Loot and Bosses

[Digital]

What do you feel is more rewarding at the end of a level, defeating a boss, and looting, or coming across the treasure at the end of the puzzle? Both? Neither.

I am actually very curious about this as I start out on level design for a project.

[Pepper-Head]

I think any option could be successful, depending on its execution It's all on how it makes the player feel. 

So if your game was focused on taking down bosses, then you'll want to put a big emphasis on that. Make it a big deal!!! Make it shout to the player that they did it, and give them bonuses to reflect that, make the rewards screen feel awesome  But if your game is about the treasure at the end, build the player up with a challenge and then make it all special at the end so it truly feels like a worthwhile accomplishment.

The channel Extra Credits on YT has a treasure trove of helpful info, but off the top of my mind this might be helpful: Intrinsic vs Extrinsic
There's a lot out there though!

 

[Digital]

That video does help a lot in thinking about rewards and how to deliver then and why. I really have enjoyed that channel! Thanks @Pepper-Head!

[Callum]

Agreed with @Pepper-Head there it's very much dependent on the style and execution of the game and what the overall aim is of your players. Going to infamously use Skyrim as another example here where at the end of the long civil war quest line, the execution of either General Tulius or Ulfric Stormcloak doesn't //actually// reward players with all that much but the defeat of an entire army and brilliantly scripted ending is almost a personal accomplishment. Same goes for when you finally kill Alduin after falling down the mountain three times... a few dragon bones isn't an amazing reward in terms of items and currency but your character is famous and the storyline changes are really well played out.

In oblivion however, with the Knights of the Nine quest (is that right? With the wayshrines) you don't get much of a decent story line however the set of armour at the end is awesome - despite treading across 3/4 of Cyradill in order to do so

[SingSong]

It depends on what is defined as the "treasure" in your game and how much of that treasure the player deserves for completing the task. If your game is like Meat Boy, completing a level with a good time is the treasure, but there are also things to discover in some levels like Warp Zones and Band-aids, which are extra treats for the observant and skilled players.

If a game's focus in on battling and being quick at the buttons when up against a boss, then including a boss at the end of a level will be a good addition, because it will encourage players to improve their skills and reward them for doing well.

If a game is instead about rescuing a princess, obviously achieving that is the biggest treasure in the game, so it will only occur at the very end. But in the meantime, if players, for example, found letters written by the princess in the game each time they completed a series of levels, that would also be an achievable treasure that would work to reward players for getting closer to the goal.

I think any kind of treasure earned should reflect the main goal of the game, and higher and lower amounts of it should be awarded respectively. This helps direct players in playing the way you intend for them to play, and it rewards them for doing a good job at it. When they feel like they're accomplishing things, they'll return for more.