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Bartle Test

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Character theory chart
The Bartle Test of Gamer Psychology is a series of questions and an accompanying
scoring formula that classifies players of multiplayer online games (including
MUDs and MMORPGs) into categories based on their gaming preferences. The test is
based on a 1996 paper by Richard Bartle[1] and was created in 1999 2000 by Erwin
Andreasen and Brandon Downey.[2][3][4][5] Although the test has met with some cr
iticism[6] for the dichotomous nature of its question-asking method, the test ha
s been taken by a large number of computer game players.[7] As of October 2011,
the test had been taken over 800,000 times.[8]
The result of the Bartle Test is the "Bartle Quotient", which is calculated base
d on the answers to a series of 30 random questions in the test, and totals 200%
across all categories, with no single category exceeding 100%.[9] For example,
a person may score "100% Killer, 50% Socializer, 40% Achiever, 10% Explorer," wh
ich indicates a player who prefers fighting other players relative to any other
area of interest. Scores are typically abbreviated by the first letter of each c
ategory, in order of the quotient. In the previous example, this result would be
described as a "KSAE" result.
The Bartle Test is based on a character theory. This character theory consists o
f four characters: Achievers, Explorers, Socializers, and Killers. These are ima
gined according to a quadrant model where the X axis represents preference for i
nteracting with other players vs. exploring the world and the Y axis represents
preference for interaction vs. unilateral action.[10]
Contents [hide]
1 Achievers
1.1 Single-player appeal to the Achiever
1.2 Multi-player appeal to the Achiever
2 Explorers
2.1 Single-player appeal to the Explorer
2.2 Multi-player appeal to the Explorer
3 Socializers
3.1 Single-player appeal to the Socializer
3.2 Multi-player appeal to the Socializer
4 Killers
4.1 Single-player appeal to the Killer
4.2 Multi-player appeal to the Killer
5 Application
6 History
7 Expanded categories
8 Criticism
9 References
10 External links
Achievers[edit]
Also known as "Diamonds," these are players who prefer to gain "points," levels,
equipment and other concrete measurements of succeeding in a game. They will go
to great lengths to achieve rewards that confer them little or no gameplay bene
fit simply for the prestige of having it.
Single-player appeal to the Achiever[edit]
Every game that can be "beaten" in some way caters to the Achiever play style by
giving them something to accomplish. Games that offer special movies, extra end
ings, or other bonuses for beating it with a 100% completion rating appeal to Ac
hievers.
Multi-player appeal to the Achiever[edit]

One of the appeals of online gaming to the Achiever is that he or she has the op
portunity to show off their skill and hold elite status to others. They value (o
r despise) the competition from other Achievers, and look to the Socializers to
give them praise. As they achieve more, they are no longer easy targets of the K
illers and may enjoy their new position on the food chain. These gamers also ten
d to like seeing their user names at the top of scoreboards and ladder systems.
Many games cater to these players by offering special titles or exclusive mounts
or other in-game items to those that place in the top of the competitive ladder
. Microsoft's Xbox Live utilizes the Gamerscore to reward Achievers, who can get
points by completing difficult "Achievements" in the various games they purchas
e. They can, in turn, compare themselves to other gamers from around the world.
In many ways, the Achiever is the style of play most targeted by the MMORPG genr
e. In many successful MMOs, there is always something else to achieve; even when
the character has reached the highest level, there are usually rare items to ob
tain and objectives that were bypassed the first time around. Since Achievers ca
n sometimes set very obscure goals for themselves, especially if they feel like
they'll be (among) the first to achieve them, they may spend long periods of tim
e engaging in a repetitive action in order to get one more award.
Explorers[edit]
Explorers, dubbed "Spades" for their tendency to dig around, are players who pre
fer discovering areas, creating maps and learning about hidden places. They ofte
n feel restricted when a game expects them to move on within a certain time, as
that does not allow them to look around at their own pace. They find great joy i
n discovering an unknown glitch or a hidden easter egg.
Single-player appeal to the Explorer[edit]
Combat and gaining levels or points is secondary to the Explorer, so they tradit
ionally flock to games such as Myst and its four sequels. In these games, you fi
nd yourself in a strange place, and the objective is to find your way out by pay
ing close attention to detail and solving puzzles. The Explorer will often enric
h themselves in any back story or lore they can find about the people and places
in-game. Whereas an Achiever may forget about previous games as soon as they've
conquered them, the Explorer will retain rich memories about what they experien
ced about their adventures.
Contrary to what some may expect, Explorers can enjoy restrictive games as well
as permissive ones. The challenge in such a game is to get it to do something it
s programmers probably didn't intend for it to do; gamers who share a high Explo
rer percentage with a high Achiever one will often be the ones who set unusual o
bjectives for themselves (like completing the game within a certain amount of ti
me, under certain restrictions, or in a certain order) to put the tricks they've
gathered to use.
Multi-player appeal to the Explorer[edit]
The Explorer benefits much the same way as the Achiever does in the massively mu
lti-player environment, as they are surrounded by people who will benefit from t
heir wisdom. They often meet other Explorers and can swap experiences, and most
often, Socializers do not mind listening either. Interaction with Killers is usu
ally (though not always) negative, as hostile Killers would interfere with explo
ration. Most mainstream MMORPGs offer Explorers plenty of lore and rich characte
rs to delve into. However, Explorers will often quickly become bored with any pa
rticular MMORPG when they feel it has become a chore to play, with only more of
the same ahead. This is of course true to some extent of all gamers, but Explore
rs can be notoriously fickle, abandoning a popular game within mere weeks while
spending months or years delving deeply into a less-popular one.
Socializers[edit]
There are a multitude of gamers who choose to play games for the social aspect,

rather than the actual game itself. These players are known as Socializers or "H
earts." They gain the most enjoyment from a game by interacting with other playe
rs, and on some occasions, computer-controlled characters with personality. The
game is merely a tool they use to meet others in-game or outside of it.
Single-player appeal to the Socializer[edit]
Since their objective is not so much to win or explore as it is to be social, th
ere are few games that the Socializer enjoy based on their merits. Instead, they
play some of the more popular games so that they can use their experience to so
cialize with others who have played them, or use the multi-player features. Howe
ver, there are some games designed with their play style in mind. (The increasin
g number of games that offer significant relationships includes the Fable, Mass
Effect, and Knights of the Old Republic titles.)
Multi-player appeal to the Socializer[edit]
The online environment is very appealing to the Socializer, as it provides near
limitless potential for new relationships. Socializers start filling up their fr
iend lists as soon as they start meeting people, and get to know them better thr
ough private messages and sometimes even voice chat. They take full advantage of
the ability to join guilds or kinships in many online games, and form fast frie
ndships and try to help other people out. They are compatible with just about ev
eryone; even Killers will often get along with the more respectable Socializers
(or simply know better than to pick a fight that the Socializer's friends will g
et involved in), and the more dramatic Socializers thrive symbiotically on the c
haos created by some Killers. Eventually, they will most likely be a well-known
name on their particular server, either for the services they provide, or for th
e drama they are involved in.
Killers[edit]
"Clubs" is a very accurate moniker for what the Killer likes to do. They thrive
on competition with other players, and prefer fighting them to scripted computer
-controlled opponents.
Single-player appeal to the Killer[edit]
These gamers love to sow destruction, so games that are high in carnage, action,
and destructible environments are definitely a plus. Many of these gamers also
enjoy the opportunity to depart from the norm of being "the good guy" who comes
to save the day. Instead, they will play on the side of evil or conquest. On the
flip side, Killers also represent the archetype which is most interested in aff
ecting their environment, so sandbox games in which they can take a direct hand
in building (or destroying) a virtual society will appeal to them as well.
Multi-player appeal to the Killer[edit]
Causing mayhem among computer-controlled people and things may be fun to the Kil
ler, but nothing amounts to the joy of pitting one's skills against an actual pl
ayer-controlled opponent. For most, the joy of being a Killer results from a fri
endly competitive spirit. They're in it for the sport, trying to read their oppo
nent's moves and generally acting with honor.
For others, it's more about power and the ability to hurt others or the thrill o
f the hunt. One such example is "ganking" or "owning", a process where the Kille
r takes their strong character to a place where inexperienced or weaker characte
rs reside, and proceeds to kill them repeatedly. Once a killer finds a weaker ch
aracter it becomes increasingly enjoyable to "Hunt" this character, stalking him
through different zones. Repeatedly stalking and killing a weaker player adds a
thrill of a certain type well described in the novel "The Most Dangerous Game".
Once stronger enemy players arrive to help, the Killer either waits patiently o
r stealthily sneaks somewhere else to repeat the process. These Killers love to
have the notoriety of being someone that should be watched out for, or even bett
er, someone to be "Killed on Sight."

In other contexts, Killers are also active in the social and economic sides of a
multiplayer game. Market control appeals strongly to Killers, many of whom have
a natural talent for reading markets (likely an extension of their common aptit
ude for sizing up strengths and weaknesses, vital to their play style). Social K
illers tend to be guild, clan, or community leaders or trolls. Many make the mista
ke of thinking Killers are antisocial or without friends, but this isn't too oft
en the case. Even the more hostile and aggressive Killers can inspire a sort of
hero-worship by less-talented Killers or Achievers; and some Killers are nice pe
ople who simply thrive on competition In either case, a bored Killer can be a th
reat to the community, as their natural drive to compete and sometimes (or frequ
ently) abrasive attitude will push them to stir up trouble even when they don't
really mean to.
Application[edit]
In addition to helping players define their game-playing preferences, the Bartle
Test has also been used by game designers to help define the requirements of ga
mes that are intended to appeal to a particular audience.[11]
History[edit]
In 2006, after running for ten years on a web server maintained by Erwin Andreas
en, the database met with intractable scalability problems. After several months
, the test was rewritten and moved to GamerDNA servers, preserving all the origi
nal test data.
Expanded categories[edit]
Richard Bartle also created an 8-part version of his player types model for virt
ual world players.[5]
Friend
Griefer
Hacker
Networker
Opportunist
Planner
Politician
Scientist
According to Bartle: "The 4-part version is easy to draw because it's 2D, but th
e 8-part one is 3D; it's therefore much harder to draw in such a way as it doesn
't collapse in a mass of lines."[12] There is no known online test based on this
model.
Criticism[edit]
Bartle's divisions provide a foundation for investigating gamer psychology; howe
ver, subsequent studies have noted certain limitations. For example, Nick Yee ha
s argued that a 'component' framework provides more explanatory power than a 'ca
tegory' framework.[13] Jon Radoff has proposed a new four-quadrant model of play
er motivations that has a goal of combining simplicity along with the major moti
vational elements that apply to all games (multiplayer or otherwise).[14]
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Richard Bartle (1996), "Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players Who s
uit MUDs," http://www.mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm
Jump up ^ Andreasen, Erwin. "Erwin's MUD resources page". Retrieved 2009-09-20.
Jump up ^ Erwin Andreasen; Brandon Downey (August 2001). "The Mud Personality Te
st". The Mud Companion (1): 33 35. ISSN 1499-1071.
Jump up ^ MMO RPGDOT, "Random Dialog: You Shuffle, I'll Deal," http://www.mmorpg
dot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=951
^ Jump up to: a b Bartle, Richard (2003). Designing Virtual Worlds. New Riders.
p. 145. ISBN 0-13-101816-7. I'm often asked about the Bartle Test, on the ground

s that because it bears my name I must be responsible for it. Sadly, I'm not. Th
e test is the brainchild of Erwin S. Andreasen and Brandon A. Downey, who wrote
it in response to my player types paper so as to test the theory. The Bartle Tes
t is an online binary-choice questionnaire that players of virtual worlds can ta
ke to discover what player type they are. As such, it offers potentially very us
eful information for designers.
Jump up ^ Nick Yee, Gamasutra (Sept. 21, 2004), "Unmasking the Avatar: The Demog
raphics of MMO Player

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