Analysis Paralysis - Revision history

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2018-01-25T15:55:35Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk: /* with Multiplayer Games and Turn-Based Games */

2016-07-20T09:13:45Z

‎with Multiplayer Games and Turn-Based Games

Staffan Björk: /* Can Modulate */

2016-07-16T09:41:17Z

‎Can Modulate

Staffan Björk at 07:40, 27 July 2015

2015-07-27T07:40:27Z

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2015-07-27T07:40:06Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk at 07:38, 27 July 2015

2015-07-27T07:38:33Z

Staffan Björk at 21:04, 26 July 2015

2015-07-26T21:04:17Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2015-01-11T12:12:23Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2015-01-11T12:11:53Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk at 12:07, 11 January 2015

2015-01-11T12:07:32Z

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 [[Endgame]],
 [[End State Scoring]],
 [[Middlegame]],
 [[Solution Uncertainty]]

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 [[Multiplayer Games]] and [[Turn-Based Games]]
-==== with [[Multiplayer Games]] and [[Turn-Based Games]] ====
+==== in [[Multiplayer Games]] that are also [[Turn-Based Games]] ====
 [[Action Caps]], [[Action Programming]], [[Budgeted Action Points]], [[Cognitive Engrossment]], [[Combos]],
 [[Freedom of Choice]], [[Game State Overviews]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Irreversible Events]], [[Limited Set of Actions]],

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:41, 16 July 2016
Line 42:		Line 42:

	=== Can Modulate ===		=== Can Modulate ===
		+	-

	=== Can be Instantiated By ===		=== Can be Instantiated By ===

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 [[Analysis Paralysis]] can only occurs in [[Multiplayer Games]] that are also [[Turn-Based Games]], and can then be more or less likely depending on the presence of other patterns. That being said, it's effect when it can occur at all is typically enhanced if [[Player Unpredictability]] or [[Complex Gameplay]] exists. It is a negative pattern in the sense that avoiding to have it in a game is more often a design goal than intentionally having it. [[Ricochet Robots]] is however an example where the pattern is not a problem since all players are causing the time-bound [[Analysis Paralysis]] and one player's action forces all other players to reconsider their plans. Gameplay complexity tends to increase in [[Middlegame]] phases of games and for this reason [[Analysis Paralysis]] is quite likely to occur then. It is also often likely to occur near the end of game instances, i.e. in [[Endgame]], but for the different reasons that it might both be easier to analyze the game state then and that the stakes for making the right actions are more important.
-Although [[Analysis Paralysis]] may occur in any game where a player has a choice and the game state is frozen until the choice is made, there are some design choices that can increase the likelihood of the pattern emerging. The primary of these are having [[Predictable Consequences]] since this lets players consider the effects of their actions. On a higher level of abstraction, [[Analysis Paralysis]] can be achieved by letting players have [[Tactical Planning]] in the form of a [[Freedom of Choice]] between several actions with [[Predictable Consequences]], even if these are [[Limited Set of Actions]] or players have [[Limited Resources]] (and especially so if combined with [[Internal Conflicts]]). [[Action Programming]] can produce this effect also but may then not reveal the effects until much later. This forces players to consider [[Trade-Offs]] and if the value of the effects caused are difficult to judge it may further increase the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] occurring. [[Action Caps]] such as [[Budgeted Action Points]] provide means of expanding the number of decisions the players have to make in each decision point, in effect, broadening the scope of [[Freedom of Choice]] - this does however not need to be the case if the number of possible actions are kept low so these patterns can also counter the emergence of [[Analysis Paralysis]]. The use of [[Units]] is another possible source for [[Analysis Paralysis]] since it, besides typically adding to a [[Freedom of Choice]], opens up for planning of [[Combos]] (this effect of [[Units]] is even stronger when it is combined with [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Orthogonal Differentiation]]). To a lesser extent, [[Strategic Planning]] can cause [[Analysis Paralysis]] but this become less and less likely as players gain [[Game Mastery]] since the mental work associated with [[Strategic Planning]] can be reused to a greater extent than that based on [[Tactical Planning]].
+Although [[Analysis Paralysis]] may occur in any game where a player has a choice and the game state is frozen until the choice is made, there are some design choices that can increase the likelihood of the pattern emerging. The primary of these are having [[Predictable Consequences]] since this lets players consider the effects of their actions. On a higher level of abstraction, [[Analysis Paralysis]] can be achieved by letting players have [[Tactical Planning]] in the form of a [[Freedom of Choice]] between several actions with [[Predictable Consequences]], even if these are [[Limited Set of Actions]] or players have [[Limited Resources]] (and especially so if combined with [[Internal Conflicts]]). [[Action Programming]] can produce this effect also but may then not reveal the effects until much later. This forces players to consider [[Trade-Offs]] and if the value of the effects caused are difficult to judge it may further increase the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] occurring. [[Action Caps]] such as [[Budgeted Action Points]] provide means of expanding the number of decisions the players have to make in each decision point, in effect, broadening the scope of [[Freedom of Choice]] - this does however not need to be the case if the number of possible actions are kept low so these patterns can also counter the emergence of [[Analysis Paralysis]]. The use of [[Units]] is another possible source for [[Analysis Paralysis]] since it, besides typically adding to a [[Freedom of Choice]], opens up for planning of [[Combos]] (this effect of [[Units]] is even stronger when it is combined with [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Orthogonal Differentiation]]). To a lesser extent, [[Strategic Planning]] can cause [[Analysis Paralysis]] but this become less and less likely as players gain [[Gameplay Mastery]] since the mental work associated with [[Strategic Planning]] can be reused to a greater extent than that based on [[Tactical Planning]].
 The amount of information available to players can easily affect the presence of [[Analysis Paralysis]]. [[Perfect Information]] lets players have more information available for consideration while [[Symmetric Information]] helps players consider other players potential actions into the planning. Open [[Discard Piles]] in card games, giving players more complete [[Game State Overviews]], allows players to easier calculate odds for future draws and plays of cards and may thereby also cause [[Analysis Paralysis]]. The use of [[End State Scoring]] can cause [[Analysis Paralysis]] in any game, but it is much more likely to do so in games with [[Perfect Information]] since then all players can - and may feel complied to try to as part of trying to win - analyze all players positions just before the end of gameplay. Games with [[Solution Uncertainty]] also causes [[Analysis Paralysis]], in this case because players know there is a solution; see [[Ricochet Robots]] for a game where all players simultaneously have [[Analysis Paralysis]] but where this does not cause a problem since the first players to find a solution starts a bidding war by declaring that solution.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 == Using the pattern ==
-[[Analysis Paralysis]] can only occurs in [[Multiplayer Games]] that are also [[Turn-Based Games]], and can then be more or less likely depending on the presence of other patterns. That being said, it's effect when it can occur at all is typically enhanced if [[Player Unpredictability]] or [[Complex Gameplay]] exists. It is a negative pattern in the sense that avoiding to have it in a game is more often a design goal than intentionally having it. [[Ricochet Robots]] is however an example where the pattern is not a problem since all players are causing the time-bound [[Analysis Paralysis]] and one player's action forces all other players to reconsider their plans. Gameplay complexity tends to increase in [[Middlegame]] phases of games and for this reason [[Analysis Paralysis]] is quite likely to occur then. It is also often likely to occur near the end of game instances, i.e. in [[Endgame]],  where both it might be easier to analyze the game state and where the stakes for doing so are more important.
+[[Analysis Paralysis]] can only occurs in [[Multiplayer Games]] that are also [[Turn-Based Games]], and can then be more or less likely depending on the presence of other patterns. That being said, it's effect when it can occur at all is typically enhanced if [[Player Unpredictability]] or [[Complex Gameplay]] exists. It is a negative pattern in the sense that avoiding to have it in a game is more often a design goal than intentionally having it. [[Ricochet Robots]] is however an example where the pattern is not a problem since all players are causing the time-bound [[Analysis Paralysis]] and one player's action forces all other players to reconsider their plans. Gameplay complexity tends to increase in [[Middlegame]] phases of games and for this reason [[Analysis Paralysis]] is quite likely to occur then. It is also often likely to occur near the end of game instances, i.e. in [[Endgame]], but for the different reasons that it might both be easier to analyze the game state then and that the stakes for making the right actions are more important.
 Although [[Analysis Paralysis]] may occur in any game where a player has a choice and the game state is frozen until the choice is made, there are some design choices that can increase the likelihood of the pattern emerging. The primary of these are having [[Predictable Consequences]] since this lets players consider the effects of their actions. On a higher level of abstraction, [[Analysis Paralysis]] can be achieved by letting players have [[Tactical Planning]] in the form of a [[Freedom of Choice]] between several actions with [[Predictable Consequences]], even if these are [[Limited Set of Actions]] or players have [[Limited Resources]] (and especially so if combined with [[Internal Conflicts]]). [[Action Programming]] can produce this effect also but may then not reveal the effects until much later. This forces players to consider [[Trade-Offs]] and if the value of the effects caused are difficult to judge it may further increase the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] occurring. [[Action Caps]] such as [[Budgeted Action Points]] provide means of expanding the number of decisions the players have to make in each decision point, in effect, broadening the scope of [[Freedom of Choice]] - this does however not need to be the case if the number of possible actions are kept low so these patterns can also counter the emergence of [[Analysis Paralysis]]. The use of [[Units]] is another possible source for [[Analysis Paralysis]] since it, besides typically adding to a [[Freedom of Choice]], opens up for planning of [[Combos]] (this effect of [[Units]] is even stronger when it is combined with [[Privileged Abilities]] or [[Orthogonal Differentiation]]). To a lesser extent, [[Strategic Planning]] can cause [[Analysis Paralysis]] but this become less and less likely as players gain [[Game Mastery]] since the mental work associated with [[Strategic Planning]] can be reused to a greater extent than that based on [[Tactical Planning]].

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 == Consequences ==
-[[Analysis Paralysis]] is usually a feature game designers try to avoid in [[Multiplayer Games]]. That players have [[Analysis Paralysis]] can be a sign that the game does not have the [[Right Level of Complexity]] for those players but can also indicate a desire in the design to have [[Stimulated Planning]] and [[Cognitive Engrossment]]. The nature of [[Analysis Paralysis]] situations has a somewhat adverse effect on the [[Anticipation]] of the uncertain outcome during the play.
+[[Analysis Paralysis]] is usually a feature game designers try to avoid in [[Multiplayer Games]]. That players have [[Analysis Paralysis]] can be a sign that the game has too [[Complex Gameplay]] for those players but can also indicate a desire in the design to have [[Stimulated Planning]] and [[Cognitive Engrossment]]. The nature of [[Analysis Paralysis]] situations has a somewhat adverse effect on the [[Anticipation]] of the uncertain outcome during the play.
 In games with [[Turn Taking]], the presence of [[Analysis Paralysis]] can lead to excessive [[Downtime]] when players get stuck in planning their turns, and this can in turn lead to [[Guilting]]. While the [[Downtime]] can let other players interact with each other socially, the pattern cannot be said to create [[Minimized Social Weight]] but rather the opposite since the player engrossed in his or her planning cannot be interacted with and any social interaction may disturb him or her.
@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 ==== with [[Multiplayer Games]] and [[Turn-Based Games]] ====
-[[Action Caps]], [[Action Programming]], [[Budgeted Action Points]], [[Cognitive Engrossment]], [[Combos]], [[Freedom of Choice]], [[Game State Overviews]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Irreversible Events]], [[Limited Set of Actions]],
+[[Action Caps]], [[Action Programming]], [[Budgeted Action Points]], [[Cognitive Engrossment]], [[Combos]],
 [[Predictable Consequences]],
-[[Right Level of Complexity]], [[Stimulated Planning]], [[Strategic Planning]], [[Tactical Planning]], [[Trade-Offs]],
+[[Stimulated Planning]], [[Strategic Planning]], [[Tactical Planning]], [[Trade-Offs]],
 [[Units]]