Scores

The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Left 4 Dead series

Scenarios in Memoir '44 are typically not balanced between the two sides but through using scores for each game players can switch sides after a first game instance and compare their results of two game instances to get a balanced combined score.

deathmatch Quake series

ticks Battlefield series

Staries

Candy Crush Saga

Using the pattern

Scores can affect all types of, by being Tiebreakers for games with Winning by Ending Gameplay and by being general Progress Indicators in Unwinnable Games. They are typically the prime way of determining winners in games using Winner determined after Gameplay Ends but may be complemented by Tiebreakers.

Can Be Instantiated By

Character Levels, Death Consequences

Collections together with Resources

Handicap Systems together with Meta Games

can inst Resources, High Score Lists, Tied Results,

can modulate Multiplayer Games, Single-Player Games, Winner determined after Gameplay Ends, Winning by Ending Gameplay

Can Be Modulated By

Combos, End State Scoring, Extra-Game Consequences, Gameplay Statistics, Game State Indicators, Handicap Systems, Pick-Ups, Score Tracks, Secret Scoring Mechanisms, Tiebreakers

Diegetic Aspects

Scores are often difficult to explain within a game's theme, so using it easily breaks Thematic Consistency and often thereby also Diegetic Consistency.

Interface Aspects

Consequences

Scores make games have the Continuous Goal of Collecting points which can also be seen as a Race to either first reach a certain Score or have the highest Score when gameplay ends. They make easy value to use as Trans-Game Information in Tournaments and can easily act as Tiebreakers in games built to use Back-to-Back Game Sessions (Memoir '44 being an example of this).

When publicly accessible, they simultaneously are a type of Progress Indicators and Game State Overview which create Stimulated Planning and Tension. This can give rise to Dynamic Alliances working against a Predictable Winner in Multiplayer Games. While wanting to win over other players can be sufficient reason for Multiplayer games to have Replayability, Scores in Single-Player Games can promote Replayability in trying to beat one's own Score from previous game instances and this can be seen as a weak use of Trans-Game Information (a stronger such use of Scores is through the use of High Score Lists).