Game Pauses - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 11:07, 26 July 2016

2016-07-26T11:07:33Z

Staffan Björk: /* Interfaces Aspects */

2016-07-23T16:45:20Z

‎Interfaces Aspects

Staffan Björk at 16:45, 23 July 2016

2016-07-23T16:45:00Z

Staffan Björk: /* Can Modulate */

2016-07-17T11:29:56Z

‎Can Modulate

Staffan Björk: /* Consequences */

2016-07-17T11:29:46Z

‎Consequences

Staffan Björk at 11:29, 17 July 2016

2016-07-17T11:29:38Z

Staffan Björk at 13:27, 10 November 2015

2015-11-10T13:27:14Z

Staffan Björk at 12:30, 16 July 2015

2015-07-16T12:30:30Z

Staffan Björk: /* Examples */

2015-07-16T12:28:51Z

‎Examples

Staffan Björk at 12:28, 16 July 2015

2015-07-16T12:28:22Z

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Entering [[Inventories]] often cause games to pause regarding everything but the actual manipulation of [[Game Items]] in the [[Inventories]]. This is basically a [[Game Pauses|Game Pause]] applied to most of the game state, so the pattern can be seen as a way to modify how [[Inventories]] work.
 === Interfaces Aspects ===
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 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
 [[Cutscenes]],
-[[Save-Load Cycles]]
+[[Save-Load Cycles]],
 === Can Be Modulated By ===

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 === Interfaces Aspects ===
-[[Game Pauses]] work against [[Diegetic Consistency]] when they causes the game to enter [[Secondary Interface Screens]].
+[[Game Pauses]] work against [[Diegetic Consistency]] when they causes a game to enter [[Secondary Interface Screens]].
 == Consequences ==

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 Entering [[Inventories]] often cause games to pause regarding everything but the actual manipulation of [[Game Items]] in the [[Inventories]]. This is basically a [[Game Pauses|Game Pause]] applied to most of the game state, so the pattern can be seen as a way to modify how [[Inventories]] work.
 == Consequences ==
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 [[The Show Must Go On]],
 [[Time Limits]]
 == History ==

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 === Can Modulate ===
 [[Framed Freedom]],
-[Game State Overviews]],
+[[Game State Overviews]],
 [[Inventories]],
 [[Real-Time Games]],

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 == Consequences ==
-[[Game Pauses]] creates [[Downtime]] for players and provides time for them to engage in [[Stimulated Planning]], e.g. by observing [Game State Overviews]] without stress. This can provide [[Interruptibility]] but only strongly as long as it doesn't cause unwanted [[Downtime]] for other players; [[Game Pauses]] in [[Single-Player Games]] creates [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]]. The pattern also creates a simple (and weak) form of [[Game Time Manipulation]].
+[[Game Pauses]] creates [[Downtime]] for players and provides time for them to engage in [[Stimulated Planning]], e.g. by observing [[Game State Overviews]] without stress. This can provide [[Interruptibility]] but only strongly as long as it doesn't cause unwanted [[Downtime]] for other players; [[Game Pauses]] in [[Single-Player Games]] creates [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]]. The pattern also creates a simple (and weak) form of [[Game Time Manipulation]].
 When players themselves can trigger these [[Game Pauses]], it provides them with [[Extra-Game Actions]] that give them the [[Freedom of Choice]] when to play (especially so for [[Single-Player Games]]). This opens up for [[Casual Gameplay]], [[Negotiable Play Sessions]], [[Social Adaptability]], and [[Ubiquitous Gameplay]]. [[Game Pauses]] can help players not feel stressed by having to choose between different game actions, so the pattern can help promote [[Framed Freedom]]. Further, [[Game Pauses]] let players engage in [[Social Interaction]] if this is possible already and they wish to do so.

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 [[Game Pauses]] are introduced in games to interrupt the otherwise progress of game events occurring. This means that [[Game Pauses]] are typically introduced into games where this would automatically occur otherwise, i.e. [[Real-Time Games]] and [[Tick-Based Games]]. It can also be used to let players create their own natural break points in [[Unwinnable Games]].
-While [[Game Pauses]] in their most basic form simply is the halting of updates to a game state, some other patterns cause it. [[Cutscenes]] stops the game state from being updated while showing information to players while [[Save-Load Cycles]] not only stops updates to game states but replace the current game state with another. [[Turn-Based Games]] are often more easy to introduce [[Game Pauses]] in since it can be very clear between which turns a pause is done (and all players that did not have a turn just before the pause were likely to have some form of [[Downtime]] already). One way of modulating [[Game Pauses]] is to limit how long they can be, that is, connect [[Time Limits]] to them.
+While [[Game Pauses]] in their most basic form simply is the halting of updates to a game state, some other patterns cause it. [[Cutscenes]] stops the game state from being updated while showing information to players while [[Save-Load Cycles]] not only stops updates to game states but replace the current game state with another. [[Turn-Based Games]] are often more easy to introduce [[Game Pauses]] in since it can be very clear between which turns a pause is done (and all players that did not have a turn just before the pause were likely to have some form of [[Downtime]] already). One way of modulating [[Game Pauses]] is to limit how long they can be, that is, connect [[Time Limits]] to them. Another, very common, option is to make it possible to save the current game state during a pause in [[Save Files]]; this allows for extensive pauses since the game can be turned off or set down while still making it possible to recreate the game state at a later point in time.
 Entering [[Inventories]] often cause games to pause regarding everything but the actual manipulation of [[Game Items]] in the [[Inventories]]. This is basically a [[Game Pauses|Game Pause]] applied to most of the game state, so the pattern can be seen as a way to modify how [[Inventories]] work.
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 === Can Be Modulated By ===
 [[Time Limits]],
 [[Turn-Based Games]]

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 [[Category:Mechanical Patterns]]
 [[Category:Patterns]]
 [[Category:Needs revision]]
 [[Category:Needs references]]
 [[Category:To be Published]]
 ''The suspense of progress of game time.''
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 ==== Anti-Examples ====
-Physical [[:Category:Pinball Games|Pinball Games]] such as [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] don't allow [[Game Pauses]] simply because they make use of physical balls being affected by gravity. [[:Category:Arcade Games|Arcade Games]], e.g. [[Asteroids]], [[Centipede]], [[Frogger]], and the [[Donkey Kong series]], don't allow [[Game Pauses]] due to wanting players to minimize their time at the machine for economical reasons; the computer-based version of these games do typically allow [[Game Pauses]].
+Physical [[:Category:Pinball Games|Pinball Games]] such as [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] don't allow [[Game Pauses]] simply because they make use of physical balls being affected by gravity. [[:Category:Arcade Games|Arcade Games]], e.g. [[Asteroids]], [[Centipede]], [[Frogger]], and the [[Donkey Kong series]], don't allow [[Game Pauses]] due to wanting players to minimize their time at the machine for economic reasons; the computer-based version of these games do typically allow [[Game Pauses]].
 == Using the pattern ==

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 Turn-based games such as [[Chess]], [[Ghost Stories]], [[Go]], and [[Lords of Waterdeep]] easily support [[Game Pauses]] since players need to update the game state manually and effectively can cause [[Game Pauses]] simply by not doing this. Similarly, game masters in [[:Category:Tabletop Roleplaying Games|Tabletop Roleplaying Games]] such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]] or [[Ars Magica]] can interrupt gameplay from progressing whenever they wish (players can't necessarily do this since the game masters can decide what player characters do if their players don't themselves say what their characters do).
-Most single-player [[:Category:Computer Games|Computer Games]] support [[Game Pauses]]. Some examples include
+Several [[:Category:Sports|Sports]], e.g. [[Basketball]], [[Ice Hockey]], and [[Volleyball]] allow for players or coaches to call out "Time-Outs" which effectively start [[Game Pauses]].
-[[Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura]]
-the [[Fallout series]], and the [[Witcher series]]
+Most single-player [[:Category:Computer Games|Computer Games]] support [[Game Pauses]]. Some examples include [[Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura]], [[Batman: Arkham Asylum]], [[Spec Ops: The Line]], the [[Fallout series]], and the [[Witcher series]].
-−
 [[Batman: Arkham Asylum]]
-−
-−
-[[Spec Ops: The Line]]
-−
-−
-Several [[:Category:Sports|Sports]], e.g. [[Basketball]], [[Ice Hockey]], and [[Volleyball]] allow for players or coaches to call out "Time-Outs" which effectively start [[Game Pauses]].
 ==== Anti-Examples ====
 Physical [[:Category:Pinball Games|Pinball Games]] such as [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] don't allow [[Game Pauses]] simply because they make use of physical balls being affected by gravity. [[:Category:Arcade Games|Arcade Games]], e.g. [[Asteroids]], [[Centipede]], [[Frogger]], and the [[Donkey Kong series]], don't allow [[Game Pauses]] due to wanting players to minimize their time at the machine for economical reasons; the computer-based version of these games do typically allow [[Game Pauses]].
 == Using the pattern ==