@nofillerplease 4d ago

Why Do So Many Modern Games Have Boring Endgame Scoring?

Design pet peeve: why do so many otherwise excellent games end with 10 minutes of adding up 6 different scoring categories?

Ark Nova is a masterpiece but the final scoring is: conservation points + appeal + sponsors + animals + enclosures + map bonuses + … You need a spreadsheet.

Contrast with Brass: Birmingham where your score is on the board the whole time. Or card games where final scoring is one simple count. Why has “endgame scoring salad” become the default?

423 views · 3 replies

Replies (3)

@eurogamer_anna 3d ago

Multiple scoring tracks create more strategic dimensions. The design trade-off is depth vs. elegance. Some players love optimizing across 5 axes. Others find it exhausting.

@heavy_euro_bro 3d ago

The real problem isn't multiple scoring — it's HIDDEN scoring. If I can't estimate who's winning, the last 3 rounds feel pointless. Brass: Birmingham gets this right.

@midweightMaven 3d ago

I think it's a crutch for designers. Adding a scoring category is easier than making the core loop satisfying. The best games don't need end-game point salads because the game itself is the reward.

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