Character Defining Actions - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 12:37, 4 August 2015

2015-08-04T12:37:48Z

Staffan Björk: /* Can Be Instantiated By */

2015-08-04T12:23:11Z

‎Can Be Instantiated By

Staffan Björk at 11:56, 4 August 2015

2015-08-04T11:56:44Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2015-08-04T11:55:48Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk at 09:46, 2 August 2015

2015-08-02T09:46:25Z

Staffan Björk at 13:21, 2 January 2015

2015-01-02T13:21:33Z

Staffan Björk at 11:24, 13 October 2014

2014-10-13T11:24:40Z

Staffan Björk at 10:32, 12 October 2014

2014-10-12T10:32:28Z

Staffan Björk at 14:46, 15 September 2014

2014-09-15T14:46:20Z

Staffan Björk: /* Examples */

2014-09-15T14:44:28Z

‎Examples

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:37, 4 August 2015
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−	~~[[Category:Staffan's current workpage]]~~
	[[Category:Patterns]]		[[Category:Patterns]]
	[[Category:Action Patterns]]		[[Category:Action Patterns]]

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 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
-Fix -> [[Characters]] together with [[Abilities]], [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]], [[Character Levels]], [[Companions]], [[Enforced Agent Behavior]], [[Improved Abilities]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Loyalty]], [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[New Abilities]], [[Roleplaying]], [[Sidequests]], [[Skills]], or [[Social Dilemmas]]
+[[Characters]] together with [[Abilities]], [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]], [[Character Levels]], [[Companions]], [[Enforced Agent Behavior]], [[Improved Abilities]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Loyalty]], [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[New Abilities]], [[Roleplaying]], [[Sidequests]], [[Skills]], or [[Social Dilemmas]]
 === Can Be Modulated By ===

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 A trivial requirement of [[Character Defining Actions]] is that [[Characters]] need some form of [[Abilities]], otherwise they cannot perform any actions that might be character defining. A less trivial choice considering [[Character Defining Actions]] is if the gameplay should support defining [[Characters]] in the game system or support the social agreement between the players of what constitutes the [[Characters]]. It is possible to combine the two but this success of this depends on players' willingness to adjust their perceptions of the [[Characters]] to what the game system dictates. [[Game Masters]] provide a way of negotiating between the two. [[Character Defining Actions]] are typically applied to [[Player Characters]] since players may not perceive the events changing [[Non-Player Characters]] as being based upon actions, but any type of [[Characters]] can be modified by the pattern on a system level.
-On a system level [[Character Defining Actions]] can be implemented by [[Character Development]] via [[Skills]] where the performed actions determine the areas of competence gain. [[Improved Abilities]] and [[New Abilities]] can function similarly but may also be consequences of choices in relation to advancements in [[Character Levels|Character Level]], if these are diegetically presented are characters choices, e.g. which teacher to study under. Alternatively, actions can change the relations between the PC and [[NPCs]] via [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]]. A prime example of this is declaring one's [[Loyalty]] to a cause, [[Characters|Character]], or [[Factions|Faction]], or by breaking such a [[Loyalty]]. Another example can be how one behaves towards ones' [[Companions]] and how one behaves in their presence. An alternative use of [[Character Development]] in relation to [[Character Defining Actions]] is to make the latter an option of how players' wish [[Characters|Characters']] to develop once the fact that they will develop has been established.
+On a system level [[Character Defining Actions]] can be implemented via [[Skills]] where the performed actions determine the areas of competence gain. [[Improved Abilities]] and [[New Abilities]] can function similarly but may also be consequences of choices in relation to advancements in [[Character Levels|Character Level]], if these are diegetically presented are characters choices, e.g. which teacher to study under. Alternatively, actions can change the relations between the PC and [[NPCs]] via [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]]. A prime example of this is declaring one's [[Loyalty]] to a cause, [[Characters|Character]], or [[Factions|Faction]], or by breaking such a [[Loyalty]]. Another example can be how one behaves towards ones' [[Companions]] and how one behaves in their presence. An use of [[Character Development]] in relation to [[Character Defining Actions]] is to make the latter an option of how players' wish [[Characters|Characters']] to develop once the fact that they will develop has been established.
 For changes in game systems, the actions that define [[Characters]] can either do so gradually through incremental modifications or through distinct choices that significantly changes the [[Characters]]. The former is typically used in relation [[Skills]] and examples of this exists in [[Basic Roleplaying]] system and the [[The Elder Scrolls series|Elder Scroll series]]. Games that have moments that radically change [[Characters]] or make the difference in outcome between [[Character Defining Actions]] great often tie this into [[Predetermined Story  Structures]]. This can also be achieved through [[Internal Conflicts]] or [[Social Dilemmas]], which may or may not be part of [[Predetermined Story Structures]]. An intermittent options may be the choices offered when a new [[Character Levels|Character Level]] is reached.
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 [[Character Defining Actions]] result in the creation of [[Player-Designed Characters]] during game sessions. In one sense any use of [[Characters]] introduces [[Character Defining Actions]], even if the game system does not provide support for changing statistics of the [[Characters]] based on players' actions. This since any actions by the [[Characters]] influences how players interpret those characters, even if it was the players who initiated the actions! This of course requires that players do some form of interpretation of the [[Characters]], which is not necessarily done in [[Single-Player Games]] but can be encouraged through [[Cutscenes]] or [[Third-Person Views]]. This may also be a problem in [[Multiplayer Games]] but there representation of other players' [[Characters]] offers additional possibilities for this interpretation. [[Roleplaying]] can further support this since it strengthens the differentiation between the players and the [[Characters]].
-When [[Character Development]] is used to achieve [[Character Defining Actions]], this supports [[Gain Competence]] goals and [[Player-Planned Development]] if players have some form [[Freedom of Choice]] in what way to develop the [[Characters|Character]]. When players have taken on goals regarding fulfilling [[Characters]] roles, [[Character Defining Actions]] can give them the experience of [[Role Fulfillment]]. In contrast, when [[Character Defining Actions]] form [[Player Characters]] in ways that the players object to, the pattern can break their [[Emotional Engrossment]].
+When [[Character Defining Actions]] is used to achieve [[Character Development]], this supports [[Gain Competence]] goals and [[Player-Planned Development]] if players have some form [[Freedom of Choice]] in what way to develop the [[Characters|Character]]. When players have taken on goals regarding fulfilling [[Characters]] roles, [[Character Defining Actions]] can give them the experience of [[Role Fulfillment]]. In contrast, when [[Character Defining Actions]] form [[Player Characters]] in ways that the players object to, the pattern can break their [[Emotional Engrossment]].
 Given that [[Character Defining Actions]] typically are not combined with [[Reversibility]], i.e. they are usually spawn [[Irreversible Events]], these types of actions have an associated [[Risk/Reward]] and may require [[Leaps of Faith]] if the consequences of the actions have not been presented clearly enough. Further, since a series of this type of actions describe the development of [[Characters|Character]] and possibly the change in relationship with [[NPCs]], they form a [[Narration Structures|Narration Structure]] even if none was planned beforehand. All these consequences make [[Character Defining Actions]] interesting enough to merit being part of [[Gameplay Statistics]] for those games that make use of them.

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 [[Role Fulfillment]],
 [[Ultra-Powerful Events]]
 === Can Modulate ===
 [[Character Alignments]],
 [[Characters]],
 [[Companions]], [[NPCs]], [[Open Destiny]],
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 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
-Fix -> [[Characters]] together with [[Abilities]], [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]], [[Character Development]], [[Character Levels]], [[Companions]], [[Enforced Agent Behavior]], [[Improved Abilities]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Loyalty]], [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[New Abilities]], [[Roleplaying]], [[Sidequests]], [[Skills]], or [[Social Dilemmas]]
+Fix -> [[Characters]] together with [[Abilities]], [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]], [[Character Levels]], [[Companions]], [[Enforced Agent Behavior]], [[Improved Abilities]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Loyalty]], [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[New Abilities]], [[Roleplaying]], [[Sidequests]], [[Skills]], or [[Social Dilemmas]]
 === Can Be Modulated By ===

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 [[Category:Patterns]]
 [[Category:Action Patterns]]
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 [[Exceptional Events]],
 [[Gain Competence]], [[Gameplay Statistics]], [[Irreversible Events]],
-[[Leaps of Faith]], [[Narration Structures]], [[Player-Planned Development]], [[Risk/Reward]],
+[[Leaps of Faith]], [[Narration Structures]], [[Player-Planned Development]],
 [[Role Fulfillment]],
 [[Ultra-Powerful Events]]
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 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
-[[Abilities]],
+Fix -> [[Characters]] together with [[Abilities]], [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]], [[Character Development]], [[Character Levels]], [[Companions]], [[Enforced Agent Behavior]], [[Improved Abilities]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Loyalty]], [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[New Abilities]], [[Roleplaying]], [[Sidequests]], [[Skills]], or [[Social Dilemmas]]
 [[Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences]], [[Character Development]], [[Character Levels]], [[Companions]],
 [[Enforced Agent Behavior]], [[Improved Abilities]], [[Internal Conflicts]], [[Loyalty]], [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[New Abilities]], [[Roleplaying]],
 [[Sidequests]],
 [[Skills]], [[Social Dilemmas]]
 === Can Be Modulated By ===

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 Given that [[Character Defining Actions]] typically are not combined with [[Reversibility]], i.e. they are usually spawn [[Irreversible Events]], these types of actions have an associated [[Risk/Reward]] and may require [[Leaps of Faith]] if the consequences of the actions have not been presented clearly enough. Further, since a series of this type of actions describe the development of [[Characters|Character]] and possibly the change in relationship with [[NPCs]], they form a [[Narration Structures|Narration Structure]] even if none was planned beforehand. All these consequences make [[Character Defining Actions]] interesting enough to merit being part of [[Gameplay Statistics]] for those games that make use of them.
-For games where a [[Characters|Character]] has an [[Open Destiny]], the actions that decide which destiny will manifest itself are [[Character Defining Actions]]. For the games that use [[Character Alignments]], performing actions that force a change in an alignment qualifies as a [[Character Defining Actions|Character Defining Action]] (and can be an example of how [[Characters]] can have an [[Open Destiny]]).
+For games where a [[Characters|Character]] has an [[Open Destiny]], the actions that decide which destiny will manifest itself are [[Character Defining Actions]]. For the games that use [[Character Alignments]], performing actions that force a change in an alignment qualifies as a [[Character Defining Actions|Character Defining Action]] (and can be an example of how [[Characters]] can have an [[Open Destiny]]). While other types of [[Character Defining Actions]] (e.g. raising [[Skills|Skill]] levels) may not qualify as [[Exceptional Events]], these types of actions and events may do so.
 As mentioned above, [[Cutscenes]] can both instantiate [[Character Defining Actions]] and remove the possibilities for them depending on the stance players take towards who has the right to interpret the [[Characters|Characters']] personalities.
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 == Relations ==
 === Can Instantiate ===
-[[Characters]], [[Gain Competence]], [[Gameplay Statistics]], [[Irreversible Events]],
+[[Characters]],
 [[Leaps of Faith]], [[Narration Structures]], [[Player-Planned Development]], [[Risk/Reward]],
 [[Role Fulfillment]],

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 === Examples ===
 The choices players make in the [[Fable II]] changes their alignments, several independent measures including Good-Evil, Slim-Fat, Pure-Corrupt, and Scary-Funny. Besides influencing how NPCs react to the player characters, changes in these alignments also change the appearance of the avatars. A main part of the storyline in the first installation of the [[Witcher series]] revolves around giving advice to a young boy that possesses magical powers - the choice of which advice one gives effects through the narration not only on the boy but also on the player's character.
 == Using the pattern ==