This week I played Scribbl.io which was released in 2017. The game was developed and published by ticedev as an online, free multiplayer game available on Crazy Games and independently. The target audience for Scribbl.io is anyone who is able to read (in 2022 they increased the number of languages the game supports) and use a phone/laptop to play. It’s appropriate to be played with friends, family, or even strangers. I played this game online with strangers by joining a couple different existing games.
How is judging used in the game, and how does that affect group dynamics and relationships?
In Scribbl.io, judging does not follow the “traditional” format where one player judges the submissions of all other players. Instead, one person draws an image of an object which the rest of the group has to guess, and the judging comes from the like/dislike drawing buttons plus the discussion of the art in the chat-box. The ability to “like” drawings helped build reciprocity and trust since all members of the group were working towards similar shared goals. The mechanism where players could “dislike” drawings and vote to remove players sometimes caused voluntary/forced migration which affected the group’s dynamics. Finally, the chat-box both helped and hindered a positive group dynamic.
In the first game I played, I entered around the end of round 3 so I stayed to start a new game with that group. After playing multiple rounds with a few similar players, I noticed that I felt really excited and affirmed when individuals would compliment my attempt to convey the secret word or even when they clicked the like button.
In this example, I had a really simple word, but in a previous example my word was whirlpool, so I quickly drew out a water with a circling image coming out of it. While only 1-2 other players were able to correctly guess my word and therefore were the only ones awarded points for that round, after the correct word was revealed, another player complimented my drawing claiming it was a really good attempt for a difficult word. The chat-box and like button worked jointly to create a more encouraging group dynamic and reciprocity where we would all compliment each other’s drawing, exactly embodying the theory discussed about how trust is initially built. The kindness immediately made that game more enjoyable for me.
The power to judge other player’s art, dislike their drawings, and potentially vote to remove players was incredibly interesting. In one scenario, an individual began drawing their image and then decided to write “u are a n–” on the screen. Their actions were rude and unacceptable. Playing through a screen, not knowing the names or any information of who the people on the other side are like, allows for an environment where someone can swear/be inappropriate and walk away. In this case, we all immediately began to dislike the drawing and vote to kick the player out. These judging mechanisms allowed the rest of the group to maintain the dynamic and trust we had built throughout the past 3 rounds.
In the last game that I played, I joined a room which seemed to have a group of friends that knew each other. I choose a more difficult word to draw: model, by sketching two individuals walking down the stage with spectators in the background. I forgot to take a picture of my drawing, but that was the first time I felt slightly stressed as a player. I felt as though my drawing was letting the group down; I was not able to build trust with the other players since my drawings were not helping any of us get points. Our soft cooperation was not existent. I missed reading the chat as I was drawing, but afterwards, I saw individuals in that group of friends discussing my drawing in Hindi on the public chat, assuming no one else would be able to understand. The purposeful language shift on public chat can make players feel as though they do not belong or are being made fun of. The mechanism of including a chat where strangers and friends could be co-existing was actually harmful for building new relationships and trust amongst the group. However, I also speak Hindi and read their message: “at least this person didn’t stop trying,” which was not negative or insulting. Until this round, I never thought about the dynamics created between a chat-box being shared amongst friends and strangers. The levels of friendship were mixing because on one hand, some relationships had already reached the level of being close friends while others were still in soft cooperation.
I came in 2nd place! Always fun 🙂
