Differences Between Ranking Systems In Video Games?

The ranking system is an integral part of any video game, as it gives you a score that is reflected on your performance of a specific concept. The concept of ranking isn't new to us, because it's universally been around forever.

 

Your particular rank gives you insight on where you need to improve and helps in setting a higher goal for your future in a specific area of your life. That’s why a ranking system is significant in any video game.  Without it, players are left wondering what their performance was like. The rank you receive helps set a higher goal for yourself within the game. Without this goal, most players are likely to find the game ending up being pointless because it isn’t going anywhere.

 

Each video game employs its own ranking system. Each ranking system is analyzed differently, which ultimately leads to discrepancies in each ranking system.

 

The Difference Between Points And Letters

 

A conventional scoring system entails that the player can always improve their score. This allows for more optimization as well as continuous play. However, having these scores be visible can be demoralizing. Although you may be in the top percentile, if there are crowds of people who play the video game, you may be ranked as approximately 10,000th place.

 

Making use of a lettering reward system allows for a clear goal to be set for the player. This goal is designed within each chapter and throughout the game. However, once the letter is obtained, the player can't go any further. They have finished the game and reached the highest level.

 

The Analyzation of Scoring Systems

 

For this article, we have split the different types of ranking systems into three categories that cover all the basics on the spectrum. However, there are a vast amount of variations between these categories.

 

Strict

 

The scoring system is designed in a particular way that leaves little chance of deviation from the desired play style. This is done by setting goals that all have to be completed to achieve maximum rank.

 

This forces players to play a specific way. The type of video game that this scoring system fits is one that is mainly surrounding combat-like games. The game should hold qualities with little emphasis placed on creativity and style, while more emphasis placed on efficiency.  

 

Versatile

 

This is a ranking system that sets goals which lead to the highest score, but also make use of other bonuses and modifiers to create a more personalized playstyle. Ranks in this particular system are easy to obtain, due to there being less strict demands and more options. Games designed with multiple playstyles would work best with this type of scoring system.

 

Open

 

An 'open' style of scoring doesn't have clear milestones or goals but still gives the player insight into their performance, which allows the player to be the judge. This scoring system is used to openly recognize high-level players. However, while doing this, the game developers manage not to neglect the more casual players making use of the game.