User:Hpickard/sandbox

=Rewards in Video Games= The concept of a reward in Video Game terminology can be an Achievement given to the player(s) either intrinsically or extrinsically. They exist to provide feedback and inform the player according to their behaviour and actions within the game they are playing. Rewards can be in the form of a trophy, an object, a badge, a medal or an in game object that’s given to the player to use within the game itself.

The Purpose and Motivation of Rewards in Video Games
Rewards relate to the psychology of the player and how their interaction with an interactive medium provides feedback. There are models, such as Bartle's Taxonomy on Player Types which help theorists and designers to understand the purpose behind embedding rewards and achievements for the player in relation to the individual subject's needs and expectations during play. This model suggests that there are four types of players that have different desires and psychological expectations when playing a game.

Those being:

The Killer
This type of player seeks to gain status and achieve a winning state or rank within the game. The satisfaction comes from seeing other players lose or achieve lower scores/ranking and the underlying motivation is to become the very best at the game and being able to proudly claim that title. An example of this is completing the First Person Shooter game Doom on the highest difficulty or with the highest amount of kills. According to the research, this sub-type of players only take up a small percentage of the gaming community, 1% to be precise

The Socialiser
This takes up a huge majority of the gaming community, being a player who experiences enjoyment from bonding and collaborating with other players online to complete tasks or achieve a goal. To these types of player it is more enjoyable to work as a team with others as a community or group. This can also include both active or passive players. An example of a popular social game is Farmville on the Facebook marketplace. This game functions on players supporting and working together to build and sustain a farm. Players achieve rewards for completing everyday tasks and working with other players on a collective goal.

The Explorer

These types of players aren't satisfied by scores or rank points but more what they can receive/find in their environment. Their willingness to adventure and explore an environment is one of the driving motivations for these players. They are searching to have what feels like a unique experience to them and possibly discover items/ elements that other players may not have found, such as an in game object or hidden Easter Egg. An example of a game like this is Death Stranding where players all work within the same database but spend their time exploring the world building/collecting items.

The Achiever
This type is similar to the killer but solely seeks to claim and own a title and claim the rank points/ high status that comes with game play and completing hardships within the game. They, similarly like to be able to have all the detailed knowledge to be able to share it with others.

Extrinsic Rewards
These can be given to the player in the form of a more external and credible achievement such as a loot box, an item or an object that can upgrade or improve their game play and immersive experience. This kind of reward system is key for player retention and motivating the player to complete tasks regardless of how repetitive they may seem. If a somewhat mundane or repetitive task does not have a desirable reward at the end of it ( such as character armour, weapon or a loot box) then the player is likely to not attempt it and may lose motivation to play the game. It incentivises the player to return to the game repeatedly and complete tasks that may not excite them as much.

Intrinsic Rewards
These are usually embedded into the games core mechanics and initial game play/world elements that the player interacts with. This type of reward works internally and has a mental and psychological outcome from the action that's input by the player. It aligns closer with internal drives to achieve a greater satisfaction. It can be perceived as more fulfilling and provides more of an internal pleasure. Intrinsic can be in the form of defeating a difficult enemy after a long time or completing a hard task or discovering something new after lots of exploring. Intrinsic can lead the player into a state of Flow.

Flow Theory in Games Design
The theory of Flow was conceived by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who studied the concept of what gives a person pleasure and achievement during long lasting activities. This theory goes on to explain that when a player is experiencing a flow state, they are fully immersed and energised in the activity they are involved in, thus making the activity/process a success. There are many elements in the structure of game design that can contribute and also break the state of flow for the player.

Rewards
Rewards in game can be an element that contributes to putting the player into a flow state as rewards give the player the idea that the game is responding and giving feedback based on their behaviour and actions. Rewards make the player feel like the work and effort they put in has a positive result, both internally and externally. If there's no incentive for the player ( lacking a reward) then they are likely to get bored and lack motivation.

Enforced Goals
Goals must be made clear to the player so they are certain on what they must do to explore, complete tasks and earn rewards, without this being demonstrated it can lead to confusion and lack of motivation.

Difficulty
The game controls and virtual world must be at an equal level of difficulty where the player feels they lose consciousness and time whilst playing the game. It must feel challenging, to make the rewards feel more intrinsically pleasing but can't be so difficult that the player gives up and quits too easily. Goals and achievements must feel reachable and within the players ability and control.Finding the balance between these elements will place the player into a stream of consciousness where they are not focusing on anything but the game itself and they are fully immersed into the experience.