How the reward system in games affects different player types and player motivations.
While designing game reward systems, we should give players clear and identified objectives. To achieve these objectives, players need to tackle game challenges. These challenges must be fun. Game rewards reinforce the players’ motivation to continue the game journey. The term gameplay loop describes this process: When players overcome challenges to achieve a game objective, they receive corresponding rewards.
Players’ motivation includes extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation comes from in-game rewards, for example new skills, new equipments, level up. Intrinsic motivation relates to satisfaction for the player, namely emotional release, the pleasure of control, social ranking, and so on. There are three categories of motivations: short-term, medium-term, and long-term.
What type of rewards creates which motivations?
Short-term motivation aims to provide excitement to players within a short time by giving instant rewards. This reward occurs the most within the game, thus, creates the major game play. Below is an example from a game I am currently playing: Animal Restaurant. The objective, in this case, is to serve a customer. The rewards are “cods” (it is like coins but for animals) paid by the customers.
Medium-term motivation is for example upgrading to a new level after accumulating enough experience (exp), or buying new items. A certain amount of time required playing the game to achieve the rewards. But the rewards given are sufficient. Continuing with the Animal Restaurant game, the objective is to upgrade a new restaurant facility. The challenge is to earn enough “cods”, serve enough customers, etc. The reward is unlocking new customers or new recipes.
Long-term motivation equal to the main quest of the game that the player aims at. Therefore, the reward is special as well, for example, unlock a side story, access to the final task, kill the boss. At this stage, game designers can deliver an exclusive experience for the players. In Animal Restaurant, the main mission was to help Gumi, the head chef and a grumpy cat find his master. After earning lots of “cods”, upgrading all recipes and major facilities, the master appears as a customer and the game reveals a lovely moving story of Gumi and his master Cici.
How to decide the reward system that works for your game the best?
Embrace the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs when designing gameplay. Remember that players are humans, and crafting an engaging gaming experience should aim to cater to these fundamental human requirements.
In the realm of gaming, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) zeroes in on our fundamental human needs. Inspired by Maslow’s hierarchy, which outlines five core needs — physiological, safety, social, self-esteem, and self-actualization — SDT narrows it down to just three essentials: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. These elements fuel a player’s intrinsic motivation, or in simpler terms, their sense of gratification. Connecting these back to Maslow’s framework, we find that competence goes hand in hand with psychological needs, autonomy pairs with safety, and relatedness aligns with our ever-important social needs.
In the gaming world, there are four main types of players: Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. Achievers are those who strive to perfect their gameplay, climb the ranks, and master their skills, ultimately fulfilling their need for competence. On the other hand, Explorers love to dive deep into the game, uncovering hidden features and unlocking every possible aspect, satisfying their desire for autonomy. Socializers enjoy connecting with fellow gamers, forming alliances and building communities, which speaks to their need for relatedness. Killers, however, thrive on defeating others, asserting their dominance, and fulfilling both their competence and relatedness needs in the process.
The Bartle test to see which type of gamer are you
At its core, competence refers to the ability to effectively navigate one’s environment. In the context of gaming, this means that a player feels skilled and capable when playing the game. Gameplay must align with the player’s abilities, encompassing physical, mental, and social skills. Since these skills vary among players, they serve as a benchmark for each player’s competence in the game. This need for competence satisfies the psychological urge to accomplish tasks, be it short-term or long-term challenges. It’s no secret that a game becomes unenjoyable if a player feels incapable of playing it. A prime example of this is the game Flappy Bird. Despite its basic design reminiscent of 90s 8-bit games, Flappy Bird’s extreme difficulty garnered massive success in the gaming industry. Many players found themselves frustrated and feeling incompetent if they couldn’t score more than 10 points, while those who surpassed this threshold experienced unparalleled levels.
Second, autonomy is the need to control our lives or the gameplay itself. A few popular in-game approaches to enhance autonomy include offering customizable options, maps, game modes, and characters. Autonomy particularly appeals to explorer-type players, who love delving into every aspect and possibility within the game.
Finally, relatedness speaks to the craving for a sense of connection with other players or in-game characters. This concept caters to the Socializer player archetype and can be fostered by incorporating in-game elements such as multiplayer modes, teams, clans, and guilds. By crafting gameplay that encourages collaboration and cooperation among players and characters, we can effectively address this need in an engaging and relatable way..
In conclusion, the key to attracting and retaining players in games lies in the effectiveness of the rewards system. It is crucial to recognize that player motivation closely mirrors the drive to satisfy fundamental human needs. Consequently, game developers should design gameplay that offers short, medium, and long-term rewards catering to various player types. This can be achieved by incorporating both extrinsic (character-based) and intrinsic (player-based) rewards that appeal to a diverse gaming audience.
Further readings
