keep replaying till you have max score(or not =P).
Wich adds to the replayability value wich is a very low in adventure games.
/sig

Gord10

Another disadvantage of the score system is implying the game's end is near if the game shows the maximum score. For example, if you have 94 points in a game that has maximum score of 100, you start expecting the game to end soon.

I dislike the point system, because I feel myself punished for missing a little detail of the game in the end if I can't get the maximum score.
Games are art!
My horror game, Self

MoodyBlues

I usually don't pay much attention to scores in adventure games.  I just like the little sound that plays when you get points. :D
Atapi - A Fantasy Adventure
Now available!: http://www.afwcon.org/

Jakerpot

I liked your system Vince Twelve! I would play the Infinite mode!  :D
In Mansion Break (a game that i'm creating) there will be "checkpoints" little messages displaying an message asking if you want to save. You can remove that option from the options menu. Vince, asking about Resonance; how did you figured the short time memory (is this the name ???) ? It's genious! And you should have A LOT of work with that don't you?
Talking about SCORES again:
I don't like SIERRA style of score. Because i try not to search for them, but when i know i'm finishing the game and look to a 5 of 100 bar i really piss off  ;D
I just imagine that i'm not able to get the points but then i remember that i'm just playing and not searching for that damn points!
continue comenting!  :)



TheJBurger

Quote from: Gord10 on Tue 27/01/2009 20:00:28
Another disadvantage of the score system is implying the game's end is near if the game shows the maximum score. For example, if you have 94 points in a game that has maximum score of 100, you start expecting the game to end soon.

Or the opposite happens. I seem to recall in Space Quest 3 towards the very end of the game I had something like 250/500 points, and by completing the last puzzles I had about an extra 200 points tacked on. It made the game's ending pop out of nowhere by surprise, which I guess was a good thing?

For score, I don't really mind it either way. Yes, it can feel like you've missed things after you've completed the game, but it can also be used as a player motivator after every puzzle. In Pleurghburg, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside after taking a picture of a corpse thanks to hearing the "score added!" sound.

And I really have to second GarageGothic's suggestion. I love optional puzzles in adventure games, because it helps break up the linearity while not forcing you to complete them. The extra side-quests in Reactor 09 and Duty & Beyond made the game much more fun whenever you got stuck on the main quest. And if you didn't know how to solve the puzzles--no biggy, since you could just go back to the main storyline.


Jakerpot

Good point, side puzzles... I think i can add it to my game  ;)
Well, 200 points for a puzzle... before i reach the puzzle i will thought i skipped too many things!



Stupot

Having scores in a game suggests the possibilty of playing the game again to try and beat your score, or get full points.  That's okay in games with the replayability factor, but to be honest, I rarely play adventure games more than once because there are so many to get through.

(I might replay a game I haven't played for ages, but that's purely for nostalia, not because I want to try and do better than last time.)

Eggie

I think Michael Land's score for Monkey Island is very effective.

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