Randomness - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 08:57, 15 March 2023

2023-03-15T08:57:32Z

Staffan Björk at 13:22, 6 April 2018

2018-04-06T13:22:35Z

Staffan Björk at 21:39, 19 March 2018

2018-03-19T21:39:06Z

Staffan Björk at 11:15, 9 March 2018

2018-03-09T11:15:20Z

Staffan Björk at 10:28, 6 March 2018

2018-03-06T10:28:09Z

Staffan Björk at 09:30, 7 September 2016

2016-09-07T09:30:54Z

Staffan Björk at 09:12, 7 September 2016

2016-09-07T09:12:59Z

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2016-09-07T09:03:51Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk at 10:29, 24 July 2016

2016-07-24T10:29:37Z

Staffan Björk at 08:22, 24 November 2015

2015-11-24T08:22:15Z

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 Probably the most basic consequence of using [[Randomness]] in games is that it introduces an [[Uncertainty of Outcome]]. [[Randomness]] has a close but fickle relation to players' perception of how they can influence a game. When players feel that they have some influence on how the randomization is done, e.g. by physically shaking and rolling a die, [[Randomness]] can provide them with an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]] if they believe in [[Luck]] and can thereby promote enough illusion of influence to support games with [[No Direct Player Influence]]. However, if they do not believe in it the effect might be completely opposite. As long as players feel [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]], or are emotionally affected by the outcome (e.g. through the use of [[Betting]]), [[Randomness]] can create [[Tension]] but may equally well ruin already existing [[Tension]] if it is based upon [[Gameplay Mastery]]. Regardlessly, the use of [[Randomness]] does work against the influence of players' own performance, i.e. it works against the use of [[Performance Uncertainty]] and can lessen feeling of [[Further Player Improvement Potential]]. When players have the choice to perform or not perform actions based upon [[Randomness]] this gives them the opportunity to take a [[Leap of Faith]]. [[Randomness]] can support [[Spectacular Failure Enjoyment]] when it create extreme or impossible odds but which still take time to play through, and random events that are either very unlikely or have significant impact on the gameplay are likely to be seen as [[Exceptional Events]]. [[Explicit Random Seeds]] allows players to reuse the same random starting positions several times but doesn't remove [[Randomness]] since different players actions from the same starting position quickly leads to very different game states typically.
-Depending on how [[Randomness]] affects events or actions in a game, its presence can have many different consequences. Randomizing can modify [[Delayed Effects]] of events and create [[Predetermined Story Structures]] from several different events (potentially [[Never Ending Stories]]); it can make [[Experimenting]] more difficult but also make it necessary (e.g. testing potions in [[NetHack]]). [[Randomness]] for which players actions are available can force [[Varied Gameplay]]; players of [[Dominion]] are for example limits to the actions of the cards they have drawn. When the exact outcome of events that follow players actions is uncertain they may still have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] and make a [[Risk/Reward]] choice that does not depend on any skill they have, and thereby reduces pressure on their own performance. Using [[Randomness]] to create variation in what is required to succeed with [[Puzzle Solving]] activities is a way to create [[Replayability]] in puzzle-based games.
+Depending on how [[Randomness]] affects events or actions in a game, its presence can have many different consequences. Randomizing can modify [[Predefined Goals]] and the [[Delayed Effects]] of events; it can create [[Predetermined Story Structures]] from several different events (potentially [[Never Ending Stories]]); and it can make [[Experimenting]] more difficult but also make it necessary (e.g. testing potions in [[NetHack]]). [[Randomness]] for which players actions are available can force [[Varied Gameplay]]; players of [[Dominion]] are for example limits to the actions of the cards they have drawn. When the exact outcome of events that follow players actions is uncertain they may still have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] and make a [[Risk/Reward]] choice that does not depend on any skill they have, and thereby reduces pressure on their own performance. Using [[Randomness]] to create variation in what is required to succeed with [[Puzzle Solving]] activities is a way to create [[Replayability]] in puzzle-based games.
 More generally, [[Randomness]] makes it impossible to have [[Perfect Information]] about actions and events in the game. This can be true even if players have complete access to the game state (e.g. through [[Game State Overviews]]) since future events cannot be calculated. When introduced in games it thereby makes [[Predictable Consequences]] more difficult and give players [[Limited Foresight]] and [[Limited Planning Abilities]], and can be used to avoid the presence of a [[Predictable Winner]] (and thereby also [[Kingmaker]]). This can make [[Strategic Planning]] difficult as well, although knowing the probabilities involved can still allow [[Strategic Planning]] on a higher level of abstraction. This is usually done for three reasons: to generate [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], ensure [[Imperfect Information]], or lessen the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] in the games. By doing so a game can thematically simulate events in the real world that are chaotic and unpredictable but can also may [[Replayability]] more likely to be interesting since each game instance will have variations. Given that players may have some information about the [[Randomness]] distribution the patterns often supports a bounded case of [[Uncertainty of Information]]. This can encourage players to perform [[Memorizing]] of the distributions to gain [[Strategic Knowledge]] that can be used to make better [[Risk/Reward]] choices. In the case of [[Cards]], players may also do [[Memorizing]] of the cards played or revealed to be able to know the distribution of the remaining cards. When [[Randomness]] is used to add actions to [[Collaborative Actions]], this can make it easier to make the others actions into [[Anonymous Actions]].
@@ Line 109: / Line 109: @@
 [[Player-Created Characters]],
 [[Power-Ups]],
 [[Predetermined Story Structures]],
 [[Predictable Consequences]],

@@ Line 158: / Line 158: @@
 [[Perfect Information]],
 [[Performance Uncertainty]],
 [[Predetermined Story Structures]],
 [[Predictable Winner]],

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 == Consequences ==
-Probably the most basic consequence of using [[Randomness]] in games is that it introduces an [[Uncertainty of Outcome]]. [[Randomness]] has a close but fickle relation to players' perception of how they can influence a game. When players feel that they have some influence on how the randomization is done, e.g. by physically shaking and rolling a die, [[Randomness]] can provide them with an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]] if they believe in [[Luck]] and can thereby promote enough illusion of influence to support games with [[No Direct Player Influence]]. However, if they do not believe in it the effect might be completely opposite. As long as players feel [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]], or are emotionally affected by the outcome (e.g. through the use of [[Betting]]), [[Randomness]] can create [[Tension]] but may equally well ruin already existing [[Tension]] if it is based upon [[Gameplay Mastery]]. Regardlessly, the use of [[Randomness]] does work against the influence of players' own performance, i.e. it works against the use of [[Performance Uncertainty]] and can lessen feeling of [[Further Player Improvement Potential]]. When players have the choice to perform or not perform actions based upon [[Randomness]] this gives them the opportunity to take a [[Leap of Faith]]. [[Randomness]] can support [[Spectacular Failure Enjoyment]] when it create extreme or impossible odds but which still take time to play through, and random events that are either very unlikely or have significant impact on the gameplay are likely to be seen as [[Exceptional Events]].
+Probably the most basic consequence of using [[Randomness]] in games is that it introduces an [[Uncertainty of Outcome]]. [[Randomness]] has a close but fickle relation to players' perception of how they can influence a game. When players feel that they have some influence on how the randomization is done, e.g. by physically shaking and rolling a die, [[Randomness]] can provide them with an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]] if they believe in [[Luck]] and can thereby promote enough illusion of influence to support games with [[No Direct Player Influence]]. However, if they do not believe in it the effect might be completely opposite. As long as players feel [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]], or are emotionally affected by the outcome (e.g. through the use of [[Betting]]), [[Randomness]] can create [[Tension]] but may equally well ruin already existing [[Tension]] if it is based upon [[Gameplay Mastery]]. Regardlessly, the use of [[Randomness]] does work against the influence of players' own performance, i.e. it works against the use of [[Performance Uncertainty]] and can lessen feeling of [[Further Player Improvement Potential]]. When players have the choice to perform or not perform actions based upon [[Randomness]] this gives them the opportunity to take a [[Leap of Faith]]. [[Randomness]] can support [[Spectacular Failure Enjoyment]] when it create extreme or impossible odds but which still take time to play through, and random events that are either very unlikely or have significant impact on the gameplay are likely to be seen as [[Exceptional Events]]. [[Explicit Random Seeds]] allows players to reuse the same random starting positions several times but doesn't remove [[Randomness]] since different players actions from the same starting position quickly leads to very different game states typically.
 Depending on how [[Randomness]] affects events or actions in a game, its presence can have many different consequences. Randomizing can modify [[Delayed Effects]] of events and create [[Predetermined Story Structures]] from several different events (potentially [[Never Ending Stories]]); it can make [[Experimenting]] more difficult but also make it necessary (e.g. testing potions in [[NetHack]]). [[Randomness]] for which players actions are available can force [[Varied Gameplay]]; players of [[Dominion]] are for example limits to the actions of the cards they have drawn. When the exact outcome of events that follow players actions is uncertain they may still have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] and make a [[Risk/Reward]] choice that does not depend on any skill they have, and thereby reduces pressure on their own performance. Using [[Randomness]] to create variation in what is required to succeed with [[Puzzle Solving]] activities is a way to create [[Replayability]] in puzzle-based games.
@@ Line 134: / Line 134: @@
 [[Drafting]],
 [[Drafting Spreads]],
 [[Fixed Distributions]],
 [[Freedom of Choice]],

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 The above options can be used uniformly through out game sessions or be influenced by the current game state. Letting what happens in the game influence how the randomization is done allows the construction of [[Positive Feedback Loops]] or [[Negative Feedback Loops]]. Racing games such as [[Mario Kart]] and [[Super Monkey Ball]] use the latter to create [[Balancing Effects]] by giving leading players more passive and less aggressive [[Pick-Ups]] while giving trailing players the opposite. [[Bloodbowl]] is an example of both, where the number of [[Dice]] used is part of the skills of the [[Characters]], which do not change during the game, and their positions in relation to each other, which does.
-When games have too much [[Randomness]], the use of [[Fixed Distributions]] can regulate this.
+When games have too much [[Randomness]], the use of [[Fixed Distributions]] can regulate this. While [[Fixed Distributions]] is one form of [[Misfortune Mitigation]], other forms of [[Misfortune Mitigation]] can be used to focus more specifically at removing negative effects of [[Randomness]].
 === Diegetic Aspects ===
@@ Line 136: / Line 136: @@
 [[Fixed Distributions]],
 [[Freedom of Choice]],
-[[Fudged Results]], [[Game Masters]], [[Non-Renewable Resources]],
+[[Fudged Results]],
 [[Stack Seeding]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 [[Category:Needs references]]
 [[Category:Needs revision]]
 ''Effects or events in the game cannot be exactly predicted.''

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 Rather than being something that may be difficult to describe thematically, [[Randomness]] in the real world is easy to translate into a game setting although the outcomes and their likelihoods may not be comparable with the real world. [[Randomness]] can also be used as a way of getting around having too fine granularity in a game system when trying to model a world, instead of providing detailed deterministic rule a randomized outcome can simulate this. Examples of real-world concepts that are often modeled in games partially through [[Randomness]] include [[Combat]], and especially [[Damage]] or the [[Variable Accuracy]] real-life aiming has, and the starting skills and conditions for [[Characters]]. The use of [[Skills]] that represent many actions or actions done in hazardous situations also make use of [[Randomness]] to abstract complex situations into a manageable situation in game terms.
-On a more concrete plane, [[Randomness]] can be used to change the specifics of [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]] by simply making the locations or appearances of game elements different for each game instance - or change the actual worlds if they are [[Reconfigurable Game Worlds]]. Although they may cause problems with [[Player Balance]] or the possibility of having [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[Randomness]] can go a step further and create fully [[Procedurally Generated Game Worlds]]. If done with moderation, [[Randomness]] can also be used to provide [[Unpredictable Behavior]] to a [[Game System Player]] or [[Agents]] based upon [[Algorithmic Agents]], and can thereby help make it less easy to deduct the underlying rules. It can also provide variation to [[Generic Adversaries]] while still maintaining the commonality among these.
+On a more concrete plane, [[Randomness]] can be used to change the specifics of [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]] by simply making the locations or appearances of game elements different for each game instance - or change the actual worlds if they are [[Reconfigurable Game Worlds]]. While this may create [[Varied Gameplay]], randomly created [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]] may cause problems with [[Player Balance]] or the possibility of having [[Predetermined Story Structures]], [[Randomness]] can go a step further and create fully [[Procedurally Generated Game Worlds]]. If done with moderation, [[Randomness]] can also be used to provide [[Unpredictable Behavior]] to a [[Game System Player]] or [[Agents]] based upon [[Algorithmic Agents]], and can thereby help make it less easy to deduct the underlying rules. It can also provide variation to [[Generic Adversaries]] while still maintaining the commonality among these.
 === Interface Aspects ===
@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 [[No Direct Player Influence]]
-==== with [[Enemies]], [[Ephemeral Goals]], or [[Quests]] ====
+==== with [[Enemies]], [[Game Worlds]], or [[Levels]] ====
 [[Varied Gameplay]],
 [[Replayability]]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 == Using the pattern ==
-[[Randomness]] can be used both before gameplay begins to create [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]] or to affect ongoing gameplay. One example common to [[:Category:Roleplaying Games|Roleplaying Games]] such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]], [[Hârnmaster]], and [[Traveller]] is to include [[Randomness]] in the process for constructing [[Player-Created Characters]] (but see [[GURPS]] and the [[Storytelling System]] for examples not using [[Randomness]]). In [[:Category:Card Games|Card Games]] using [[Trumps]], this may also be randomly determined before gameplay begins. For affecting gameplay as it happens, [[Randomness]] can be used to determine what effects an event or action should have, who should be effected by an event or be allowed to choose an outcome, and when an effect should begin and for how long it should persist. Basically all types of actions and events can be modified by [[Randomness]] but the common ones include any that involves [[Skills]] (including [[Critical Failures]] and [[Critical Successes]]), [[Combat]] (including creating [[Critical Hits]] or [[Critical Misses]]), [[Movement]] (for both [[Agents]] and [[Moveable Tiles]]), [[Rewards]] (including [[Free Gift Inventories]]), and [[Penalties]]. [[Randomness]] can also be used to make the order in which [[Turn Taking]] is done unpredictable. The specifics of goals may also affected by [[Randomness]], e.g. to create [[Varied Gameplay]] in [[Quests]], and for [[Ephemeral Goals]] this may include when they appear and how long they exist.
+[[Randomness]] can be used both before gameplay begins to create [[Asymmetric Starting Conditions]] or to affect ongoing gameplay. One example common to [[:Category:Roleplaying Games|Roleplaying Games]] such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]], [[Hârnmaster]], and [[Traveller]] is to include [[Randomness]] in the process for constructing [[Player-Created Characters]] (but see [[GURPS]] and the [[Storytelling System]] for examples not using [[Randomness]]). In [[:Category:Card Games|Card Games]] using [[Trumps]], this may also be randomly determined before gameplay begins. For affecting gameplay as it happens, [[Randomness]] can be used to determine what effects an event or action should have, who should be effected by an event or be allowed to choose an outcome, and when an effect should begin and for how long it should persist. Basically all types of actions and events can be modified by [[Randomness]] but the common ones include any that involves [[Skills]] (including [[Critical Failures]] and [[Critical Successes]]), [[Combat]] (including creating [[Critical Hits]] or [[Critical Misses]]), [[Movement]] (for both [[Agents]] and [[Moveable Tiles]]), [[Rewards]] (including [[Free Gift Inventories]]), and [[Penalties]]. [[Randomness]] can also be used to make the order in which [[Turn Taking]] is done unpredictable. The specifics of goals may also affected by [[Randomness]], e.g. to create [[Varied Gameplay]] in [[Quests]] or related to overcoming [[Enemies]], and for [[Ephemeral Goals]] this may include when they appear and how long they exist.
 In computers and video games, [[Randomness]] is typically generated through pseudo-random sequences that are not random according to scientific definitions but seem random to casual observations. In [[Self-Facilitated Games]], [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] are often used for the purpose of generating [[Randomness]] (even though the game itself has national and international competitions<ref name="PRS"/>) since this requires no additional game elements.
@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 [[No Direct Player Influence]]
-==== with [[Ephemeral Goals]] or [[Quests]] ====
+==== with [[Enemies]], [[Ephemeral Goals]], or [[Quests]] ====
 [[Varied Gameplay]],
 [[Replayability]]

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 Depending on how [[Randomness]] affects events or actions in a game, its presence can have many different consequences. Randomizing can modify [[Delayed Effects]] of events and create [[Predetermined Story Structures]] from several different events (potentially [[Never Ending Stories]]); it can make [[Experimenting]] more difficult but also make it necessary (e.g. testing potions in [[NetHack]]). [[Randomness]] for which players actions are available can force [[Varied Gameplay]]; players of [[Dominion]] are for example limits to the actions of the cards they have drawn. When the exact outcome of events that follow players actions is uncertain they may still have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]] and make a [[Risk/Reward]] choice that does not depend on any skill they have, and thereby reduces pressure on their own performance. Using [[Randomness]] to create variation in what is required to succeed with [[Puzzle Solving]] activities is a way to create [[Replayability]] in puzzle-based games.
-More generally, [[Randomness]] makes it impossible to have [[Perfect Information]] about actions and events in the game. This can be true even if players have complete access to the game state (e.g. through [[Game State Overviews]]) since future events cannot be calculated. When introduced in games it thereby makes [[Predictable Consequences]] more difficult and give players [[Limited Foresight]] and [[Limited Planning Abilities]], and can be used to avoid the presence of a [[Predictable Winner]]. This can make [[Strategic Planning]] difficult as well, although knowing the probabilities involved can still allow [[Strategic Planning]] on a higher level of abstraction. This is usually done for three reasons: to generate [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], ensure [[Imperfect Information]], or lessen the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] in the games. By doing so a game can thematically simulate events in the real world that are chaotic and unpredictable but can also may [[Replayability]] more likely to be interesting since each game instance will have variations. Given that players may have some information about the [[Randomness]] distribution the patterns often supports a bounded case of [[Uncertainty of Information]]. This can encourage players to perform [[Memorizing]] of the distributions to gain [[Strategic Knowledge]] that can be used to make better [[Risk/Reward]] choices. In the case of [[Cards]], players may also do [[Memorizing]] of the cards played or revealed to be able to know the distribution of the remaining cards. When [[Randomness]] is used to add actions to [[Collaborative Actions]], this can make it easier to make the others actions into [[Anonymous Actions]].
+More generally, [[Randomness]] makes it impossible to have [[Perfect Information]] about actions and events in the game. This can be true even if players have complete access to the game state (e.g. through [[Game State Overviews]]) since future events cannot be calculated. When introduced in games it thereby makes [[Predictable Consequences]] more difficult and give players [[Limited Foresight]] and [[Limited Planning Abilities]], and can be used to avoid the presence of a [[Predictable Winner]] (and thereby also [[Kingmaker]]). This can make [[Strategic Planning]] difficult as well, although knowing the probabilities involved can still allow [[Strategic Planning]] on a higher level of abstraction. This is usually done for three reasons: to generate [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], ensure [[Imperfect Information]], or lessen the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] in the games. By doing so a game can thematically simulate events in the real world that are chaotic and unpredictable but can also may [[Replayability]] more likely to be interesting since each game instance will have variations. Given that players may have some information about the [[Randomness]] distribution the patterns often supports a bounded case of [[Uncertainty of Information]]. This can encourage players to perform [[Memorizing]] of the distributions to gain [[Strategic Knowledge]] that can be used to make better [[Risk/Reward]] choices. In the case of [[Cards]], players may also do [[Memorizing]] of the cards played or revealed to be able to know the distribution of the remaining cards. When [[Randomness]] is used to add actions to [[Collaborative Actions]], this can make it easier to make the others actions into [[Anonymous Actions]].
 [[Randomness]] can in itself create an unstable form of [[Player Balance]]. It is unstable because all players may have equal chances to receive what is randomized, but as soon as the outcome becomes apparent, players may feel disadvantaged. Similarly, the presence of [[Randomness]] typically provides a weak form of [[Balancing Effects]], as the outcome is not affected by players' skills and affects all players impartially. These [[Balancing Effects]] become stronger the more [[Randomness]] is introduced if the outcome produces [[Arithmetic Progression]] rather than [[Geometric Progression]]. However, this tends to lessen the chance for [[Perceivable Margins]] depending on players' skills in games and makes [[Gameplay Mastery]] less noticeable. It can also ruin possibilities for players to feel [[Value of Effort]] regarding their actions when the [[Randomness]] has bigger impact on outcomes, or when [[Randomness]] can tip outcomes from being successful ones to being unsuccessful ones. [[Randomness]] can mask [[Balancing Effects]] by having separate by overlapping distributions for players depending on their position when providing [[Penalties]] or [[Rewards]]; one example when this is done is when players pick up [[Power-Ups]] where the effect is decided through [[Randomness]].
@@ Line 146: / Line 146: @@
 [[Game Masters]],
 [[Gameplay Mastery]],
 [[Perceivable Margins]],
 [[Perfect Information]],

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 More generally, [[Randomness]] makes it impossible to have [[Perfect Information]] about actions and events in the game. This can be true even if players have complete access to the game state (e.g. through [[Game State Overviews]]) since future events cannot be calculated. When introduced in games it thereby makes [[Predictable Consequences]] more difficult and give players [[Limited Foresight]] and [[Limited Planning Abilities]], and can be used to avoid the presence of a [[Predictable Winner]]. This can make [[Strategic Planning]] difficult as well, although knowing the probabilities involved can still allow [[Strategic Planning]] on a higher level of abstraction. This is usually done for three reasons: to generate [[Asymmetric Resource Distribution]], ensure [[Imperfect Information]], or lessen the risk of [[Analysis Paralysis]] in the games. By doing so a game can thematically simulate events in the real world that are chaotic and unpredictable but can also may [[Replayability]] more likely to be interesting since each game instance will have variations. Given that players may have some information about the [[Randomness]] distribution the patterns often supports a bounded case of [[Uncertainty of Information]]. This can encourage players to perform [[Memorizing]] of the distributions to gain [[Strategic Knowledge]] that can be used to make better [[Risk/Reward]] choices. In the case of [[Cards]], players may also do [[Memorizing]] of the cards played or revealed to be able to know the distribution of the remaining cards. When [[Randomness]] is used to add actions to [[Collaborative Actions]], this can make it easier to make the others actions into [[Anonymous Actions]].
-[[Randomness]] can in itself create an unstable form of [[Player Balance]]. It is unstable because all players may have equal chances to receive what is randomized, but as soon as the outcome becomes apparent, players may feel disadvantaged. Similarly, the presence of [[Randomness]] typically provides a weak form of [[Balancing Effects]], as the outcome is not affected by players' skills and affects all players impartially. These [[Balancing Effects]] become stronger the more [[Randomness]] is introduced if the outcome produces [[Arithmetic Progression]] rather than [[Geometric Progression]]. However, this tends to lessen the chance for [[Perceivable Margins]] depending on players' skills in games and makes [[Gameplay Mastery]] less noticeable. [[Randomness]] can mask [[Balancing Effects]] by having separate by overlapping distributions for players depending on their position when providing [[Penalties]] or [[Rewards]]; one example when this is done is when players pick up [[Power-Ups]] where the effect is decided through [[Randomness]].
+[[Randomness]] can in itself create an unstable form of [[Player Balance]]. It is unstable because all players may have equal chances to receive what is randomized, but as soon as the outcome becomes apparent, players may feel disadvantaged. Similarly, the presence of [[Randomness]] typically provides a weak form of [[Balancing Effects]], as the outcome is not affected by players' skills and affects all players impartially. These [[Balancing Effects]] become stronger the more [[Randomness]] is introduced if the outcome produces [[Arithmetic Progression]] rather than [[Geometric Progression]]. However, this tends to lessen the chance for [[Perceivable Margins]] depending on players' skills in games and makes [[Gameplay Mastery]] less noticeable. It can also ruin possibilities for players to feel [[Value of Effort]] regarding their actions when the [[Randomness]] has bigger impact on outcomes, or when [[Randomness]] can tip outcomes from being successful ones to being unsuccessful ones. [[Randomness]] can mask [[Balancing Effects]] by having separate by overlapping distributions for players depending on their position when providing [[Penalties]] or [[Rewards]]; one example when this is done is when players pick up [[Power-Ups]] where the effect is decided through [[Randomness]].
 The use of [[Randomness]] can limit the influence of [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] but is usual only interesting if the facilitation is done by other humans. A special case when this is more likely to be interesting is in roleplaying games (such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]] or [[GURPS]]), since the [[Game Masters]] there wield life and death powers over the [[Player Characters]] and is in some sense a player also. [[Randomness]] can of course due to its unpredictability kill [[Player Characters]] when neither [[Game Masters]] nor players wish this to occur; [[Fudged Results]] offer an escape from this.
@@ Line 151: / Line 151: @@
 [[Predetermined Story Structures]],
 [[Predictable Winner]],
-[[Strategic Planning]]
+[[Strategic Planning]],
 == History ==