Comments on: Players Prefer Points

By: Juuso - Game Producer

Juuso - Game Producer — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:52:09 +0000

@SasQ: If I remember correctly, the answer is *yes*. If the user can reverse engineer the program, I believe he can manipulate the system and send fake scores.

By: SasQ

SasQ — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:43:42 +0000

@Game Producer: But how do you recognize who send that scores – the real game or the hacktool? Even if transmission is encrypted, the key must be hardcoded into a program or being get from the server – in both cases it could be found by end user, right?

By: MOG Blog - The official blog of the Mousebreaker Online Games development team

MOG Blog - The official blog of the Mousebreaker Online Games development team — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 12:09:17 +0000

[...] It may be a truism that casual games players like to see their name on a scoreboard – players love points as pointed out here – but many games sites (and a few developers) seem to misunderstand it, either ignoring highscores altogether or completely overloading the player with every conceivable flavour of scoreboard. [...]

By: Game Producer

Game Producer — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:41:55 +0000

@Michael: Yes, but that would require reverse engineering the program itself – and changing the post sending functions. There’s no 100% sure way to prevent this kind of hacking, but it would require the person to dig really deep. The system I mention doesn’t allow user to send fake scores – because they are crypted inside the program.

By: Michael McCulloch

Michael McCulloch — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:36:16 +0000

This is probably not the place to debate specific issues related to a posting system, however it seems to me the root of the problem is storing the scoring stats in a secure manner that hides the data from the end user — as the end user is more likely to hack the stored stats BEFORE the process of posting rather than manipulating the server and/or transfer mechanism. Thanks.

By: Game Producer

Game Producer — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 06:02:24 +0000

@Michael: I know that is a problem. Luckily – there’s a solution for that. Indiepath & Polycount Productions has a software called IndieNET. It’s a system that uses 128/256bit RC4 encryption (=”secure way to post stuff” in English). The software is not *yet* available but will be soon via http://www.indiegamebusiness.com. Drop me or Tim (at indiepath.com) an email if you are interested.

By: Michael McCulloch

Michael McCulloch — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 19:43:36 +0000

I have often considered a high score list, but how do you prevent abusers? For those that REALLY like points will just abuse/hack the system to post a huge score. I’ve seen similar games to my own that post high scores with simply unbelievable stats.

The trouble of developing a secure and true system for comparing scores seems to be a lot of touble.

By: Players love Points at Suttree, Elixir for Immortal Baboon ~ Casual Games development

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 15:16:31 +0000

[...] GameProducer.net has a short and sweet post about game design, specifially the idea that ‘Players love Points’. …players just love to get points. They want those victory points. They want bonuses. They want more and more points. When designing your game: keep in mind that Players Prefer Points. [...]

By: Game Producer

Game Producer — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 05:57:10 +0000

Minority? I really would like a statistics to prove that – as far as I recall, almost every single game uses points/ranks in some way. Some simulations might not use points and some chat “games” like Habbo Hotel (where the main element is collecting stuff and socializing). I bet all games at ironcode.com contain points – do they?

Majority of players like points, ranks, status, titles – western society is built on that. Players prefer them.

I must say that I would be more than glad to hear about those players who don’t like points (or other status symbols). I believe I’m one of them – for the most part.

By: Pallav Nawani

Pallav Nawani — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 02:17:45 +0000

Some players like points – competetive people really like points. Unfortunately, those are in the minority.