I quite like 3D score readouts, I mean they're always 2D text, in my puzzle game I used a clicker, like one of those Lynx clickers from that ad - reminded me a lot of the tape counters on 8-bit computers.
My TYTT game has a Lost style flip clock, 3 of them actually.
When showing score, I like to replicate real counters, mechanical stuff like that - it just gives me the chance to replicate something. Like my flip clock, pretty much works exactly like a flip clock, if it's not on the right number it just keeps cycling, when it resets it has to go all the way round (not quickly, each flip digit being independant, only takes a sec). Quirky I know but I just don't like using sprites for score, and there's so many little tricks that you can do with DBPro. The trick I find is to have a good mix, like a sprite overlay with a had drawn piece is good for covering the 'workings', with my tape-counter thing I just sprite a cover on it so it has a little window with the score showing through, looks just like a retro tape counter like that and it saves on polygons.
Aegrescit medendo
