Combos - Revision history

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2016-09-06T13:03:40Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2016-08-10T18:02:21Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk: /* Consequences */

2016-08-10T18:02:05Z

‎Consequences

Staffan Björk at 07:53, 8 August 2015

2015-08-08T07:53:46Z

Staffan Björk at 08:45, 6 August 2015

2015-08-06T08:45:31Z

Staffan Björk at 16:13, 4 August 2015

2015-08-04T16:13:03Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2015-08-04T16:11:41Z

‎Relations

Staffan Björk at 18:25, 24 July 2015

2015-07-24T18:25:00Z

Staffan Björk at 13:51, 20 July 2015

2015-07-20T13:51:55Z

Staffan Björk: /* Relations */

2015-07-20T13:49:38Z

‎Relations

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 [[Combos]] are [[Abilities]] that are created by the combinations of other [[Abilities]]. The original use of [[Combos]] in [[Real-Time Games]] required [[Timing]] and this has continued to be used heavily in for example games using [[Rhythm-Based Actions]] ([[Dance Dance Revolution series]] and the [[Rock Band series]]), but the pattern can be used more generalized in [[Turn-Based Games]] or simply any game where players need to create specific contexts, e.g. positioning [[Units]] in certain spatial configurations or simply which game elements to bring to game instances of games using [[Heterogeneous Game Element Ownership]]. A general form of [[Combos]] possible in [[Turn Taking]] games is when players can manipulate the turn order so that they get two or more turns after each other with no other players' turn in between; [[Flip-Flop Events]] is a special case of this when a player gets the last turn in one round and then the first in the next. The collection of [[Sets]] can be seen as [[Combos]] of actions that each fulfill a [[Gain Ownership]] goal, while allowing multiple [[Tools]] to be used together can also provide [[Combos]]. [[Repeat Combos]] show that [[Combos]] can be created from simply requiring players to repeat the same action several times within a given [[Time Limits|Time Limit]].
-The design of [[Combos]] includes deciding if they should provide additional effects or simply modify the already existing effects, how complex they should be to perform and if their execution can be affected by others. [[Combos]] can simply modify original [[Rewards]] and [[Penalties]] through growing [[Geometric Progression]] or introduce new [[Rewards]] and [[Penalties]] through [[Discontinuous Progression]]. [[Combos]] are often used to provide [[Privileged Abilities]], either as an additional [[Rewards|Reward]] or as a way to provide [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] - the latter especially common in [[Combat]] activities in [[Real-Time Games]] such as the [[Tekken series]]. While [[Combat]] [[Combos]] often affect how [[Damage]] is dealt, it can have other effects such as introducing [[Movement Limitations]] (being 'slowed') or [[Downtime]] (being 'stunned'). Other type of actions commonly associated with [[Combos]] are [[Capture]] (e.g. [[Bejeweled]] and [[Hnefatafl]]), [[Movement]] usually not possible (e.g. [[Super Mario 64]] or [[Quake]]), and [[Construction]]. [[Combos]] can also be created by letting players set up the effects of actions or events so that the coincide; adding [[Development Time]] or other [[Delayed Effects]] which players know when they occur makes this possible if they can try [[Timing]] their actions so they support each other. The presence or non-presence of [[Area Control]] in a game design affect [[Combos]] that depend on [[Units]] or several [[Avatars]] performing actions in relation to their locations.
+The design of [[Combos]] includes deciding if they should provide additional effects or simply modify the already existing effects, how complex they should be to perform and if their execution can be affected by others. [[Combos]] can simply modify original [[Rewards]] and [[Penalties]] through growing [[Geometric Progression]] (especially when combined with [[Positive Feedback Loops]]) or introduce new [[Rewards]] and [[Penalties]] through [[Discontinuous Progression]]. [[Combos]] are often used to provide [[Privileged Abilities]], either as an additional [[Rewards|Reward]] or as a way to provide [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] - the latter especially common in [[Combat]] activities in [[Real-Time Games]] such as the [[Tekken series]]. While [[Combat]] [[Combos]] often affect how [[Damage]] is dealt, it can have other effects such as introducing [[Movement Limitations]] (being 'slowed') or [[Downtime]] (being 'stunned'). Other type of actions commonly associated with [[Combos]] are [[Capture]] (e.g. [[Bejeweled]] and [[Hnefatafl]]), [[Movement]] usually not possible (e.g. [[Super Mario 64]] or [[Quake]]), and [[Construction]]. [[Combos]] can also be created by letting players set up the effects of actions or events so that the coincide; adding [[Development Time]] or other [[Delayed Effects]] which players know when they occur makes this possible if they can try [[Timing]] their actions so they support each other. The presence or non-presence of [[Area Control]] in a game design affect [[Combos]] that depend on [[Units]] or several [[Avatars]] performing actions in relation to their locations.
 [[Combos]] do not need to provide [[Rewards]] that directly affect gameplay. The most obvious choice is to modify how to add to the [[Scores|Score]] players are receiving, but [[Goal Achievements]] is another option.

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 ==== with [[Construction]] ====
-[[Experimenting]]
+[[Experimenting]],
 ==== with [[Geometric Progression]] ====

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 [[Combos]] are [[Abilities]] that are created by the combinations of other [[Abilities]]. Finding the time and context to perform [[Combos]] may require [[Tactical Planning]], and [[Combos]] are often examples of [[Extended Actions]] that require [[Timing]] to be successfully executed. [[Combos]] based on [[Timing]] in [[Real-Time Games]] typically create [[Clickability]] as long as feedback is given on the progress of succeeding with the [[Combos]].
-Being able to perform [[Combos]] can be a goal in itself as it is actually a [[Configuration]] of actions - and this becomes especially true when they provide [[Goal Achievements]] (as in the ''Doctor'' [[Achievements|Achievement]] in [[Assassin's Creed 2]]). Games where players know that [[Combos]] exist but are not provided with instructions on how to perform them, i.e. those that have [[Hidden Rules]], encourages them to do [[Experimenting]]. This can also be encouraged in games where [[Construction]] can lead to emergent effects. In these games, knowing how to perform the [[Combos]] is [[Strategic Knowledge]] and can be shared as [[Extra-Game Actions]].
+Being able to perform [[Combos]] can be a goal in itself as it is actually a [[Configuration]] of actions - and this becomes especially true when they provide [[Goal Achievements]] (as in the ''Doctor'' [[Achievements|Achievement]] in [[Assassin's Creed 2]]). Games where players know that [[Combos]] exist but are not provided with instructions on how to perform them, i.e. those that have [[Hidden Rules]], encourages them to do [[Experimenting]]. This can also be encouraged in games where [[Construction]] can lead to emergent effects. In these games, knowing how to perform the [[Combos]] is [[Strategic Knowledge]], a sign of [[Gameplay Mastery]], and the knowledge can be shared as [[Extra-Game Actions]].
 As mentioned above, [[Combos]] can give rise to [[Complex Gameplay]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] and due to this the ability to execute [[Combos]] is a typically display of [[Gameplay Mastery]]. A flip side of this is that [[Combos]] can cause issues regarding [[Player Balance]] due to them often having growing [[Geometric Progression|Geometric]] or [[Discontinuous Progression]]. For [[Turn-Based Games|Turn-Based]] [[Multiplayer Games]], the possibility to be able to plan for [[Combos]] can also cause [[Analysis Paralysis]].

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 Being able to perform [[Combos]] can be a goal in itself as it is actually a [[Configuration]] of actions - and this becomes especially true when they provide [[Goal Achievements]] (as in the ''Doctor'' [[Achievements|Achievement]] in [[Assassin's Creed 2]]). Games where players know that [[Combos]] exist but are not provided with instructions on how to perform them, i.e. those that have [[Hidden Rules]], encourages them to do [[Experimenting]]. This can also be encouraged in games where [[Construction]] can lead to emergent effects. In these games, knowing how to perform the [[Combos]] is [[Strategic Knowledge]] and can be shared as [[Extra-Game Actions]].
-As mentioned above, [[Combos]] can give rise to [[Complex Gameplay]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] and due to this the ability to execute [[Combos]] is a typically display of [[Game Mastery]]. A flip side of this is that [[Combos]] can cause issues regarding [[Player Balance]] due to them often having growing [[Geometric Progression|Geometric]] or [[Discontinuous Progression]]. For [[Turn-Based Games|Turn-Based]] [[Multiplayer Games]], the possibility to be able to plan for [[Combos]] can also cause [[Analysis Paralysis]].
+As mentioned above, [[Combos]] can give rise to [[Complex Gameplay]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]] and due to this the ability to execute [[Combos]] is a typically display of [[Gameplay Mastery]]. A flip side of this is that [[Combos]] can cause issues regarding [[Player Balance]] due to them often having growing [[Geometric Progression|Geometric]] or [[Discontinuous Progression]]. For [[Turn-Based Games|Turn-Based]] [[Multiplayer Games]], the possibility to be able to plan for [[Combos]] can also cause [[Analysis Paralysis]].
 For games with [[Heterogeneous Game Element Ownership]], [[Combos]] are likely to occur if not all game elements have the same gameplay functionality and these [[Combos]] give rise to [[Strategic Planning]] on identifying which exist and how to make use of them. The [[Strategic Knowledge]] developed in this manner is a likely source for [[Trans-Game Information]] exchange between players. [[Gameplay Engines]] is basically [[Abstract Player Constructs]] created to allow [[Combos]], or increase the possibility for [[Combos]] up to the point were they occur continuously.
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 ==== with [[Challenging Gameplay]] or [[Complex Gameplay]] ====
-[[Game Mastery]]
+[[Gameplay Mastery]]
 ==== with [[Construction]] ====

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 == Consequences ==
-[[Combos]] are [[Abilities]] that are created by the combinations of other [[Abilities]]. Finding the time and context to perform [[Combos]] may require [[Tactical Planning]], and [[Combos]] are often examples of [[Extended Actions]] that require [[Timing]] to be successfully executed. [[Combos]] based on [[Timing]] in [[Real-Time Games]] typically create [[Clickability]] as long as feedback is given on the progress of succeeding with the [[Combos]]. When individual [[Units]] are used together to create [[Combos]], the [[Units]] can effectively be seen as forming a [[Teams|Team]].
+[[Combos]] are [[Abilities]] that are created by the combinations of other [[Abilities]]. Finding the time and context to perform [[Combos]] may require [[Tactical Planning]], and [[Combos]] are often examples of [[Extended Actions]] that require [[Timing]] to be successfully executed. [[Combos]] based on [[Timing]] in [[Real-Time Games]] typically create [[Clickability]] as long as feedback is given on the progress of succeeding with the [[Combos]].
 Being able to perform [[Combos]] can be a goal in itself as it is actually a [[Configuration]] of actions - and this becomes especially true when they provide [[Goal Achievements]] (as in the ''Doctor'' [[Achievements|Achievement]] in [[Assassin's Creed 2]]). Games where players know that [[Combos]] exist but are not provided with instructions on how to perform them, i.e. those that have [[Hidden Rules]], encourages them to do [[Experimenting]]. This can also be encouraged in games where [[Construction]] can lead to emergent effects. In these games, knowing how to perform the [[Combos]] is [[Strategic Knowledge]] and can be shared as [[Extra-Game Actions]].
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 ==== with [[Multiplayer Games]] and [[Turn-Based Games]] ====
 [[Analysis Paralysis]]
 === Can Modulate ===

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 The simplest form of making [[Combos]] possible to affect by others is through [[Interruptible Actions]]. For [[Multiplayer Games]], the additional possibility of [[Collaborative Actions]] become possible since all these are forms of [[Combos]], and [[Team Combos]] can be used to require participation by several players.
-As some of the examples mentioned show, [[Combos]] can happen accidentally from a design perspective, but from the players' perspective this is more likely to be perceive as [[Emergent Gameplay]] and as a consequence this can be introduced into games to make [[Combos]] more likely to appear. Given that [[Construction]] easily can provide many possible permutations, this pattern is especially likely to generate [[Combos]]. A classic example of [[Combos]] from military history is surprising an enemy by attacking from two directions at once, and games can make this possible to happen through providing [[Flanking Routes]]. Another common case of emerging [[Combos]] are found in games using [[Cards]] with specific rules on each [[Cards|Card]] (such as most [[Collectible Card Games]]). [[Deck Building]] allows player to try and build decks with increased chances for particular [[Combos]]. Although possible to counter by [[Evolving Rule Sets]], [[Combos]] can easily occur from these as well due to the cumulative risk of unexpected effects in the design.
+As some of the examples mentioned show, [[Combos]] can happen accidentally from a design perspective, but from the players' perspective this is more likely to be perceive as [[Emergent Gameplay]] and as a consequence this can be introduced into games to make [[Combos]] more likely to appear. Given that [[Construction]] easily can provide many possible permutations, this pattern is especially likely to generate [[Combos]]. A classic example of [[Combos]] from military history is surprising an enemy by attacking from two directions at once, and games can make this possible to happen through providing [[Flanking Routes]]. Another common case of emerging [[Combos]] are found in games using [[Cards]] with specific rules on each [[Cards|Card]] (such as most [[Collectible Card Games]]). [[Deck Building]] and [[Pre-Customized Decks]] allow players to try and build decks with increased chances for particular [[Combos]]. Although possible to counter by [[Evolving Rule Sets]], [[Combos]] can easily occur from these as well due to the cumulative risk of unexpected effects in the design.
 === Interface Aspects ===
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 [[Hidden Rules]],
 [[Interruptible Actions]],
 [[Progress Indicators]],
 [[Timing]]

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 [[Configuration]],
 [[Extended Actions]],
 [[Player/Character Skill Composites]],
 [[Privileged Abilities]],
@@ Line 92: / Line 93: @@
 [[Flanking Routes]],
 [[Flip-Flop Events]],
 [[Geometric Progression]],
 [[Heterogeneous Game Element Ownership]],