Rewards in Games
The previous blog looked at how games teach players mechanics. This time, we’re looking at how games bring in players in the first place and how they keep them for prolonged periods. Whilst many techniques outside of the game to draw in players like marketing, I’ll be delving into how rewards hook players. Also, how these rewards keep players hooked as they play.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s start at the beginning. Basic game design tells designers to build games to allow gameplay loops. Games become more intricate with how these behavioural loops interact with each other. This increase in complexity leads players to become hooked on different mechanics in the game. That said, if there’s no motivation to try these mechanics then players will quickly leave after playing. So how do we give players that motivation to keep playing?
Motivation comes in two different styles, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. With intrinsic motivation it comes within the player. For example, playing a game out of curiosity or trying to get the most points in a group. The direction of the game helps to bring these intrinsic motivations to light, keeping players engaged with their own goals. Extrinsic motivations refer to the rewards that the game gives. These can be positive and negative. Gaining points and avoiding death are both extrinsic motivations. It’s important for both of these to combine to make a game more successful. Extrinsic motivators are best used to draw players in and reward them for behaviour in the game. As players expose themselves to these extrinsic motivations, they begin to internalise within a player and become intrinsic motivators. So, it becomes more about what the player wants to do rather than what the game rewards them with. But to get players hooked, what are these extrinsic motivators?
Types Of Rewards
Utilising rewards and when they should be given out ties to operant conditioning which I talked about here. There are loads of different rewards but the majority all fall into one of three categories:
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Materialistic Rewards: Usually tend to be things you can use in the game. This includes money, points, weapons or armour. It can also be new levels or information towards another goal.
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Social Rewards: These transpire through other players. Having approval or feeling valued through online discourse is what encompasses social rewards.
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Experiential Rewards: These come through with experience with the game. These usually include self-improvement, completion and progression.
Reward Scheduling
It’s all good having these rewards, but having them placed with a purpose will yield better results. Little to no rewards may cause players to leave. Yet having too many rewards will undermine what the game wants the player to do. Even to the extent that a player loses their intrinsic motivation for playing the game. Popular psychologist Skinner found 4 different types of reward scheduling. Each type has their own purpose and can be applied to different types of games. Ultimately, these schedules come down to:
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Fixed Ratio: these include giving a reward after a number of correct responses. For example get 5 headshots and receive 3000xp.
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Fixed Interval: these include giving a reward after a fixed length of time. For example, survive in a certain location for 5 minutes and receive a weapon.
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Variable Ratio: this is where rewards are given after an unknown number of times. This is commonly seen within gambling games.
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Variable Interval: this is where rewards are given after an unpredictable amount, as long as a positive behaviour occurs. One example is insurance within Escape From Tarkov.
The type of reward structure that produced the slowest rate of extinction (players will repeat the behaviour without any kind of reward) was a variable ratio. That said, other types of reward schedules shouldn’t be ignored. Combining a mixture of these allows for players to experience rewards from different gameplay loops. Fixed ratio loops are perfect for daily or weekly challenges. Fixed intervals give time pressure, whilst variable intervals give a chance for players to recover rewards that players have lost. It is important, however, to understand that using fixed ratio or interval will lead to the overjustification effect. This is where a person’s intrinsic motivation is replaced with the expectation of rewards. Through this, players will always want a reward or stop playing. Variable reward patterns avoid this because they prevent this dependency on extrinsic rewards.
Failure States
Failure states are where players don’t meet the expectations of the goal. This can include losing all lives or running out of turns. It’s important to consider how these can be built upon to allow players to give a level or goal another go. Whilst it’s considered negative to reward players for performing poorly, UI design may change this. The near miss effect is one such technique. Showing a player how close they were to achieving something may encourage them to continue playing.
Let’s bring all these techniques together into one example.
Candy Crush Saga encompasses a prime case for these techniques. From levels 1-10 and into later game stages, elements of different rewards, scheduling and failure states occur. From these early levels, players a front loaded with different reward types. These rewards celebrate player behaviour through words associated with the setting e.g “sweet” alongside audiovisual cues. Most of these early levels are completed in minimal move sets. Also, it is very difficult to fail these beginning levels. Players also unlock abilities as they complete levels. Once a level is finished, it is possible to share achievements on social media platforms.
Within these first 10 levels, it’s clear to see the structure of rewards and the amount the player has seen. Materialistic and social rewards bombard the player using a variable ratio. Thus, this avoids the overjustification effect as players don’t know they’ll be receiving a new item or combining a move as they can’t see what falls next. Fixed ratio rewards are introduced in the means of daily and weekly challenges to add further depth to the rewards scheme. Once levels begin to get harder and the likelihood to fail increases, players may experience the near miss effect, enticing them to repeat the level. As a player invests their time, experiential rewards are granted through climbing the levels.
Ethics
The difference between satisfaction and manipulation in free to play games is important. Having mechanics that rely on elements of scarcity or loss avoidance can lead to a heavy decline in player activity. Ideas such as limited time items or inviting friends for bonuses can lead to negative player impressions. So, it’s important to balance this out with positive elements of accomplishment or creativity. Free to play games can make people feel guilty for missing out on limited items or needing friends to progress. Good examples such as Pokémon GO utilise nostalgia, ownership and accomplishment to create an experience that people feel good for playing. This balance is what is important when retaining players.
For the next post, I will be delving deep into memory and how to utilise the psychology of that within games. Or branch to level design concepts that make a player feel invested in the environment!
