For this critical play, I chose to play skribbl.io online. Skribbl.io was created by ticedev, and it is available on web browsers, allowing it to be played on PCs or smartphones. The target audience of this game is very broad: anybody who enjoys casual games with social interaction. The simple gameplay makes it appealing to family, friends, or any sort of gathering of people, and perhaps those who enjoy doodling may have more enjoyment with it, but fun arises from people who also do not know how to draw.
Judging is absolutely crucial in skribbl.io and plays a significant role in shaping both the relationships between players and overall group dynamics. The judging process simultaneously fosters competitive yet collaborative interactions by relating the score to accurate judging of doodles, adding a bonus for quick recognition as judge, and giving all players a fair chance to both judge and draw. These judging dynamics foster greater cohesion among groups that play and lead to a lighthearted, fun social game.
Firstly, the judging process in skribbl.io rewards the accurate recognition of what is drawn. This reward serves two purposes: it encourages the drawer to draw clearly, cleanly, and cleverly; and it encourages the judges to pay careful attention to what the artist is drawing, as well as pick up on style tips that may reward them in future rounds. This is a perfect social mechanism because it both allows the artist to feel their work is being appreciated in real-time, and because it allows the judges to be rewarded for their keen eye and attention to the artist’s detail. There are many ways in which this promotes positive interaction between players, with a few being the early recognition (which makes the artist feel like a good artist) and the display of connection between two close players (inside jokes & references). As the game progresses, the judges also learn the artists’ styles and can feel they are getting to know them even better in a short period of time.
Second, the element of time is important to the competitive nature of the judging. If there was no element of time, the games would go on for far too long when presented with difficult words, and the artists could just take their sweet time with their drawings. This way, the game can continue at a steady pace, which necessitates wacky, quick drawings that emphasize the core of whatever is being depicted. More importantly, though, this leads to the players feeling they can pull down social barriers and act truer to themselves because they cannot waste time on social norms. When there is not much time left, in the games I played, the artists began to be frustrated towards the end when no other players picked up on their drawing, so they started a go-for-broke strategy that usually ended in desperate hilarity. Below, and example of “mashed potatoes” that, in retrospect, looks like an abstract mess:
Finally, the mechanic that caused the judging to best facilitate cohesion among a group is the ability for the artist role (and, by extension, the judge roles) to rotate among the entire group 3 times. In a given round, each player is able to draw three things, and judges the rest of the players. By playing both roles, each player develops empathy for the artist position and tries their best to guess what they are drawing, and when in the artist position, tries their best to draw something recognizable. This mutual relationship creates an environment of helpfulness and trust that what the artist is drawing is their best effort, and that the judges are trying their best to see the art. The word “judge” usually carries with it a negative connotation that someone’s art is being scrutinized, when in skribbl.io the judges are trying their best to reward the artist for whatever they have, not tear them down, since it benefits both parties (and is a whole lotta fun!).
Overall, the judging mechanic in skribbl.io is used masterfully and is absolutely crucial to the social cohesion and dynamics present in the game. By rewarding accuracy, speedy completion, and having all players play both roles, the game presents a unique social experience.
