Critical Play: Bluffing, Judging and Getting Vulnerable… by Meerim Nurlanbekova

First time playing Scribble! 🙂

  • Name of game – Scribble
  • Creator – ticedev
  • Platform –  web browser based
  • Target audience from teenagers to adults who can have access to the Internet and can make fast decisions based on the timing! The game encourages creativity, critical thinking and imagination.
  • Critical Formal elements of the game:

Skribbl.io is a game where you can play with 2 to 12 friends in one room. Each game has rounds, and the person who makes the room gets to decide how many rounds there will be. In every round, one person draws a word, and the others try to guess what it is by looking at the drawing. The drawer can pick one of three words that the game gives them. Players can do three things:

  1. Drawing: The person picked to draw has to use the tools to draw the word they chose.
  2. Guessing: Other players try to figure out the word by typing their guesses in the chat.
  3. Voting to Kick: If most players think someone is acting badly or not playing right, they can vote to kick that person out of the game.

The game has a point system. You get points for how fast and how right your guesses are. The person with the most points when the game ends is the winner.

  • Inspiration questions:  (You don’t need to answer all) :

Skribbl.io offers a trifecta of enjoyment through three distinct elements. First, it allows players to unleash their creative side by drawing various things for others to guess (3 words to choose what to draw!). Second, the game introduces a competitive edge, urging players to earn points and strive to be the ultimate victor. The desire to have the highest score adds an element of rivalry and excitement. Lastly, Skribbl.io presents a mental challenge, requiring participants to think on their feet and make swift, accurate guesses based on often ambiguous drawings. This cognitive challenge turns the game into a stimulating brain workout, injecting an extra layer of fun into the overall gaming experience.

  • How vulnerable do you need to get?

I felt so vulnerable when drawing. The time was ticking and I did not know how to draw the offered words! Also, it was a challenge for me as a non-English speaker to understand some of the words. Someone even disliked my drawing! 🙁 (see the screenshot below) So I felt judged and it demotivated me to draw again…

 

  • What can be improved — a comment as a game designer: 

Perhaps creating a positive and fun atmosphere? Instead of disliking someone’s drawing, the platform should offer emojis and comments saying “Great job on trying to draw ___ word. You did very well despite the constraints given!”

 

— By Meerim Nurlanbekova

 

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