Difference between revisions of "Improved Abilities"

Revision as of 13:56, 23 June 2011

The event of abilities improving their efficiency.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Improved Abilities are not the physical or mental abilities of players; they are the effects of the game state upon the evaluation functions of actions.

Players can progress in games by having their actions effect on the Game World increase and by having greater chances of succeeding. When these chances or effects have improved, the players have received Improved Abilities and have greater chances of completing goals or otherwise influencing the game state.

Examples

Example: Tabletop roleplaying games often describe players' skill in an area with a value, and succeeding with the skill requires players to roll below the value with a die. Improvement of these skills is done simply by increasing the associated value.

Example: Chargers and power-ups in racing games often give vehicles a speed boost or raise the maximum speed possible without further affecting players' possible actions.

Fallout series Elder Scroll series

Torchlight

Dungeons & Dragons Basic Role-Playing Hârnmaster Mutant GURPS

Frag

Using the pattern

The design choices regarding Improved Abilities include what Abilities to improve, how much to improve them, when to improve them, and if players have a choice regarding this issues. The difference between New Abilities and Improved Abilities is often one of scale or perspective: are the abilities activated in the same fashion as before, do they affect the same parts of the game state, and are do games' Alternative Realities explain them as being different or the same? For example, does acquiring a new Weapon that does more Damage that a previous one represent a new or improved ability? This can be up to subjective opinion and for that reason it may be worthwhile to consider the options and consequences regarding New Abilities and Improved Abilities together when the distinction is not clear

Improved Abilities are often easier to explain within a Thematic Consistency than New Abilities, as the pattern can be instantiated as increases in Attributes, Powers, or Skills of Characters or Avatars - possibly through advances in Character Levels. For Abstract Player Constructs the introduction of Improved Abilities can also uses these explanations but New Abilities are as thematically plausible as improved ones. Equipment, Sets, Tools, Vehicles, and Weapons are all ways of giving Improved Abilities that are linked to the possession of Game Items and therefore fit Characters and Avatars well. The use of Ammunition in itself does not motivate Improved Abilities but can do so when several different varieties of Ammunition exists (as e.g. in the Fallout series). Items in Game Worlds that provide Improved Abilities can thematically be used on Units as well but may functionally be effects of Investments, unlocking parts of Technology Trees, or Upgrading. These latter solutions may also work well on Abstract Player Constructs. Controllers and Environmental Effects (the latter which may be defined by what Improved Abilities they give) do not make these Improved Abilities into Location-Fixed Abilities per se, but make the improvements location-fixed. What patterns are best suited to give Improved Abilities to Enemies depend on their nature (are they represented by Avatars, Characters, Units, or Abstract Player Constructs?).

Power-Ups and Chargers are common game elements used to provide temporary Improved Abilities with Time Limits, while Tools give improvements as long as they are carried. Another way to give players Improved Abilities is to make their actions require fewer Resources, thereby letting players make more efficient use of Limited Resources.

As a Balancing Effect, Diminishing Returns can be used to avoid letting players with powerful abilities more easily get Improved Abilities than other players. In the same way, New Abilities can be balanced by Ability Losses in other Competence Areas; game design can have Balancing Effects by linking Decreased Abilities in some areas to Improved Abilities in others.

Budgeted Action Points Movement Combat

Can Be Modulated By

Time Limits

Can Modulate

Factions, Power-Ups Freedom of Choice,

While Improved Abilities may disrupt player balance if given unchecked, Balancing Effects for them can easily be acquired by simultaneously making other Abilities into Decreased Abilities.

Interface Aspects

When players have a Freedom of Choice of which Abilities should be improved, this is often done outside gameplay time and supported through Secondary Interface Screens in computer-based games.

Narrative Aspects

Giving Improved Abilities to players (and their Enemies) is a common solution in game stories to allow Higher-Level Closures as Gameplay Progresses.

Consequences

Improved Abilities give players Empowerment by making the Abilities of Abstract Player Constructs, Avatars, or Characters more potent and can through this promote Competence Areas. The improvement is typically Rewards for completing Gain Competence goals or the acquisition of various types of Controllers, Equipment, Sets, Tools, or Vehicles as part of Gain Ownership goals. Gaining Improved Abilities create Supporting Goals as well, as they empower players to influence the game state and create Exaggerated Perception of Influence. When given before gameplay starts, Improved Abilities are a way of setting Difficulty Levels. Regardless of when they are given, Improved Abilities may go against Challenging Gameplay if given in too much abundance but when given by by others (including Dedicated Game Facilitators or impartial rule systems) they may function as Balancing Effects.

When Improved Abilities are applied to Enemies this can give Challenging Gameplay as well as create Boss Monsters. When applied both to players and Enemies, Improved Abilities can, like New Abilities, give rise to Red Queen Dilemmas. This can also occur when competing players can improve abilities during gameplay so that they are equally matched.

Like New Abilities, the improvement of Abilities is a form of Abstract Player Construct Development or Character Development that may give rise to Varied Gameplay and set up Paper-Rock-Scissors relations (although not as readily as New Abilities may do). When players' are given a Freedom of Choice to affect what Abilities are improved, these effects become more potent and can give rise to Player-Planned Development and the choices can represent Character Defining Actions. In games with Teams, the development also becomes Team Development, potentially with the additional effect of Orthogonal Differentiation.

Improved Abilities can create Tradeoffs when players have to choose between several different categories of Abilities to improve. In the case of Abstract Player Construct Development or Character Development this is typically permanent, but having several different types of Ammunition is one example of how players can have Tradeoffs between different types of Improved Abilities on a moment to moment basis.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Abstract Player Construct Development, Balancing Effects, Character Defining Actions, Character Development, Competence Areas, Difficulty Levels, Empowerment, Environmental Effects, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Gain Competence, Higher-Level Closures as Gameplay Progresses, Red Queen Dilemmas, Rewards, Supporting Goals

with Abstract Player Construct Development or Character Development

Paper-Rock-Scissors, Varied Gameplay

Ammunition

Tradeoffs

with Controllers, Equipment, Sets, Tools, or Vehicles

Gain Ownership

with Decreased Abilities

Balancing Effects

with Enemies

Boss Monsters

with Freedom of Choice

Player-Planned Development

with Teams

Orthogonal Differentiation, Team Development

Can Modulate

Abilities, Abstract Player Constructs, Ammunition, Attributes, Avatars, Challenging Gameplay, Character Levels, Characters, Enemies, Factions, Freedom of Choice, Power-Ups, Powers, Skills, Units

Can Be Instantiated By

Controllers, Equipment, Investments, Sets, Technology Trees, Tools, Upgrading, Vehicles, Weapons

Can Be Modulated By

Location-Fixed Abilities, Time Limits

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Challenging Gameplay

History

An updated version of the pattern Improved Abilities that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design^[1].

References

1. ↑ Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.

Acknowledgements