History Main / ScoringPoints

* The third-person-shooter ''TheClub'' has been unfavorably compared to other more action-focused shooters by some. However, as discussed in a PA podcast (link at the bottom of [[this page http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/1/25/]]), the aim of the game is more about finding the right pace, maintaining a combo and trying to get a perfect 'lap' in order to maximize your score, making it more comparable to other games by Bizzarre Creations, such as ''GeometryWars''.

''ProjectGothamRacing''.

* The third-person-shooter ''TheClub'' has been unfavorably compared to other more action-focused shooters by some. However, as discussed in a PA podcast (link at the bottom of [[this page http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/1/25/]]), the aim of the game is more about finding the right pace, maintaining a combo and trying to get a perfect 'lap' in order to maximize your score, making it more comparable to other games by Bizzarre Creations, such as ''GeometryWars'' and

* The third-person-shooter ''TheClub'' has been unfavorably compared to other more action-focused shooters by some. However, as discussed in a PA podcast (link at the bottom of [[this page http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/1/25/]]), the aim of the game is more about finding the right pace, maintaining a combo and trying to get a perfect 'lap' in order to maximize your score, making it more comparable to other games by Bizzarre Creations, such as ''GeometryWars'' and ''ProjectGothamRacing''.

[[AC:Unsorted - Please help categorize]]
* ''Computer Space'', probably the earliest to calculate score.

* The ''TimeCrisis'' series went the opposite direction of the ''Mega Man'' example. Originally a game in which the goal was to [[{{Speedrun}} beat it as fast as possible]], ''2'' introduced a point system that put much emphasis on accuracy and combos and less on time. Although you get time bonuses, they typically don't amount to a whole lot.
* Return of scoring points in first-person-shooters appeared in SeriousSam series. In Serious Sam XBOX and Serious Sam II, score actually provides the player extra lives.

* In ''TotalOverdose'', kills are scored on quality, style and sheer ballsiness, and multiplied by the killing streak maintained for a period of time. Upgrades are unlocked by reaching high scores, upgrades such as more health, more adrenaline, dual weapons, unlimited ammo and Loco Moves. Global scoring becomes irrelevant early on, but Mission scores remain important to unlocking upgrades for survivability in later missions.

* Points are used to determine the winning and losing team in VS mode in ''Left4Dead''. The infected team also gains points as they attack the survivors, but they contribute nothing to the competition, thus they are mostly for show.
** Not in the second game. As it is much easier for both teams to get the exact same score on a level (if both teams make it to the end with everyone alive), the game gives an extra 25 points to the team that did more damage as Infected.

* In the LightGunGame ''Police Trainer'', most of the MiniGame-like stages have point quotas. Meet the quota and the stage will be marked cleared. If you don't, you'll lose one life.

* ''[[Wolfenstein3D Wolfenstein 3D]]'', the TropeCodifier for the FirstPersonShooter, had ScoringPoints and a [[VideoGameLives Lives]] system as baggage from earlier video games. Later FPS games, starting with ''{{Doom}}'', removed these.

* The [=PS2=] port of ''[[{{Ptitlepx5t7yuj}} Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time]]'' removes the score counter, reflecting how useless it was.
** Like TMNT II & III on the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Super Nintendo port had the points actually be useful, giving you extra lives at certain multiples. This certainly encouraged you to do the "throw the enemy at the screen" move as much as possible, as it was the highest-scoring method of defeating them.
*** There is a vitality bonus in the SNES Turtles in Time and the Sega Genesis Hyperstone Heist at the end of each stage after defeating a boss. So that certainly helped in grabbing for extra lives.

* In ''StreetsOfRage 3'', earning 40,000 points on a single life grants you a star. Each star, which you can have 3 of, upgrades your blitz attack. Losing a life takes away a star, and you will need to get 40,000 more points to get it back.

* ''MadWorld'' uses points to determine your progress in a level. At certain score plateaus, new areas or power-ups will be opened in the level. You need a minimum score to face the level's boss. The score itself is justified as being the scoring system of the ShowWithinAShow LethalGame''Deathwatch''.

* ''TheWarriors'' had points you could earn for just about anything you do. Punched someone in the face? Points. Smashed a window? Score. Mugged someone? Even more points. Smashed a bottle on the ground? [[OverlyLongGag You get the picture]]. However, high scores are needed to unlock bonus content in the game. Luckily, if you happen to die and restart from a checkpoint, you still retain your score from that point.

*** There is a vitality bonus in the SNES Turtles in Time and the Sega Genesis Hyperstone Heist at the end of each stage after defeating a boss. So tha tcerainly helped in getting the extra lives.

You just won a million points.

Then, sir, you are no gamer. AsYouKnow, keeping score is the most important reason gamers keep playing. As you also know, [[PacManFever it's 1983]].

* {{Sierra}} had an age-old tradition of giving out points whenever the player did something positive, often for completely arbitrary reasons to inspire players to come back to the game later to try and get all the points. For their more comedic games, the developers would deliberately give goofy, arbitrary scores for some actions, most {{egregious}}ly in [[LeisureSuitLarry Al Lowe's]] ''FreddyPharkasFrontierPharmacist'', which has a maximum score of 1,000 points, and you get 500 points for ''opening a locked door at the very start of the game''. Congratulations, you're already halfway done!

* Parodied in the comedy skit show "Whose Line Is It Anyway". Drew Carey, the host, would randomly hand out various kinds of "points" (like Wonder Points, Low Fat Points, etc) during the show to the comedians on stage, guest comedians and even the audience and the viewers at home because it's "the show where everything's made up and the points don't matter." At the end of the show, the person with "highest" point total would decide the type of skit they would perform for the ending act.

The truth is, score was never a big deal. Even ''PacMan'' players were more interested in what the new fruit in which level was. About the ''only'' genres where scoring actually was--and still is--relevant to any significant portion of the player base are games with short, replayable levels, most commonly ShootEmUps and {{Rhythm Game}}s, where beating another's high score or getting a good rank\grade is one of the main points. Then there were the endlessly repeating games where score was the only practical way to measure success: Activision's Atari 2600 games always would have specific guidelines in their manuals for what score you should aim to attain to get their special patches or t-shirts for having become a pro at it if you could send them proof. {{Casual Game}}s are also very score-heavy; you'd be hard-pressed to find a ''{{Bejeweled}}'' or ''{{Peggle}}'' player who ''isn't'' trying to beat their best scores.

* Averted in ''SonicAdventure 2'', where the score defines the rating, from E to A. What gives the score some sense is the fact that the very last emblems require the player to get an A rating on EVERY FREAKING MISSION.

** In Super Mario Bros 3, points actually did something. The memory minigame was activated when reaching certain (very high) point totals.
* While later SpyroTheDragon games featured gems that were actually used as currency, in the first game, they served no purpose outside of a point counter. The only times your gem count affected gameplay were as PlotCoupons- you needed a certain number to advance to some of the homeworlds, and also to access the bonus level- which contained nothing but more gems, and a few trick enemies you had to kill to get even more gems. Essentially, they were worthless unless you were striving for 100% completion.

* The ''Game/MegaMan'' had a score counter, which was completely useless. (Particularly since the game was so NintendoHard that you'd usually get a few game overs, losing all your points.) It even had power-ups that did nothing but add points at the end of the level. For obvious reasons, later games in the franchise dropped the score counter entirely.

Games nowadays use "achievements". Now ''those'' are SeriousBusiness.

* While later SpyroTheDragon games featured gems that were actually used as currency, in the first game, they served no purpose outside of a point counter. The only times your gem count affected gameplay were as PlotCoupons- you needed a certain number to advance to some of the homeworlds, and also to access the bonus level- which contained nothing but more gems.

** Certain other players go for the ''minimum'' posssible score (while still ascending) - a SelfImposedChallenge in that deliberately and woefully underpreparing while everything tries to kill you is usually not wise.

The truth is, score was never a big deal. Even ''PacMan'' players were more interested in what the new fruit in which level was. About the ''only'' genres where scoring actually was--and still is--relevant to any significant portion of the player base are games with short, replayable levels, most commonly ShootEmUps and {{Rhythm Game}}s, where beating another's high score or getting a good rank\grade is one of the main points (pun not intended). Then there were the endlessly repeating games where score was the only practical way to measure success: Activision's Atari 2600 games always would have specific guidelines in their manuals for what score you should aim to attain to get their special patches or t-shirts for having become a pro at it if you could send them proof. {{Casual Game}}s are also very score-heavy; you'd be hard-pressed to find a ''{{Bejeweled}}'' or ''{{Peggle}}'' player who ''isn't'' trying to beat their best scores.

* ''[[Wolfenstein3D Wolfenstein 3D]]'', the TropeCodifier for the FirstPersonShooter, had ScoringPoints and a {{Lives}} system as baggage from earlier video games. Later FPS games, starting with ''{{Doom}}'', removed these.

* The [[Game/MegaMan first]] ''MegaMan'' had a score counter, which was completely useless. (Particularly since the game was so NintendoHard that you'd usually get a few game overs, losing all your points.) It even had power-ups that did nothing but add points at the end of the level. For obvious reasons, later games in the franchise dropped the score counter entirely.

* The ''TimeCrisis'' series went the opposite direction of the ''MegaMan'' example. Originally a game in which the goal was to [[{{Speedrun}} beat it as fast as possible]], ''2'' introduced a point system that put much emphasis on accuracy and combos and less on time. Although you get time bonuses, they typically don't amount to a whole lot.

The point is, it seems media believe that high scores are still not only a relevant aspect of gameplay, they are the most relevant. When games were [[KobayashiMario impossible to "win"]] and had to be played on a quarter-by-quarter basis in the arcade, that made some sense, as people would want proof they played, and played well. That proof usually was putting their initials (or a dirty word) in the oh-so-coveted number one score.

** Most expert players play for a minimum score, indicating efficient play - to these, high scores mean you over-prepared, a mark of inexperience.