Challenging Gameplay - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 16:03, 3 October 2016

2016-10-03T16:03:36Z

Staffan Björk at 08:42, 21 September 2016

2016-09-21T08:42:57Z

Staffan Björk at 08:33, 3 September 2016

2016-09-03T08:33:13Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2016-08-10T08:57:54Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk at 17:56, 2 September 2015

2015-09-02T17:56:22Z

Staffan Björk at 08:25, 8 August 2015

2015-08-08T08:25:37Z

Staffan Björk at 07:51, 8 August 2015

2015-08-08T07:51:52Z

Staffan Björk at 11:00, 7 August 2015

2015-08-07T11:00:45Z

Staffan Björk at 12:14, 29 July 2015

2015-07-29T12:14:29Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2015-01-16T10:07:36Z

‎Relations

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 General ways of making challenges more difficult are by making the game have [[Complex Gameplay]] and give players [[Limited Planning Abilities]], introducing [[Time Limits]] for the challenges, changing actions from been done instantaneously to being [[Combos]] or [[Extended Actions]], distracting the players through [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, or forcing players to choose how to perform [[Attention Swapping]]. Temporary [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] (for example lowering [[Skills]]) can be used to make an otherwise easy challenge be more difficult; while simply increasing the speed which [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] need to be performed can also work. [[Red Herrings]] can make gameplay challenging since wasting time and resources on them can be disastrous for the outcome of game instances. [[Movement]] offer many ways to create [[Challenging Gameplay]]: [[Obstacles]] can be introduced and [[Line of Sight]] can be limited to make [[Game World Navigation]] difficult; [[Resources]] such as fuel can be limited; acceleration, momentum, and turn radii may need to be considered; and this may have to be done as [[Maneuvering]] in [[Real-Time Games]]. In games with opponents with matching [[Capture]] and [[Evade]] this can easily be turned into [[Challenging Gameplay]] by giving the other side [[Privileged Movement]]. [[Combat]] in general provides [[Challenging Gameplay]] since opponents resist and may be able to attack back, and this can be complicated further by [[Friendly Fire]], [[Variable Accuracy]], and [[Enemies]] with [[Invulnerabilities]] or [[Achilles' Heels]]. [[Stealth]] goals may or may not provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] in themselves, but can be made to have more [[Challenging Gameplay]] by combining them with [[Herd]] goals. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can also be created by [[Varied Gameplay]] to require players to use different competences. [[Permadeath]] can be applied as a general solution for creating [[Challenging Gameplay]] since any failure in dangerous tasks can lead to the game session being terminated, while having [[Spawn Points]] for resurrected [[Avatars]] can lead to [[Challenging Gameplay]] in the form of enemy "spawn" [[Camping]] if they are not also [[Safe Havens]].
-If the gameplay is ''too'' challenging it can be made easier, either by providing information about how to solve the challenge or by making the actions of overcoming the challenge easier to perform, for example, by making it easier to identify the [[Achilles' Heels]] of [[Enemies]]. Information can be given by [[Clues]], [[Traces]], [[Extra-Game Information]], or by letting players discover it themselves through [[Experimenting]]. Making challenges easier usually requires some form of [[Trade-Offs]] for players in that the [[Rewards]] may also be less, and players can be given a this choice through [[Selectable Sets of Goals]] or [[Supporting Goals]]. The problem of ''too'' difficult challenges may also be solved by providing [[Improved Abilities]], better [[Rewards]], including positive [[Extra-Game Consequences]] such as acknowledging [[Goal Achievements]] (and possibly [[Grind Achievements]] based on these). However, these and especially [[Improved Abilities]] may make the [[Challenging Gameplay]] not so if these have too much effect, so careful balancing is required for these types of design solutions.
+If the gameplay is ''too'' challenging it can be made easier, either by providing information about how to solve the challenge or by making the actions of overcoming the challenge easier to perform, for example, by making it easier to identify the [[Achilles' Heels]] of [[Enemies]]. Information can be given by [[Clues]], [[Traces]], [[Extra-Game Information]], or by letting players discover it themselves through [[Experimenting]]. Making challenges easier usually requires some form of [[Trade-Offs]] for players in that the [[Rewards]] may also be less, and players can be given a this choice through a [[Selectable Set of Goals]] or [[Supporting Goals]]. The problem of ''too'' difficult challenges may also be solved by providing [[Improved Abilities]], better [[Rewards]], including positive [[Extra-Game Consequences]] such as acknowledging [[Goal Achievements]] (and possibly [[Grind Achievements]] based on these). However, these and especially [[Improved Abilities]] may make the [[Challenging Gameplay]] not so if these have too much effect, so careful balancing is required for these types of design solutions.
 Instead of manipulating the difficult of specific challenges in a game the challenges may be removed or not be necessary. This is often done through letting players directly control the difficulty, probably based upon the view that the players can themselves judge if the challenges are appropriate or not. Explicit providing [[Difficulty Levels]] is a classic solution which also can let players have [[Casual Gameplay]] instead. [[Optional Goals]] (e.g. [[Handicap Achievements]]) is another possibility since these may be harder that the mandatory ones or just add additional complexity to the existing tasks. An example of the latter is the gaining the ''Guardin' Gnome'' [[Achievements|Achievement]] in [[Left 4 Dead 2]] which requires one player to significantly limit his or her abilities throughout most of a campaign as firearms cannot be used against the enemies when carrying the gnome. [[Supporting Goals]], for example trying to find [[Easter Eggs]], do not have to make other goals impossible but may in themselves be difficult to complete. In addition they may take extra time to perform and may deplete [[Resources]] for the player. To motivate players to make the gameplay challenging for themselves there is often a [[Risk/Reward]] structure so that the greater challenge provides a greater [[Rewards|Reward]] even if this is only seen in [[Public Player Statistics]] such as separate [[High Score Lists]] or [[Achievements]]. [[Multiplayer Games]] supporting [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]] have a particular problem with [[Challenging Gameplay]] in that players may avoid difficult sections of the game by simply not playing them, and to ensure that the players that completed those section feel a [[Value of Effort]] compare to the others game designs may use specific extra-game rewards such as [[Achievements]].
@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 [[Puzzle Solving]],
 [[Red Herrings]],
-[[Selectable Sets of Goals]],
+[[Selectable Set of Goals]],
 [[Solution Uncertainty]],
 [[Spawn Points]],

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflicts]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear; one examples of how this can be done is through the use of [[Waves]]. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] and [[Endgame Quests]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
-General ways of making challenges more difficult are by making the game have [[Complex Gameplay]] and give players [[Limited Planning Abilities]], introducing [[Time Limits]] for the challenges, changing actions from been done instantaneously to being [[Combos]] or [[Extended Actions]], distracting the players through [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, or forcing players to choose how to perform [[Attention Swapping]]. [[Temporary Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] (for example lowering [[Skills]]) can be used to make an otherwise easy challenge be more difficult; while simply increasing the speed which [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] need to be performed can also work. [[Red Herrings]] can make gameplay challenging since wasting time and resources on them can be disastrous for the outcome of game instances. [[Movement]] offer many ways to create [[Challenging Gameplay]]: [[Obstacles]] can be introduced and [[Line of Sight]] can be limited to make [[Game World Navigation]] difficult; [[Resources]] such as fuel can be limited; acceleration, momentum, and turn radii may need to be considered; and this may have to be done as [[Maneuvering]] in [[Real-Time Games]]. In games with opponents with matching [[Capture]] and [[Evade]] this can easily be turned into [[Challenging Gameplay]] by giving the other side [[Privileged Movement]]. [[Combat]] in general provides [[Challenging Gameplay]] since opponents resist and may be able to attack back, and this can be complicated further by [[Friendly Fire]], [[Variable Accuracy]], and [[Enemies]] with [[Invulnerabilities]] or [[Achilles' Heels]]. [[Stealth]] goals may or may not provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] in themselves, but can be made to have more [[Challenging Gameplay]] by combining them with [[Herd]] goals. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can also be created by [[Varied Gameplay]] to require players to use different competences. [[Permadeath]] can be applied as a general solution for creating [[Challenging Gameplay]] since any failure in dangerous tasks can lead to the game session being terminated, while having [[Spawn Points]] for resurrected [[Avatars]] can lead to [[Challenging Gameplay]] in the form of enemy "spawn" [[Camping]] if they are not also [[Safe Havens]].
+General ways of making challenges more difficult are by making the game have [[Complex Gameplay]] and give players [[Limited Planning Abilities]], introducing [[Time Limits]] for the challenges, changing actions from been done instantaneously to being [[Combos]] or [[Extended Actions]], distracting the players through [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, or forcing players to choose how to perform [[Attention Swapping]]. Temporary [[Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] (for example lowering [[Skills]]) can be used to make an otherwise easy challenge be more difficult; while simply increasing the speed which [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] need to be performed can also work. [[Red Herrings]] can make gameplay challenging since wasting time and resources on them can be disastrous for the outcome of game instances. [[Movement]] offer many ways to create [[Challenging Gameplay]]: [[Obstacles]] can be introduced and [[Line of Sight]] can be limited to make [[Game World Navigation]] difficult; [[Resources]] such as fuel can be limited; acceleration, momentum, and turn radii may need to be considered; and this may have to be done as [[Maneuvering]] in [[Real-Time Games]]. In games with opponents with matching [[Capture]] and [[Evade]] this can easily be turned into [[Challenging Gameplay]] by giving the other side [[Privileged Movement]]. [[Combat]] in general provides [[Challenging Gameplay]] since opponents resist and may be able to attack back, and this can be complicated further by [[Friendly Fire]], [[Variable Accuracy]], and [[Enemies]] with [[Invulnerabilities]] or [[Achilles' Heels]]. [[Stealth]] goals may or may not provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] in themselves, but can be made to have more [[Challenging Gameplay]] by combining them with [[Herd]] goals. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can also be created by [[Varied Gameplay]] to require players to use different competences. [[Permadeath]] can be applied as a general solution for creating [[Challenging Gameplay]] since any failure in dangerous tasks can lead to the game session being terminated, while having [[Spawn Points]] for resurrected [[Avatars]] can lead to [[Challenging Gameplay]] in the form of enemy "spawn" [[Camping]] if they are not also [[Safe Havens]].
 If the gameplay is ''too'' challenging it can be made easier, either by providing information about how to solve the challenge or by making the actions of overcoming the challenge easier to perform, for example, by making it easier to identify the [[Achilles' Heels]] of [[Enemies]]. Information can be given by [[Clues]], [[Traces]], [[Extra-Game Information]], or by letting players discover it themselves through [[Experimenting]]. Making challenges easier usually requires some form of [[Trade-Offs]] for players in that the [[Rewards]] may also be less, and players can be given a this choice through [[Selectable Sets of Goals]] or [[Supporting Goals]]. The problem of ''too'' difficult challenges may also be solved by providing [[Improved Abilities]], better [[Rewards]], including positive [[Extra-Game Consequences]] such as acknowledging [[Goal Achievements]] (and possibly [[Grind Achievements]] based on these). However, these and especially [[Improved Abilities]] may make the [[Challenging Gameplay]] not so if these have too much effect, so careful balancing is required for these types of design solutions.

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 Providing [[Challenging Gameplay]] in games typically create [[Performance Uncertainty]]. Regardless, this allows players to feel [[Tension]] as there is a risk that they may fail, while at the same time offering [[Empowerment]] if they have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] or an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]. However the latter relation is fickle since as soon as players feel that they have no chance of succeeding the gameplay challenge hinder [[Empowerment]] and [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]. Actually reaching goals while having [[Challenging Gameplay]] confirms the sense of [[Empowerment]] but also provides a [[Value of Effort]]. Being able to handle [[Challenging Gameplay]], either measured against ones previous performances or what other players perceive as difficult, is can work as a strong indication that one is gaining [[Gameplay Mastery]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can lead to [[FUBAR Enjoyment]], especially when combined with [[Real-Time Games]], and being able to persevere in these situations is another example of players can feel that they have [[Gameplay Mastery]]. Failing [[Challenging Gameplay]] is not necessarily a bad experience since this can provide [[Spectacular Failure Enjoyment]].
-Even if a game design manages to constantly provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] (probably due to the presence of a [[Red Queen Dilemma]]), this does not guarantee that it will continue to be interesting for any given gamer, i.e. it does not in itself provide [[Replayability]]. If players do not also feel [[Further Player Improvement Potential]] improvement in performance is more likely to be attributed to [[Randomness]] and thereby making continued gameplay a form of [[Grinding]].
+Even if a game design manages to constantly provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] (probably due to the presence of [[Red Queen Dilemmas]]), this does not guarantee that it will continue to be interesting for any given gamer, i.e. it does not in itself provide [[Replayability]]. If players do not also feel [[Further Player Improvement Potential]] improvement in performance is more likely to be attributed to [[Randomness]] and thereby making continued gameplay a form of [[Grinding]].
 [[Challenging Gameplay]] brings with it a strong likelihood that players will fail with actions or goals. This negative experience can, especially if the challenges fail due to failed collaboration, lead to [[Ragequitting]].
@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 [[Endgame Quests]],
 [[Finale Levels]],
 [[Multiplayer Games]],
-[[Red Queen Dilemmas]], [[Player Balance]], [[Single-Player Games]], [[Maneuvering]], [[Rhythm-Based Actions]]
+[[Player Balance]],
 === Can Be Instantiated By ===

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 [[Empowerment]],
 [[FUBAR Enjoyment]],
 [[Higher-Level Closures as Gameplay Progresses]],
 [[Illusion of Influence]],

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 That which is easy for one person might be hard for another so of course it is hard to ensure that all players have the same level of difficulty when gaming. This makes [[Challenging Gameplay]] a [[:Category:Subjective Patterns|Subjective Pattern]]. Although the difficulty of a game is individual to each player, games can be designed so that players can progress according to their own learning curve. Setting [[Challenging Gameplay]] in such games can either be done by making challenges more difficult, by making challenges easier, or by controlling which challenges players have to meet. Some general approaches to affecting how hard a game is includes providing [[Difficulty Levels]] or [[Handicap Systems]], incorporating [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] or [[Balancing Effects]] controlled by [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]], or simply have the game become progressively more difficult and assuming that players will quickly play through the ones that are to easy for them. Which of these are feasible typically depend on other attributes of a game, e.g. if it is a [[Real-Time Games|Real-Time Game]]. [[Puzzle Solving]] and [[Solution Uncertainty]] are however worthy mentioning specifically since it is an activity where designers have quite good possibilities of controlling how difficult the activities actually are.
-Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflicts]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] and [[Endgame Quests]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
+Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflicts]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear; one examples of how this can be done is through the use of [[Waves]]. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] and [[Endgame Quests]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
 General ways of making challenges more difficult are by making the game have [[Complex Gameplay]] and give players [[Limited Planning Abilities]], introducing [[Time Limits]] for the challenges, changing actions from been done instantaneously to being [[Combos]] or [[Extended Actions]], distracting the players through [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, or forcing players to choose how to perform [[Attention Swapping]]. [[Temporary Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] (for example lowering [[Skills]]) can be used to make an otherwise easy challenge be more difficult; while simply increasing the speed which [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] need to be performed can also work. [[Red Herrings]] can make gameplay challenging since wasting time and resources on them can be disastrous for the outcome of game instances. [[Movement]] offer many ways to create [[Challenging Gameplay]]: [[Obstacles]] can be introduced and [[Line of Sight]] can be limited to make [[Game World Navigation]] difficult; [[Resources]] such as fuel can be limited; acceleration, momentum, and turn radii may need to be considered; and this may have to be done as [[Maneuvering]] in [[Real-Time Games]]. In games with opponents with matching [[Capture]] and [[Evade]] this can easily be turned into [[Challenging Gameplay]] by giving the other side [[Privileged Movement]]. [[Combat]] in general provides [[Challenging Gameplay]] since opponents resist and may be able to attack back, and this can be complicated further by [[Friendly Fire]], [[Variable Accuracy]], and [[Enemies]] with [[Invulnerabilities]] or [[Achilles' Heels]]. [[Stealth]] goals may or may not provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] in themselves, but can be made to have more [[Challenging Gameplay]] by combining them with [[Herd]] goals. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can also be created by [[Varied Gameplay]] to require players to use different competences. [[Permadeath]] can be applied as a general solution for creating [[Challenging Gameplay]] since any failure in dangerous tasks can lead to the game session being terminated, while having [[Spawn Points]] for resurrected [[Avatars]] can lead to [[Challenging Gameplay]] in the form of enemy "spawn" [[Camping]] if they are not also [[Safe Havens]].
@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 [[Time Limits]], [[Units]],
 [[Variable Accuracy]],
-[[Varied Gameplay]]
+[[Varied Gameplay]],
 [[Capture]] together with [[Evade]] and [[Privileged Movement]]

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 That which is easy for one person might be hard for another so of course it is hard to ensure that all players have the same level of difficulty when gaming. This makes [[Challenging Gameplay]] a [[:Category:Subjective Patterns|Subjective Pattern]]. Although the difficulty of a game is individual to each player, games can be designed so that players can progress according to their own learning curve. Setting [[Challenging Gameplay]] in such games can either be done by making challenges more difficult, by making challenges easier, or by controlling which challenges players have to meet. Some general approaches to affecting how hard a game is includes providing [[Difficulty Levels]] or [[Handicap Systems]], incorporating [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] or [[Balancing Effects]] controlled by [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]], or simply have the game become progressively more difficult and assuming that players will quickly play through the ones that are to easy for them. Which of these are feasible typically depend on other attributes of a game, e.g. if it is a [[Real-Time Games|Real-Time Game]]. [[Puzzle Solving]] and [[Solution Uncertainty]] are however worthy mentioning specifically since it is an activity where designers have quite good possibilities of controlling how difficult the activities actually are.
-Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflict]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] and [[Endgame Quests]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
+Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflicts]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] and [[Endgame Quests]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
 General ways of making challenges more difficult are by making the game have [[Complex Gameplay]] and give players [[Limited Planning Abilities]], introducing [[Time Limits]] for the challenges, changing actions from been done instantaneously to being [[Combos]] or [[Extended Actions]], distracting the players through [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, or forcing players to choose how to perform [[Attention Swapping]]. [[Temporary Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] (for example lowering [[Skills]]) can be used to make an otherwise easy challenge be more difficult; while simply increasing the speed which [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] need to be performed can also work. [[Red Herrings]] can make gameplay challenging since wasting time and resources on them can be disastrous for the outcome of game instances. [[Movement]] offer many ways to create [[Challenging Gameplay]]: [[Obstacles]] can be introduced and [[Line of Sight]] can be limited to make [[Game World Navigation]] difficult; [[Resources]] such as fuel can be limited; acceleration, momentum, and turn radii may need to be considered; and this may have to be done as [[Maneuvering]] in [[Real-Time Games]]. In games with opponents with matching [[Capture]] and [[Evade]] this can easily be turned into [[Challenging Gameplay]] by giving the other side [[Privileged Movement]]. [[Combat]] in general provides [[Challenging Gameplay]] since opponents resist and may be able to attack back, and this can be complicated further by [[Friendly Fire]], [[Variable Accuracy]], and [[Enemies]] with [[Invulnerabilities]] or [[Achilles' Heels]]. [[Stealth]] goals may or may not provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] in themselves, but can be made to have more [[Challenging Gameplay]] by combining them with [[Herd]] goals. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can also be created by [[Varied Gameplay]] to require players to use different competences. [[Permadeath]] can be applied as a general solution for creating [[Challenging Gameplay]] since any failure in dangerous tasks can lead to the game session being terminated, while having [[Spawn Points]] for resurrected [[Avatars]] can lead to [[Challenging Gameplay]] in the form of enemy "spawn" [[Camping]] if they are not also [[Safe Havens]].
@@ Line 118: / Line 118: @@
 [[Supporting Goals]], [[Traces]], [[Trade-Offs]]
-[[Interruptible Actions]] in games where [[Conflict]] also exists
+[[Interruptible Actions]] in games where [[Conflicts]] also exists
 === Possible Closure Effects ===

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 Instead of manipulating the difficult of specific challenges in a game the challenges may be removed or not be necessary. This is often done through letting players directly control the difficulty, probably based upon the view that the players can themselves judge if the challenges are appropriate or not. Explicit providing [[Difficulty Levels]] is a classic solution which also can let players have [[Casual Gameplay]] instead. [[Optional Goals]] (e.g. [[Handicap Achievements]]) is another possibility since these may be harder that the mandatory ones or just add additional complexity to the existing tasks. An example of the latter is the gaining the ''Guardin' Gnome'' [[Achievements|Achievement]] in [[Left 4 Dead 2]] which requires one player to significantly limit his or her abilities throughout most of a campaign as firearms cannot be used against the enemies when carrying the gnome. [[Supporting Goals]], for example trying to find [[Easter Eggs]], do not have to make other goals impossible but may in themselves be difficult to complete. In addition they may take extra time to perform and may deplete [[Resources]] for the player. To motivate players to make the gameplay challenging for themselves there is often a [[Risk/Reward]] structure so that the greater challenge provides a greater [[Rewards|Reward]] even if this is only seen in [[Public Player Statistics]] such as separate [[High Score Lists]] or [[Achievements]]. [[Multiplayer Games]] supporting [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]] have a particular problem with [[Challenging Gameplay]] in that players may avoid difficult sections of the game by simply not playing them, and to ensure that the players that completed those section feel a [[Value of Effort]] compare to the others game designs may use specific extra-game rewards such as [[Achievements]].
-Another challenge with keeping [[Challenging Gameplay]] lies in that gamers typically learn how to manipulate systems in games simply by playing the games (i.e. they are gaining [[Game Mastery]]). When they can do so the gameplay can easily turn into [[Grinding]] (and it follows that providing this to begin with in a game counters the idea of [[Challenging Gameplay]]). This means that games often need to be designed so that more experienced gamers have, or can have, harder challenges. An easy solution for this is to use [[Ever Increasing Difficulty]]. However, this can be problematic for [[Unwinnable Games]] or games that are intended to have significant [[Replayability]] since these typically allow players to train extensively on particular skills required by the game. [[Levels]] are common ways of controlling difficulty in throughout a game, simply by having the [[Levels]] become more difficult as the game and [[Campaigns|Campaign]] progresses and letting players gain access to them when they show that they have mastered the previous [[Levels]]. This however assumes that players do not replay [[Levels]] extensively and may therefore interfere with [[Replayability]]. A common solution to this (e.g. in the [[Left 4 Dead series]] or the [[Bomberman series]]) is to reuse [[Levels]] from [[Campaigns]] for other game modes where the challenging aspects are different, e.g. [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer]] [[Competition]] or [[Time Limits|Time Limited]] challenges instead of [[Single-Player Games|Single-player]] [[Traverse]] goals.
+Another challenge with keeping [[Challenging Gameplay]] lies in that gamers typically learn how to manipulate systems in games simply by playing the games (i.e. they are gaining [[Gameplay Mastery]]). When they can do so the gameplay can easily turn into [[Grinding]] (and it follows that providing this to begin with in a game counters the idea of [[Challenging Gameplay]]). This means that games often need to be designed so that more experienced gamers have, or can have, harder challenges. An easy solution for this is to use [[Ever Increasing Difficulty]]. However, this can be problematic for [[Unwinnable Games]] or games that are intended to have significant [[Replayability]] since these typically allow players to train extensively on particular skills required by the game. [[Levels]] are common ways of controlling difficulty in throughout a game, simply by having the [[Levels]] become more difficult as the game and [[Campaigns|Campaign]] progresses and letting players gain access to them when they show that they have mastered the previous [[Levels]]. This however assumes that players do not replay [[Levels]] extensively and may therefore interfere with [[Replayability]]. A common solution to this (e.g. in the [[Left 4 Dead series]] or the [[Bomberman series]]) is to reuse [[Levels]] from [[Campaigns]] for other game modes where the challenging aspects are different, e.g. [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer]] [[Competition]] or [[Time Limits|Time Limited]] challenges instead of [[Single-Player Games|Single-player]] [[Traverse]] goals.
-This problem of [[Game Mastery]] has some additional properties in [[Multiplayer Games]] and especially so when gamers compete against each other since difference in relevant skills easily disrupt the [[Player Balance]], i.e. make the game too difficult for some gamers and too easy for others. This can be done through [[Handicap Systems]] before gameplay begins to make all players have equal possibilities in the game or through [[Balancing Effects]] during gameplay, e.g. by [[Player-Decided Distributions]] of [[Rewards]] or [[Penalties]]. The relation between [[Challenging Gameplay]] and [[Multiplayer Games]] is however more complex since the latter also offers a solution to providing more difficult challenges as a player becomes better at the game; simply play against a better opponent. For this to work players need to be able to find other players of approximately the same skill level; making [[Trans-Game Information]] such as [[Public Player Statistics]] available in [[Game Lobbies]] can be useful for this. [[Multiplayer Games]] also offers the design possibility of using [[Betrayal]] (e.g. [[Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game]]) that can add additional challenge to the gameplay and require more complex [[Social Interaction]]. Having one of the players take the role of a [[Game Masters]] allows [[Challenging Gameplay]] or [[Casual Gameplay]] to be present as wanted, as long as the [[Game Masters]] can gauge the merit players' plans and adjust the difficulty accordingly.
+This problem of [[Gameplay Mastery]] has some additional properties in [[Multiplayer Games]] and especially so when gamers compete against each other since difference in relevant skills easily disrupt the [[Player Balance]], i.e. make the game too difficult for some gamers and too easy for others. This can be done through [[Handicap Systems]] before gameplay begins to make all players have equal possibilities in the game or through [[Balancing Effects]] during gameplay, e.g. by [[Player-Decided Distributions]] of [[Rewards]] or [[Penalties]]. The relation between [[Challenging Gameplay]] and [[Multiplayer Games]] is however more complex since the latter also offers a solution to providing more difficult challenges as a player becomes better at the game; simply play against a better opponent. For this to work players need to be able to find other players of approximately the same skill level; making [[Trans-Game Information]] such as [[Public Player Statistics]] available in [[Game Lobbies]] can be useful for this. [[Multiplayer Games]] also offers the design possibility of using [[Betrayal]] (e.g. [[Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game]]) that can add additional challenge to the gameplay and require more complex [[Social Interaction]]. Having one of the players take the role of a [[Game Masters]] allows [[Challenging Gameplay]] or [[Casual Gameplay]] to be present as wanted, as long as the [[Game Masters]] can gauge the merit players' plans and adjust the difficulty accordingly.
 Another way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]] is to make it complicate when one should play - this can be done by combining [[Encouraged Return Visits]] with [[Continuous Goals]] and possible [[Interruptible Actions]]. This is one way that [[Grinding]] can be combined with [[Challenging Gameplay]] - the [[Grinding]] challenges players to find ways to have as much [[Player Time Investments]] as possible.
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 == Consequences ==
-Providing [[Challenging Gameplay]] in games typically create [[Performance Uncertainty]]. Regardless, this allows players to feel [[Tension]] as there is a risk that they may fail, while at the same time offering [[Empowerment]] if they have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] or an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]. However the latter relation is fickle since as soon as players feel that they have no chance of succeeding the gameplay challenge hinder [[Empowerment]] and [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]. Actually reaching goals while having [[Challenging Gameplay]] confirms the sense of [[Empowerment]] but also provides a [[Value of Effort]]. Being able to handle [[Challenging Gameplay]], either measured against ones previous performances or what other players perceive as difficult, is can work as a strong indication that one is gaining [[Game Mastery]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can lead to [[FUBAR Enjoyment]], especially when combined with [[Real-Time Games]], and being able to persevere in these situations is another example of players can feel that they have [[Game Mastery]]. Failing [[Challenging Gameplay]] is not necessarily a bad experience since this can provide [[Spectacular Failure Enjoyment]].
+Providing [[Challenging Gameplay]] in games typically create [[Performance Uncertainty]]. Regardless, this allows players to feel [[Tension]] as there is a risk that they may fail, while at the same time offering [[Empowerment]] if they have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] or an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]. However the latter relation is fickle since as soon as players feel that they have no chance of succeeding the gameplay challenge hinder [[Empowerment]] and [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]. Actually reaching goals while having [[Challenging Gameplay]] confirms the sense of [[Empowerment]] but also provides a [[Value of Effort]]. Being able to handle [[Challenging Gameplay]], either measured against ones previous performances or what other players perceive as difficult, is can work as a strong indication that one is gaining [[Gameplay Mastery]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can lead to [[FUBAR Enjoyment]], especially when combined with [[Real-Time Games]], and being able to persevere in these situations is another example of players can feel that they have [[Gameplay Mastery]]. Failing [[Challenging Gameplay]] is not necessarily a bad experience since this can provide [[Spectacular Failure Enjoyment]].
 Even if a game design manages to constantly provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] (probably due to the presence of a [[Red Queen Dilemma]]), this does not guarantee that it will continue to be interesting for any given gamer, i.e. it does not in itself provide [[Replayability]]. If players do not also feel [[Further Player Improvement Potential]] improvement in performance is more likely to be attributed to [[Randomness]] and thereby making continued gameplay a form of [[Grinding]].
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 === Potentially Conflicting With ===
-[[Casual Gameplay]], [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]], [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]], [[Game Mastery]], [[Geospatial Game Widgets]],
+[[Casual Gameplay]], [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]], [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]], [[Gameplay Mastery]], [[Geospatial Game Widgets]],
 [[Grinding]], [[Illusion of Influence]],
 [[Improved Abilities]],

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 That which is easy for one person might be hard for another so of course it is hard to ensure that all players have the same level of difficulty when gaming. This makes [[Challenging Gameplay]] a [[:Category:Subjective Patterns|Subjective Pattern]]. Although the difficulty of a game is individual to each player, games can be designed so that players can progress according to their own learning curve. Setting [[Challenging Gameplay]] in such games can either be done by making challenges more difficult, by making challenges easier, or by controlling which challenges players have to meet. Some general approaches to affecting how hard a game is includes providing [[Difficulty Levels]] or [[Handicap Systems]], incorporating [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]] or [[Balancing Effects]] controlled by [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]], or simply have the game become progressively more difficult and assuming that players will quickly play through the ones that are to easy for them. Which of these are feasible typically depend on other attributes of a game, e.g. if it is a [[Real-Time Games|Real-Time Game]]. [[Puzzle Solving]] and [[Solution Uncertainty]] are however worthy mentioning specifically since it is an activity where designers have quite good possibilities of controlling how difficult the activities actually are.
-Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflict]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]], and [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
+Making challenges more difficult can be done by introducing [[Conflict]] through opposition or by making the required player actions more difficult to perform. The actions opposition do can be make reach goals more difficult because they negate what players have done, but they may also interrupt ongoing actions if they are [[Interruptible Actions]]. Opposition can take forms ranging from simple [[Enemies]] through [[NPCs]] to the [[Preventing Goals]] of [[Agents]] or other players (in [[Multiplayer Games]]). Human opposition is often the simplest way of providing [[Challenging Gameplay]], but may need to use [[Ranking Systems]] or [[Handicap Systems]] to achieve the right level of challenge. [[Algorithmic Agents]] puts the difficulty design more under the designers' control but may need fine-tuning through tests. Here, the use of [[Units]] is an easy way of calibrating the difficulty simply by varying the number of enemy [[Units]] and this can be used together with [[Spawning]] to let more [[Enemies]] appear. The speed of [[Spawning]] and having a maximum number of [[Units]] are ways to further calibrate [[Challenging Gameplay]] through [[Spawning]]. [[Boss Monsters]] in contrast can provide more difficult individual opponents and combine this with [[Narration Structures]]; this is something often done in [[Finale Levels]]. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can more generally be applied to [[Finale Levels]] and [[Endgame Quests]] to increase their significance in a game. In all cases the opponents can both be a way of making [[Challenging Gameplay]] exist and a way to modulate how challenging the gameplay is.
 General ways of making challenges more difficult are by making the game have [[Complex Gameplay]] and give players [[Limited Planning Abilities]], introducing [[Time Limits]] for the challenges, changing actions from been done instantaneously to being [[Combos]] or [[Extended Actions]], distracting the players through [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] events, or forcing players to choose how to perform [[Attention Swapping]]. [[Temporary Ability Losses]] or [[Decreased Abilities]] (for example lowering [[Skills]]) can be used to make an otherwise easy challenge be more difficult; while simply increasing the speed which [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] need to be performed can also work. [[Red Herrings]] can make gameplay challenging since wasting time and resources on them can be disastrous for the outcome of game instances. [[Movement]] offer many ways to create [[Challenging Gameplay]]: [[Obstacles]] can be introduced and [[Line of Sight]] can be limited to make [[Game World Navigation]] difficult; [[Resources]] such as fuel can be limited; acceleration, momentum, and turn radii may need to be considered; and this may have to be done as [[Maneuvering]] in [[Real-Time Games]]. In games with opponents with matching [[Capture]] and [[Evade]] this can easily be turned into [[Challenging Gameplay]] by giving the other side [[Privileged Movement]]. [[Combat]] in general provides [[Challenging Gameplay]] since opponents resist and may be able to attack back, and this can be complicated further by [[Friendly Fire]], [[Variable Accuracy]], and [[Enemies]] with [[Invulnerabilities]] or [[Achilles' Heels]]. [[Stealth]] goals may or may not provide [[Challenging Gameplay]] in themselves, but can be made to have more [[Challenging Gameplay]] by combining them with [[Herd]] goals. [[Challenging Gameplay]] can also be created by [[Varied Gameplay]] to require players to use different competences. [[Permadeath]] can be applied as a general solution for creating [[Challenging Gameplay]] since any failure in dangerous tasks can lead to the game session being terminated, while having [[Spawn Points]] for resurrected [[Avatars]] can lead to [[Challenging Gameplay]] in the form of enemy "spawn" [[Camping]] if they are not also [[Safe Havens]].
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 === Can Modulate ===
 [[Achievements]],
 [[Finale Levels]],
 [[Multiplayer Games]],
@@ Line 82: / Line 83: @@
 [[Combos]], [[Complex Gameplay]], [[Conflicts]], [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]],
 [[Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment]],
-[[Difficulty Levels]], [[Enemies]], [[Ever Increasing Difficulty]], [[Extended Actions]],
+[[Difficulty Levels]],
 [[Friendly Fire]],
 [[Game World Navigation]],

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 === Interface Aspects ===
 Manipulating the way a game is controlled, for example as a [[Penalties|Penalty]], can easily provide [[Disruption of Focused Attention]] and thereby [[Challenging Gameplay]] if used. Inverting the controls so that up is down, left is right, etc. is a direct way of doing this and can for example be found as a [[Penalties|Penalty]] for taking the skull [[Pick-Ups]] in [[Bomberman Series|Bomberman]] games, as a consequence of becoming a zombie in [[Zombiepox]], or as an attack by the last [[Boss Monsters|Boss Monster]] in Beyond Good and Evil for the Gamecube<ref name="Beyond Good and Evil"/>). Inverted control can relatively easily be adjusted to while using [[Randomness]] can provide more of a challenge (c.f. Bozo's Night Out for the C64<ref name="Bozo's Night Out"/>). Unless the control mappings is reverted back it may however be seen as a new norm and stop being challenging. Switching between many different control mappings can continue to create [[Challenging Gameplay]] but may take away the focus on the gameplay itself.
 == Consequences ==
@@ Line 61: / Line 64: @@
 [[Empowerment]],
 [[FUBAR Enjoyment]],
 [[Illusion of Influence]],
 [[Performance Uncertainty]],