Spawning - Revision history

Staffan Björk at 09:21, 21 September 2016

2016-09-21T09:21:43Z

Staffan Björk at 13:30, 21 August 2015

2015-08-21T13:30:55Z

Staffan Björk at 12:06, 31 July 2015

2015-07-31T12:06:46Z

Staffan Björk at 12:29, 21 February 2012

2012-02-21T12:29:06Z

Staffan Björk at 14:01, 14 November 2011

2011-11-14T14:01:12Z

Staffan Björk at 12:56, 4 September 2011

2011-09-04T12:56:19Z

Staffan Björk: /* Using the pattern */

2011-08-09T21:49:14Z

‎Using the pattern

Staffan Björk at 10:57, 6 August 2011

2011-08-06T10:57:30Z

Staffan Björk at 07:44, 17 July 2011

2011-07-17T07:44:45Z

Staffan Björk at 12:35, 12 July 2011

2011-07-12T12:35:35Z

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 The arcade game [[Gauntlet]] let players enter ongoing games by being spawned into locations near the other players. It also has game objects that spawn monsters which players can destroy. [[Minecraft]] also has such objects, called ''Monster Spawners'', but monsters may actually spawn in from any opaque blocks in full or partial darkness. Dying in [[Minecraft]] also results in [[Spawning]], but at the same location every time one dies. Players of [[Torchlight]] have three options when their characters die: [[Spawning]] at the point of death but with a loss of money and experience points, [[Spawning]] at the start of the level and only losing money, or [[Spawning]] at the town without losing anything.
-Many [[:Category:FPS Games|First-Person Shooters]] make use of [[Spawning]], either to provide enemies to players or to let players reenter the game after being killed by other players. [[Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory]] and the [[Battlefield series]] move the places where players can spawn as battle fronts move while the [[Quake series|Quake]] and [[Unreal Tournament series]] have more random [[Spawning]]; this is also the case for the "special" infected in multiplayer games in the [[Left 4 Dead series]].
+Many [[:Category:FPS Games|First-Person Shooters]] make use of [[Spawning]], either to provide [[Enemies]] to players or to let players reenter the game after being killed by other players. [[Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory]] and the [[Battlefield series]] move the places where players can spawn as battle fronts move while the [[Quake series|Quake]] and [[Unreal Tournament series]] have more random [[Spawning]]; this is also the case for the "special" infected in multiplayer games in the [[Left 4 Dead series]].
 == Using the pattern ==
-[[Spawning]] of game elements controlled by players, most often [[Avatars]], are either used to effect the initial set up of a game environment, to let them enter new [[Levels]], or to revive their game elements as part of [[Death Consequences]] (the use of [[Lives]] and [[Life Penalties]] practically requires [[Spawning]] to be present in a game). [[Spawning]] can also be used to introduce [[Enemies]], [[Resources]], and [[Game Items]] such as [[Installations]] and [[Vehicles]] into [[Game Worlds]] during gameplay, including reintroducing [[Destructible Objects]] after they have been destroyed. A general choice regarding [[Spawning]] which is independent of these reasons are if the [[Spawning]] can occur anywhere or if it is restricted to specific [[Spawn Points]]. A special location in relation to this exists when the [[Spawning]] is tied to [[Death Consequences]]: players' [[Avatars]] may respawn at their point of death. While this somewhat reduced how noticeable the pattern is, it may provides continuation but at the expense of potentially causing immediate problems again since the death causes may still be present. Even if [[Avatars]] are not respawned where they died, this location can still be interesting to return to if [[Equipment]] has been dropped there as a consequence of the deaths (see [[Minecraft]] for an example of this).
+[[Spawning]] of game elements controlled by players, most often [[Avatars]], are either used to effect the initial set up of a game environment, to let them enter new [[Levels]], or to revive their game elements as part of [[Death Consequences]] (the use of [[Lives]] and [[Life Penalties]] practically requires [[Spawning]] to be present in a game). [[Spawning]] can also be used to introduce [[Enemies]], [[Resources]], and [[Game Items]] such as [[Installations]] and [[Vehicles]] into [[Game Worlds]] during gameplay, including reintroducing [[Destructible Objects]] after they have been destroyed. In games where [[Enemies]] spawn, [[Difficulty Levels]] can modify how often this occurs and what [[Enemies]] spawn. A general choice regarding [[Spawning]] which is independent of these reasons are if the [[Spawning]] can occur anywhere or if it is restricted to specific [[Spawn Points]]. A special location in relation to this exists when the [[Spawning]] is tied to [[Death Consequences]]: players' [[Avatars]] may respawn at their point of death. While this somewhat reduced how noticeable the pattern is, it may provides continuation but at the expense of potentially causing immediate problems again since the death causes may still be present. Even if [[Avatars]] are not respawned where they died, this location can still be interesting to return to if [[Equipment]] has been dropped there as a consequence of the deaths (see [[Minecraft]] for an example of this).
 Besides where [[Spawning]] occurs the design of [[Spawning]] is most often a question of [[Player Balance]]. One issue related to this is that players typically are disadvantaged when [[Spawning]]. This may be from other [[Penalties]] due to the same [[Death Consequences]] that caused the [[Spawning]] or due to players simply lacking a proper [[Game State Overviews]] directly after [[Spawning]]. Several design options exist that can help [[Spawning]] players through providing [[Balancing Effects]]: letting them have [[Invulnerabilities]] as [[Temporary Abilities]], making [[Camping]] around [[Spawn Points]] impossible (for example through [[Safe Havens]]), or letting them purchase or otherwise receive [[Tools]] to ensure a certain level of preparedness. Letting players have several [[Spawn Points]] to choose from is another possibility, and gives players a [[Freedom of Choice]] to make [[Risk/Reward]] of where to spawn as well as take into consideration nearby [[Strategic Locations]]. The design choices may of course also be appropriate for other types of [[Spawning]] besides that of [[Spawning]] players' [[Avatars]].
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 === Can Be Modulated By ===
 [[Balancing Effects]],
 [[Freedom of Choice]],
 [[Invulnerabilities]],

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 == Using the pattern ==
-[[Spawning]] of game elements controlled by players, most often [[Avatars]], are either used to effect the initial set up of a game environment, to let them enter new [[Levels]], or to revive their game elements as part of [[Death Consequences]] (the use of [[Lives]] practically requires [[Spawning]] to be present in a game). [[Spawning]] can also be used to introduce [[Enemies]], [[Resources]], and [[Game Items]] such as [[Installations]] and [[Vehicles]] into [[Game Worlds]] during gameplay, including reintroducing [[Destructible Objects]] after they have been destroyed. A general choice regarding [[Spawning]] which is independent of these reasons are if the [[Spawning]] can occur anywhere or if it is restricted to specific [[Spawn Points]]. A special location in relation to this exists when the [[Spawning]] is tied to [[Death Consequences]]: players' [[Avatars]] may respawn at their point of death. While this somewhat reduced how noticeable the pattern is, it may provides continuation but at the expense of potentially causing immediate problems again since the death causes may still be present. Even if [[Avatars]] are not respawned where they died, this location can still be interesting to return to if [[Equipment]] has been dropped there as a consequence of the deaths (see [[Minecraft]] for an example of this).
+[[Spawning]] of game elements controlled by players, most often [[Avatars]], are either used to effect the initial set up of a game environment, to let them enter new [[Levels]], or to revive their game elements as part of [[Death Consequences]] (the use of [[Lives]] and [[Life Penalties]] practically requires [[Spawning]] to be present in a game). [[Spawning]] can also be used to introduce [[Enemies]], [[Resources]], and [[Game Items]] such as [[Installations]] and [[Vehicles]] into [[Game Worlds]] during gameplay, including reintroducing [[Destructible Objects]] after they have been destroyed. A general choice regarding [[Spawning]] which is independent of these reasons are if the [[Spawning]] can occur anywhere or if it is restricted to specific [[Spawn Points]]. A special location in relation to this exists when the [[Spawning]] is tied to [[Death Consequences]]: players' [[Avatars]] may respawn at their point of death. While this somewhat reduced how noticeable the pattern is, it may provides continuation but at the expense of potentially causing immediate problems again since the death causes may still be present. Even if [[Avatars]] are not respawned where they died, this location can still be interesting to return to if [[Equipment]] has been dropped there as a consequence of the deaths (see [[Minecraft]] for an example of this).
 Besides where [[Spawning]] occurs the design of [[Spawning]] is most often a question of [[Player Balance]]. One issue related to this is that players typically are disadvantaged when [[Spawning]]. This may be from other [[Penalties]] due to the same [[Death Consequences]] that caused the [[Spawning]] or due to players simply lacking a proper [[Game State Overviews]] directly after [[Spawning]]. Several design options exist that can help [[Spawning]] players through providing [[Balancing Effects]]: letting them have [[Invulnerabilities]] as [[Temporary Abilities]], making [[Camping]] around [[Spawn Points]] impossible (for example through [[Safe Havens]]), or letting them purchase or otherwise receive [[Tools]] to ensure a certain level of preparedness. Letting players have several [[Spawn Points]] to choose from is another possibility, and gives players a [[Freedom of Choice]] to make [[Risk/Reward]] of where to spawn as well as take into consideration nearby [[Strategic Locations]]. The design choices may of course also be appropriate for other types of [[Spawning]] besides that of [[Spawning]] players' [[Avatars]].
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 === Can Be Instantiated By ===
 [[Death Consequences]],
 [[Lives]],
 [[Producers]],

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 Since [[Spawning]] introduces some type of [[Resources|Resource]], it is difficult to combine with [[Steadily Decreasing Resources]]. An exception is when the actual [[Spawning]] uses up a [[Resources|Resource]], as for example how "ticks" are used in the [[Battlefield series]] when players spawn.
 == Relations ==
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 [[Steadily Decreasing Resources]],
 [[Thematic Consistency]]
 == History ==

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 == Consequences ==
-[[Spawning]] can most often be seen as [[Game Element Insertion]] by abstract [[Producers]] into [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]], and is often done at specific [[Spawn Points]]. It gives game designs a way of avoiding [[Player Elimination]] (as well as [[Early Elimination]] and [[Team Elimination]]) while having still having [[Player Killing]] in [[Multiplayer Games]], and also allowing an easy solution to introduce [[Late Arriving Players]]. [[Spawning]] are often associated with [[Ability Losses]] and [[Downtime]] from the players' perspective when they occur as part of [[Death Consequences]] since players can first notice the [[Ability Losses]] and the lost gameplay opportunities when they have spawned.
+[[Spawning]] can most often be seen as [[Game Element Insertion]] by abstract [[Producers]] into [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]], and is often done at specific [[Spawn Points]]. It gives game designs a way of avoiding [[Player Elimination]] (as well as [[Early Elimination]] and [[Team Elimination]]) while having still having [[Player Killing]] in [[Multiplayer Games]], and also allowing an easy solution to introduce [[Late Arriving Players]]. The latter can provide a basic functionality for [[Interruptibility]] since it makes it easier to re-introduce players after being away from gameplay. [[Spawning]] are often associated with [[Ability Losses]] and [[Downtime]] from the players' perspective when they occur as part of [[Death Consequences]] since players can first notice the [[Ability Losses]] and the lost gameplay opportunities when they have spawned.
 Since [[Spawning]] introduces some type of [[Resources|Resource]], it is difficult to combine with [[Steadily Decreasing Resources]]. An exception is when the actual [[Spawning]] uses up a [[Resources|Resource]], as for example how "ticks" are used in the [[Battlefield series]] when players spawn.
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 [[Downtime]],
 [[Game Element Insertion]],
 [[Renewable Resources]],
 [[Tick-Based Games]]

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 == Consequences ==
 [[Spawning]] can most often be seen as [[Game Element Insertion]] by abstract [[Producers]] into [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]], and is often done at specific [[Spawn Points]]. It gives game designs a way of avoiding [[Player Elimination]] (as well as [[Early Elimination]] and [[Team Elimination]]) while having still having [[Player Killing]] in [[Multiplayer Games]], and also allowing an easy solution to introduce [[Late Arriving Players]]. [[Spawning]] are often associated with [[Ability Losses]] and [[Downtime]] from the players' perspective when they occur as part of [[Death Consequences]] since players can first notice the [[Ability Losses]] and the lost gameplay opportunities when they have spawned.
 == Relations ==
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 === Potentially Conflicting With ===
 [[Thematic Consistency]]

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 [[Spawning]] of game elements controlled by players, most often [[Avatars]], are either used to effect the initial set up of a game environment, to let them enter new [[Levels]], or to revive their game elements as part of [[Death Consequences]] (the use of [[Lives]] practically requires [[Spawning]] to be present in a game). [[Spawning]] can also be used to introduce [[Enemies]], [[Resources]], and [[Game Items]] such as [[Installations]] and [[Vehicles]] into [[Game Worlds]] during gameplay. A general choice regarding [[Spawning]] which is independent of these reasons are if the [[Spawning]] can occur anywhere or if it is restricted to specific [[Spawn Points]]. A special location in relation to this exists when the [[Spawning]] is tied to [[Death Consequences]]: players' [[Avatars]] may respawn at their point of death. While this somewhat reduced how noticeable the pattern is, it may provides continuation but at the expense of potentially causing immediate problems again since the death causes may still be present. Even if [[Avatars]] are not respawned where they died, this location can still be interesting to return to if [[Equipment]] has been dropped there as a consequence of the deaths (see [[Minecraft]] for an example of this).
-Besides where [[Spawning]] occurs the design of [[Spawning]] is most often a question of [[Player Balance]]. One issue related to this is that players typically are disadvantaged when [[Spawning]]. This may be from other [[Penalties]] due to the same [[Death Consequences]] that caused the [[Spawning]] or due to players simply lacking a proper [[Game State Overview]s] directly after [[Spawning]]. Several design options exist that can help [[Spawning]] players through providing [[Balancing Effects]]: letting them have [[Invulnerabilities]] as [[Temporary Abilities]], making [[Camping]] around [[Spawn Points]] impossible (for example through [[Safe Havens]]), or letting them purchase or otherwise receive [[Tools]] to ensure a certain level of preparedness. Letting players have several [[Spawn Points]] to choose from is another possibility, and gives players a [[Freedom of Choice]] to make [[Risk/Reward]] of where to spawn as well as take into consideration nearby [[Strategic Locations]]. The design choices may of course also be appropriate for other types of [[Spawning]] besides that of [[Spawning]] players' [[Avatars]].
+Besides where [[Spawning]] occurs the design of [[Spawning]] is most often a question of [[Player Balance]]. One issue related to this is that players typically are disadvantaged when [[Spawning]]. This may be from other [[Penalties]] due to the same [[Death Consequences]] that caused the [[Spawning]] or due to players simply lacking a proper [[Game State Overviews]] directly after [[Spawning]]. Several design options exist that can help [[Spawning]] players through providing [[Balancing Effects]]: letting them have [[Invulnerabilities]] as [[Temporary Abilities]], making [[Camping]] around [[Spawn Points]] impossible (for example through [[Safe Havens]]), or letting them purchase or otherwise receive [[Tools]] to ensure a certain level of preparedness. Letting players have several [[Spawn Points]] to choose from is another possibility, and gives players a [[Freedom of Choice]] to make [[Risk/Reward]] of where to spawn as well as take into consideration nearby [[Strategic Locations]]. The design choices may of course also be appropriate for other types of [[Spawning]] besides that of [[Spawning]] players' [[Avatars]].
 While [[Downtime]] can be experienced as part of other [[Death Consequences]] combined with [[Spawning]], the actual [[Spawning]] action can force players to have [[Downtime]]. This is not only a [[Penalties|Penalty]] (especially when combined with [[Invulnerabilities]]) since it can let or force players to observe their new environments before beginning to take actions.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:44, 17 July 2011
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−	~~[[Category:Staffan's current workpage]]~~
	[[Category:Patterns]]		[[Category:Patterns]]
	[[Category:Level Design Patterns]]		[[Category:Level Design Patterns]]

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 [[Category:Patterns]]
 [[Category:Level Design Patterns]]
 [[Category:Needs revision]]
 [[Category:Needs references]]
 ''The event of avatars, units, or other game elements entering game worlds.''
-All games where new game elements appear in game worlds during gameplay must provide means by which these game elements are introduced. [[Spawning]] is one of the common ways of doing this and simply places the game elements in the game environment; letting it be able to do actions and be affected by actions in the game world.
+All games where new game elements appear in game worlds during gameplay must provide means by which these game elements are introduced. [[Spawning]] is one of the common ways of doing this and simply places game elements in the game environment; letting them be able to do actions in the game world and letting them be affected by actions in the game world.
 === Examples ===
@@ Line 24: / Line 20: @@
 [[Spawning]] of game elements controlled by players, most often [[Avatars]], are either used to effect the initial set up of a game environment, to let them enter new [[Levels]], or to revive their game elements as part of [[Death Consequences]] (the use of [[Lives]] practically requires [[Spawning]] to be present in a game). [[Spawning]] can also be used to introduce [[Enemies]], [[Resources]], and [[Game Items]] such as [[Installations]] and [[Vehicles]] into [[Game Worlds]] during gameplay. A general choice regarding [[Spawning]] which is independent of these reasons are if the [[Spawning]] can occur anywhere or if it is restricted to specific [[Spawn Points]]. A special location in relation to this exists when the [[Spawning]] is tied to [[Death Consequences]]: players' [[Avatars]] may respawn at their point of death. While this somewhat reduced how noticeable the pattern is, it may provides continuation but at the expense of potentially causing immediate problems again since the death causes may still be present. Even if [[Avatars]] are not respawned where they died, this location can still be interesting to return to if [[Equipment]] has been dropped there as a consequence of the deaths (see [[Minecraft]] for an example of this).
-Besides where [[Spawning]] occurs the design of [[Spawning]] is most often a question of [[Player Balance]]. One issue related to this is that players typically are disadvantaged when [[Spawning]]. This may be from other [[Penalties]] due to the same [[Death Consequences]] that caused the [[Spawning]] or due to players simply lacking a proper [[Game State Overview]] directly after [[Spawning]]. Several design options exist that can help [[Spawning]] players through providing [[Balancing Effects]]: letting them have have [[Invulnerabilities]] as [[Temporary Abilities]], making [[Camping]] around [[Spawn Points]] impossible (for example through [[Safe Havens]]), or letting them purchase or otherwise receive [[Tools]] to ensure a certain level of preparedness. Letting players have several [[Spawn Points]] to choose from is another possibility, and gives players a [[Freedom of Choice]] to make [[Risk/Reward]] of where to spawn as well as take into consideration nearby [[Strategic Locations]]. The design choices may of course also be appropriate for other types of [[Spawning]] besides that of [[Spawning]] players' [[Avatars]].
+Besides where [[Spawning]] occurs the design of [[Spawning]] is most often a question of [[Player Balance]]. One issue related to this is that players typically are disadvantaged when [[Spawning]]. This may be from other [[Penalties]] due to the same [[Death Consequences]] that caused the [[Spawning]] or due to players simply lacking a proper [[Game State Overview]] directly after [[Spawning]]. Several design options exist that can help [[Spawning]] players through providing [[Balancing Effects]]: letting them have [[Invulnerabilities]] as [[Temporary Abilities]], making [[Camping]] around [[Spawn Points]] impossible (for example through [[Safe Havens]]), or letting them purchase or otherwise receive [[Tools]] to ensure a certain level of preparedness. Letting players have several [[Spawn Points]] to choose from is another possibility, and gives players a [[Freedom of Choice]] to make [[Risk/Reward]] of where to spawn as well as take into consideration nearby [[Strategic Locations]]. The design choices may of course also be appropriate for other types of [[Spawning]] besides that of [[Spawning]] players' [[Avatars]].
 While [[Downtime]] can be experienced as part of other [[Death Consequences]] combined with [[Spawning]], the actual [[Spawning]] action can force players to have [[Downtime]]. This is not only a [[Penalties|Penalty]] (especially when combined with [[Invulnerabilities]]) since it can let or force players to observe their new environments before beginning to take actions.
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 === Diegetic Aspects ===
-Except for [[Alternative Realities]] which have teleportation as a feature, [[Spawning]] is rarely easy to explain within a [[Thematic Consistency]]. A weak solution is arrivals from [[Inaccessible Areas]] but for this case the question why one cannot enter the [[Inaccessible Areas]] if one can leave them may instead break the [[Thematic Consistency]].
+Except for [[Alternative Realities]] which have teleportation as a feature, [[Spawning]] is rarely easy to explain within a [[Thematic Consistency]]. A weak solution is arrivals from [[Inaccessible Areas]] but this may instead raise the question why one cannot enter the Inaccessible Areas if one can leave them
 === Interface Aspects ===
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 === Narrative Aspects ===
-[[Spawning]] can be used to move the focus of gameplay so that it advances [[Predetermined Story Structures]]. This is mainly done after major [[Irreversible Events]] such as completing important goals or [[Quests]] have led to [[Cut Scenes]] and players after this need to be positioned in new places in the [[Game Worlds]]. Another example of how [[Spawning]] can focus players attention as part of telling a story is the appearance of new [[Boss Monsters]] - due to the nature of [[Spawning]] this is typically in the form of summoning some unearthly creature.
+[[Spawning]] can be used to move the focus of gameplay so that it advances [[Predetermined Story Structures]]. This is mainly done after major [[Irreversible Events]] such as completing important goals or [[Quests]] have led to [[Cut Scenes]] and players after this need to be positioned in new places in the [[Game Worlds]]. Another example of how [[Spawning]] can focus players' attention as part of telling a story is the appearance of new [[Boss Monsters]] - due to the nature of [[Spawning]] this is typically in the form of summoning some unearthly creature.
 == Consequences ==