Self-Facilitated Games - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 19:27, 31 July 2015

2015-07-31T19:27:38Z

Staffan Björk at 18:58, 31 July 2015

2015-07-31T18:58:00Z

Staffan Björk at 18:49, 31 July 2015

2015-07-31T18:49:48Z

Staffan Björk at 15:00, 17 July 2015

2015-07-17T15:00:14Z

Staffan Björk at 09:10, 17 July 2015

2015-07-17T09:10:49Z

Staffan Björk at 11:14, 20 December 2014

2014-12-20T11:14:15Z

Staffan Björk at 16:55, 9 September 2014

2014-09-09T16:55:30Z

Staffan Björk: /* Narrative Aspects */

2014-07-13T18:32:58Z

‎Narrative Aspects

Staffan Björk: /* Potentially Conflicting With */

2014-07-09T17:24:25Z

‎Potentially Conflicting With

Staffan Björk at 09:37, 22 June 2014

2014-06-22T09:37:58Z

@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 === Can Modulate ===
-[[Massively Multiplayer Online Games]]
+[[Massively Multiplayer Online Games]],
 === Can Be Instantiated By ===

@@ Line 67: / Line 67: @@
 [[Storytelling]],
 [[Synchronous Gameplay]]
 ==== with [[Betting]] ====
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 ==== with [[Meta Games]] and [[Time Limited Game Instances]] ====
 [[Negotiable Game Instance Duration]]
 === Can Modulate ===

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 It is unavoidable that [[Self-Facilitated Games]] give players some [[Excise]], especially in games with many game elements like the [[Units]]-rich game such as [[Warhammer 40K]] or those requiring the players to calculate the actions of [[AI Players]] or [[Game System Player]]. At the same time they get the [[Empowerment]] in the form of [[Social Adaptability]] which can be used to control the gameplay, e.g. to create [[Negotiable Play Sessions]] as well as [[Negotiable Game Sessions]]. This also makes the games have [[Minimalized Social Weight]] since players can interrupt gameplay (or [[Excise]]) at any time to have [[Social Interaction]]. [[Self-Facilitated Games]] tend to be designed to have [[Synchronous Gameplay]]. This to ease communication regarding the issues just mentioned as well as balancing [[Excise]] between players and letting players supervise each other to avoid errors in following rules or cheating.
-Since players need to interpret the rules and outcomes together through [[Negotiation]], rule arguments are likely in [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. However, it also allows them to have [[Player Decided Rule Setup]] and [[Evolving Rule Sets]] (especially those with human [[Game Masters]]), potentially helping create [[Player Balance|Player]] and [[Team Balance]] through improvised [[Handicap Systems]]. Reaching consensus about outcomes in game instances where [[Extra-Game Consequences]] such as monetary rewards or [[Game-Based Social Statuses]] are at stake can however be difficult. For this reason, many games that are self-facilitated normally have judges in [[Tournaments]] of the game or when [[Betting]] is involved. [[:Category:Sports|Sports]] are examples of [[Real-Time Games]] with [[Synchronous Gameplay]] that are [[Self-Facilitated Games]] where judges are especially common since rule interpretation depends on physical actions in the real world.
+Since players need to interpret the rules and outcomes together through [[Negotiation]], rule arguments are likely in [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. However, it also allows them to have [[Player Decided Rule Setup]] and [[Evolving Rule Sets]] (especially those with human [[Game Masters]]), potentially helping create [[Player Balance|Player]] and [[Team Balance]] through improvised [[Handicap Systems]] in games with [[PvP]] and [[TvT]] gameplay respectively. Reaching consensus about outcomes in game instances where [[Extra-Game Consequences]] such as monetary rewards or [[Game-Based Social Statuses]] are at stake can however be difficult. For this reason, many games that are self-facilitated normally have judges in [[Tournaments]] of the game or when [[Betting]] is involved. [[:Category:Sports|Sports]] are examples of [[Real-Time Games]] with [[Synchronous Gameplay]] that are [[Self-Facilitated Games]] where judges are especially common since rule interpretation depends on physical actions in the real world.
 [[Self-Facilitated Games]] allow players [[Free Game Element Manipulation]]. One aspect of this is the [[Freedom of Choice]] to modify rules, and especially the game state. This makes it possible to improvise so that [[Late Arriving Players]] or even [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]] can work, at least for those not heavily focused on [[PvP]] or [[Competition]] (it is least problematic for [[Unwinnable Games]] or those with [[Never Ending Stories]] which typically include [[Roleplaying]] games). Another aspect is the possibility to allow inexperienced players to have [[Extra Chances]] to redo basic mistakes - this can support [[Smooth Learning Curves]]. In contrast, [[Self-Facilitated Games]] can enforce [[Player Kicking]] of those players that behave socially unacceptable according to the other players.
@@ Line 60: / Line 60: @@
 [[Negotiable Play Sessions]],
 [[Negotiation]],
-[[Never Ending Stories]], [[Player Balance]],
+[[Never Ending Stories]],
 [[Player Kicking]],
 [[Sanctioned Cheating]],
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 [[Social Interaction]],
 [[Storytelling]],
-[[Synchronous Gameplay]],
+[[Synchronous Gameplay]]
 [[Team Balance]]
 ==== with [[Betting]] ====

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 In one sense all games can be [[Self-Facilitated Games]] since players can add to the game design by adding personal goals to the game but in many cases players can also modify the games as well. Alternatively, one can say that all games offer the starting point for players to create new [[Self-Facilitated Games]] based on these. This can sometimes be seen as [[Sanctioned Cheating]], the players breaking some rules with the sanction of the other players to make a more enjoyable experience for all.
-Games that are design to be [[Self-Facilitated Games]] requires the will of the players to uphold the game state and the game rules, the latter which can be seen as requiring [[Strategic Knowledge]]. The [[Memorizing]] this demands can be made easier in a number of ways: the rules of the game can be made as explicit and deterministic so that any player can perform them while the others watch; [[Turn Taking]] in [[Turn-Based Games]] can be used so that only one player at a time performs actions and the others can check the correctness of the actions; and [[Bookkeeping Tokens]] can be used to minimize the amount of the game state that has to be remembered by all players.
+Games that are design to be [[Self-Facilitated Games]] requires the will of the players to uphold the game state and the game rules, the latter which can be seen as requiring [[Strategic Knowledge]]. The [[Memorizing]] this demands can be made easier in a number of ways: the rules of the game can be made as explicit and deterministic so that any player can perform them while the others watch; [[Turn Taking]] in [[Turn-Based Games]] can be used so that only one player at a time performs actions and the others can check the correctness of the actions; and [[Bookkeeping Tokens]] such as [[Current Player Tokens]] and [[First Player Tokens]] can be used to minimize the amount of the game state that has to be remembered by all players.
 Another aspect of [[Self-Facilitated Games]] is that players may have to do the evaluating of the game state in order to know which events should take place. This is trivial in games with digital game state (such as [[Chess]], [[Go]], and [[Risk]]) but for example more difficult in traditional physical [[:Category:Sports|Sports]]. Even so, this may be better than using sensing technologies when these are undependable or have limitations in where they can be used - [[Self-Reported Positioning]] is a way to have [[Self-Facilitated Games]] that rely on [[Player-Location Proximity]] even if one does not have technology that meets the requirements of precision (given that one is willing to sacrifice reliability of accurate values).
@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 [[AI Players]],
 [[Bookkeeping Tokens]],
 [[Game Masters]],
 [[Game Servers]],

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 == Consequences ==
-It is unavoidable that [[Self-Facilitated Games]] give players some [[Excise]], especially in games with many game elements like the [[Units]]-rich game such as [[Warhammer 40K]] or those requiring the players to calculate the actions of [[AI Players]] or [[Game System Player]]. At the same time they get the [[Empowerment]] in the form of [[Social Adaptability]] which can be used to control the gameplay, e.g. to create [[Negotiable Play Sessions]] as well as [[Negotiable Game Sessions]]. This also makes the games have [[Minimalized Social Weight]] since players can interrupt gameplay (or [[Excise]]) at any time to have [[Social Interaction]].
+It is unavoidable that [[Self-Facilitated Games]] give players some [[Excise]], especially in games with many game elements like the [[Units]]-rich game such as [[Warhammer 40K]] or those requiring the players to calculate the actions of [[AI Players]] or [[Game System Player]]. At the same time they get the [[Empowerment]] in the form of [[Social Adaptability]] which can be used to control the gameplay, e.g. to create [[Negotiable Play Sessions]] as well as [[Negotiable Game Sessions]]. This also makes the games have [[Minimalized Social Weight]] since players can interrupt gameplay (or [[Excise]]) at any time to have [[Social Interaction]]. [[Self-Facilitated Games]] tend to be designed to have [[Synchronous Gameplay]]. This to ease communication regarding the issues just mentioned as well as balancing [[Excise]] between players and letting players supervise each other to avoid errors in following rules or cheating.
 Since players need to interpret the rules and outcomes together through [[Negotiation]], rule arguments are likely in [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. However, it also allows them to have [[Player Decided Rule Setup]] and [[Evolving Rule Sets]] (especially those with human [[Game Masters]]), potentially helping create [[Player Balance|Player]] and [[Team Balance]] through improvised [[Handicap Systems]]. Reaching consensus about outcomes in game instances where [[Extra-Game Consequences]] such as monetary rewards or [[Game-Based Social Statuses]] are at stake can however be difficult. For this reason, many games that are self-facilitated normally have judges in [[Tournaments]] of the game or when [[Betting]] is involved. [[:Category:Sports|Sports]] are examples of [[Real-Time Games]] with [[Synchronous Gameplay]] that are [[Self-Facilitated Games]] where judges are especially common since rule interpretation depends on physical actions in the real world.
@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 [[Social Adaptability]],
 [[Social Interaction]],
-[[Storytelling]], [[Team Balance]]
+[[Storytelling]],
 ==== with [[Betting]] ====

@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 === Narrative Aspects ===
-[[Self-Facilitated Games]], especially if they have human [[Game Masters]], can easily support [[Never Ending Stories]] since they have people available to change expand the [[Narration Structures]] as gameplay progresses. Although [[Storytelling]] can emerge from [[Self-Facilitated Games]], as for example the story-telling game [[Once Upon a Time]], these games have difficulties having supporting [[Predetermined Story Structures]] that have [[Tension]] or [[Surprises]] due to problems of timing. There does not have to be a problem creating [[Emotional Attachment]] though, the creation of narratives through [[Storytelling]] in [[Player Constructed Worlds]] are often an important reason for wanting to participate in these games, especially if this is combined with using [[Player Characters]].
+[[Self-Facilitated Games]], especially if they have human [[Game Masters]], can easily support [[Never Ending Stories]] since they have people available to change expand the [[Narration Structures]] as gameplay progresses. Although [[Storytelling]] can emerge from [[Self-Facilitated Games]], as for example the story-telling game [[Once Upon a Time]], these games have difficulties having supporting [[Predetermined Story Structures]] that have [[Tension]] or [[Surprises]] due to problems of timing. There does not have to be a problem creating [[Emotional Engrossment]] though, the creation of narratives through [[Storytelling]] in [[Player Constructed Worlds]] are often an important reason for wanting to participate in these games, especially if this is combined with using [[Player Characters]].
 == Consequences ==

@@ Line 102: / Line 102: @@
 [[Diegetic Consistency]],
 [[Game Servers]],
 [[The Show Must Go On]],
 [[Thematic Consistency]],

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 Another aspect of [[Self-Facilitated Games]] is that players may have to do the evaluating of the game state in order to know which events should take place. This is trivial in games with digital game state (such as [[Chess]], [[Go]], and [[Risk]]) but for example more difficult in traditional physical [[:Category:Sports|Sports]]. Even so, this may be better than using sensing technologies when these are undependable or have limitations in where they can be used - [[Self-Reported Positioning]] is a way to have [[Self-Facilitated Games]] that rely on [[Player-Location Proximity]] even if one does not have technology that meets the requirements of precision (given that one is willing to sacrifice reliability of accurate values).
-Players do not have to do all work involved in facilitating [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. Computer systems may support or even handle the main update routines (as for early [[Massively Multiplayer Online Games]], MUDs, such as [[Kingdoms]] or [[DragonMud]]) but as long as at least some players have [[Privileged Abilities]] to modify the game state or change it through [[Evolving Rule Sets]] the games can be considered [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. Other types of [[Privileged Abilities]] are possible, e.g. handling the bank's money in [[Monopoly]] or being temporary judges. [[Game Masters]] of [[Roleplaying]] games such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]] or [[Paranoia]] are [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] where the facilitators can still be perceived as players with [[Privileged Abilities]] since some of their activities are similar to those of players, e.g. controlling [[Non-Player Characters]] as players control [[Player Characters]]. By doing this, and have the same freedom to introduce, modify, or ignore rules that players of purely [[Self-Facilitated Games]] have, the use of human [[Game Masters]] show how in this special case [[Self-Facilitated Games]] and [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] can be combined. The [[Privileged Abilities]] some people of [[Self-Facilitated Games]] have, as well as the [[Investments]] they do to run [[Self-Facilitated Games]], can give them [[Game-Based Social Statuses]].
+Players do not have to do all work involved in facilitating [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. [[Game Servers]] may support or even handle the main update routines (as for early [[Massively Multiplayer Online Games]], MUDs, such as [[Kingdoms]] or [[DragonMud]]) but as long as at least some players have [[Privileged Abilities]] to modify the game state or change it through [[Evolving Rule Sets]] the games can be considered [[Self-Facilitated Games]]. Other types of [[Privileged Abilities]] are possible, e.g. handling the bank's money in [[Monopoly]] or being temporary judges. [[Game Masters]] of [[Roleplaying]] games such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]] or [[Paranoia]] are [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] where the facilitators can still be perceived as players with [[Privileged Abilities]] since some of their activities are similar to those of players, e.g. controlling [[Non-Player Characters]] as players control [[Player Characters]]. By doing this, and have the same freedom to introduce, modify, or ignore rules that players of purely [[Self-Facilitated Games]] have, the use of human [[Game Masters]] show how in this special case [[Self-Facilitated Games]] and [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] can be combined. The [[Privileged Abilities]] some people of [[Self-Facilitated Games]] have, as well as the [[Investments]] they do to run [[Self-Facilitated Games]], can give them [[Game-Based Social Statuses]].
 Practically any game can be the basis for a [[Meta Games|Meta Game]] based on [[Betting]] or [[Tournaments]] which is facilitated by the players themselves. [[Handicap Achievements]] is one of the few patterns which adds an aspect of being a [[Self-Facilitated Games|Self-Facilitated Game]] to one that is not - this since it makes players willingly take upon themselves to behave in a certain restricted way without the game itself penalizing them if they fail with this.
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 Games that can be set up in various ways, e.g. [[Configurable Gameplay Areas]] for games with [[Real World Gameplay Spaces]], make players of [[Self-Facilitated Games]] also have a [[Freedom of Choice]] on how the game should be played. This provides such game design with a specific form of [[Social Adaptability]] concerning the gameplay space. A specific case of this happens in the [[Self-Facilitated Games]] that are [[Meta Games]] built upon games with [[Time Limited Game Instances]]; here players have [[Negotiable Game Instance Duration]] of the [[Meta Games|Meta Game]] since a potential stopping point exists after each inner game ends.
-[[Self-Facilitated Games]] do not make use of [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] with the exception of when one considered human [[Game Masters]] as part of the people playing the game. Players may replace any results with [[Player Decided Results]] in [[Self-Facilitated Games]] and these [[Fudged Results]] can make it difficult to enforce [[Ultra-Powerful Events]]. Likewise, [[Time Limits]] are harder to enforce and especially events based upon [[The Show Must Go On]].
+[[Self-Facilitated Games]] do not make use of [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] with the exception of when one considered human [[Game Masters]] as part of the people playing the game. [[Game Servers]] can for this reason be problematic to use together with the pattern unless they are created so they simulate an environment for manipulating the game elements of the game rather than implement the rules of the game.
-For [[Self-Facilitated Games]] which needs [[Effect Descriptions]] or [[Storytelling]] will create [[Cutscenes]] when these are done as the players become occupied with the activity. Since the game rules cannot enforce how these are performed, neither [[Diegetic Consistency|Diegetic]] nor [[Thematic Consistency]] from the designers' point of view can be guaranteed.
+In [[Self-Facilitated Games]], Players may replace any results with [[Player Decided Results]] in [[Self-Facilitated Games]] and these [[Fudged Results]] can make it difficult to enforce [[Ultra-Powerful Events]]. Likewise, [[Time Limits]] are harder to enforce and especially events based upon [[The Show Must Go On]]. For [[Self-Facilitated Games]] which needs [[Effect Descriptions]] or [[Storytelling]] will create [[Cutscenes]] when these are done as the players become occupied with the activity. Since the game rules cannot enforce how these are performed, neither [[Diegetic Consistency|Diegetic]] nor [[Thematic Consistency]] from the designers' point of view can be guaranteed.
 == Relations ==
@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
-[[Betting]], [[Handicap Achievements]], Humans,
+[[Betting]],
 [[Self-Reported Positioning]],
 [[Strategic Knowledge]], [[Tournaments]], [[Turn Taking]]
@@ Line 89: / Line 91: @@
 [[Bookkeeping Tokens]],
 [[Game Masters]],
 [[Memorizing]],
 [[Privileged Abilities]]
@@ Line 98: / Line 101: @@
 [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]],
 [[Diegetic Consistency]],
 [[The Show Must Go On]],
 [[Thematic Consistency]],