Difference between revisions of "One-Way Travel"
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[[Category:Mechanical Patterns]] | [[Category:Mechanical Patterns]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Level Design Patterns]] |
[[Category:Needs revision]] | [[Category:Needs revision]] | ||
[[Category:Needs examples]] | [[Category:Needs examples]] | ||
[[Category:Needs references]] | [[Category:Needs references]] | ||
[[Category:Patterns created on the Wiki]] | [[Category:Patterns created on the Wiki]] | ||
| − | + | ''Movement from one part of a game world to another which cannot be reserved or where the return takes a disproportional amount of effort.'' | |
| − | ''Movement from one part of a game world to another which cannot be reserved.'' | + | |
| − | + | When movement for a game element in a game cannot be undone easily this movement is a [[One-Way Travel]]. | |
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
| + | The pawns in [[Chess]] can only move forward, although also diagonally so when doing normal or ''en passant'' capturing. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[:Category:Arcade Games|Arcade Games]] such as [[Pac-Man]] and [[Donkey Kong]] that consist of levels have [[One-Way Travel]] between these, and so does the [[:Category:FPS Games|First-Person Shooter games]] in the [[Doom series|Doom]] and [[Quake series]] ([[Hexen]] was the first to not have this). Scrolling [[:Category:Computer Games|Computer Games]] such as [[1942]] and [[Zaxxon]] forces players into a [[One-Way Travel]] at a certain speed although players may have some leeway in both horizontal and vertical position on the gameplay area. For those games that loop back to the first level at some point (instead of generating new levels indefinitely) still provide a [[One-Way Travel]] since the lack of effect players have on the revisited levels make them effectively new ones. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Leaving the city of Kirkwall to join the ''Deep Roads'' expedition in [[Dragon Age II]] is effectively a [[One-Way Travel]] even if one later returns to the city. This since the return will start a cutscene progressing the storyline and changing what quests are possible there. | ||
== Using the pattern == | == Using the pattern == | ||
| + | [[One-Way Travel]] can be designed in two fashions: ''pure'' which means that players never during a game instance will be able to return, and ''local'' which means that players can actually return but have to do it using another route which takes more time or effort. The ''pure'' variety is typically used to help maintain [[Predetermined Story Structures]] or to create [[Leaps of Faith]]. The simplest way to provide ''local'' [[One-Way Travel]] in games is probably height difference sufficient to hinder ascent but not killing those that decent. Implementing ''pure'' [[One-Way Travel]] may in contrast simply consist of not designing for actions that let players return to previously visited places after they have been moved to new places through [[Facilitating Rewards]]; it can be explicitly design for by using [[The Show Must Go On]] in [[Real-Time Games]] to force [[Movement]] of players' [[Avatars]] (technically it may be the presentation of the [[Game Worlds]] that move). | ||
| − | + | While [[Transport Routes]] can simply be designated as only supporting [[One-Way Travel]] (e.g. by [[Vehicles]] that can only travel in one direction), it can also be explicitly created through blocking returns by introducing [[Obstacles]] that appear as [[Irreversible Events]] after one has entered specific areas of [[Levels]] or [[Game Worlds]]. Have game elements begin or be created in [[Inaccessible Areas]] and letting them leave these but not re-enter them is another way to create [[One-Way Travel]]. | |
| − | + | In games including much [[Movement]], the [[One-Way Travel]] may be limited to noteworthy forms of [[Movement]] such as [[Quick Travel]] or [[Warp Zones]], or to situations where it creates specific gameplay choices in the form of [[Leaps of Faith]]. They can be used on [[Flanking Routes]] to make players have to commit themselves to one approach out of several. | |
| + | |||
| + | Often being designed through the use of height differences, [[Galleries]] can provide [[One-Way Travel]] to those in these. | ||
=== Narrative Aspects === | === Narrative Aspects === | ||
| − | + | Since [[One-Way Travel]] can be used to create [[Irreversible Events]], they can be tools for ensuring that [[Predetermined Story Structures]] are unfolded in a certain way as long as they depend on changes in physical location. Since they quite often represent travel over long distances or significant jumps forward in diegetic time, they are quite often modulated by [[Cutscenes]]. | |
| − | [[ | + | Travelling back to areas previous visited to not have to be incompatible with ''pure'' [[One-Way Travel]]. The pattern concerns gameplay, so if players can return to a part of the [[Game Worlds|Game World]] but the gameplay has changed even if only being distinctly close to some high-level closure the pattern still holds. Diegetic changes probably need to be made in these cases to uphold [[Thematic Consistency]] but these can be motivated even after a brief period of gameplay through use of [[Cut Scenes]]. |
| − | [[Game Worlds]] | + | |
| − | [[Cut Scenes]] | + | |
== Consequences == | == Consequences == | ||
| − | [[ | + | Pure [[One-Way Travel]] is a way to make [[Movement]] in [[Game Worlds]] or [[Levels]] into [[Irreversible Events|Irreversible]] and [[Ultra-Powerful Events]]. As such, it makes [[Reversibility]] impossible and this can be used to guarantee at least location in [[Predetermined Story Structures]]. It can make [[Herd]] goals easier since it effectively divides this goal into a [[Goal Hierarchies|Goal Hierarchy]]. |
| − | [[Levels]] | + | |
| − | [[Irreversible Events]] | + | |
| − | [[Predetermined Story Structures]] | + | |
| − | [[ | + | |
| − | [[ | + | |
| − | + | When return is possible but cumbersome, [[One-Way Travel]] instead requires players to make [[Trade-Offs|Trade-Off]] decisions between the value of moving forward and the cost of possibly having to return. Both types of [[One-Way Travel]] are examples of [[Conditional Passageways]]. | |
| + | == Relations == | ||
=== Can Instantiate === | === Can Instantiate === | ||
| + | [[Conditional Passageways]], | ||
| + | [[Irreversible Events]], | ||
| + | [[Leaps of Faith]], | ||
| + | [[Predetermined Story Structures]], | ||
| + | [[Trade-Offs]], | ||
| + | [[Ultra-Powerful Events]] | ||
| − | ==== with | + | ==== with [[Herd]] ==== |
| + | [[Goal Hierarchies]] | ||
=== Can Modulate === | === Can Modulate === | ||
| + | [[Facilitating Rewards]], | ||
| + | [[Flanking Routes]], | ||
| + | [[Game Worlds]], | ||
| + | [[Herd]], | ||
| + | [[Inaccessible Areas]], | ||
| + | [[Levels]], | ||
| + | [[Movement]], | ||
| + | [[Quick Travel]], | ||
| + | [[Transport Routes]], | ||
| + | [[Warp Zones]] | ||
=== Can Be Instantiated By === | === Can Be Instantiated By === | ||
| + | [[Galleries]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Irreversible Events]] together with [[Obstacles]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Real-Time Games]] together with [[The Show Must Go On]] | ||
=== Can Be Modulated By === | === Can Be Modulated By === | ||
| + | [[Cutscenes]] | ||
=== Possible Closure Effects === | === Possible Closure Effects === | ||
| + | - | ||
=== Potentially Conflicting With === | === Potentially Conflicting With === | ||
| + | [[Reversibility]] | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
Latest revision as of 14:23, 12 August 2015
Movement from one part of a game world to another which cannot be reserved or where the return takes a disproportional amount of effort.
When movement for a game element in a game cannot be undone easily this movement is a One-Way Travel.
Contents
Examples
The pawns in Chess can only move forward, although also diagonally so when doing normal or en passant capturing.
Arcade Games such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong that consist of levels have One-Way Travel between these, and so does the First-Person Shooter games in the Doom and Quake series (Hexen was the first to not have this). Scrolling Computer Games such as 1942 and Zaxxon forces players into a One-Way Travel at a certain speed although players may have some leeway in both horizontal and vertical position on the gameplay area. For those games that loop back to the first level at some point (instead of generating new levels indefinitely) still provide a One-Way Travel since the lack of effect players have on the revisited levels make them effectively new ones.
Leaving the city of Kirkwall to join the Deep Roads expedition in Dragon Age II is effectively a One-Way Travel even if one later returns to the city. This since the return will start a cutscene progressing the storyline and changing what quests are possible there.
Using the pattern
One-Way Travel can be designed in two fashions: pure which means that players never during a game instance will be able to return, and local which means that players can actually return but have to do it using another route which takes more time or effort. The pure variety is typically used to help maintain Predetermined Story Structures or to create Leaps of Faith. The simplest way to provide local One-Way Travel in games is probably height difference sufficient to hinder ascent but not killing those that decent. Implementing pure One-Way Travel may in contrast simply consist of not designing for actions that let players return to previously visited places after they have been moved to new places through Facilitating Rewards; it can be explicitly design for by using The Show Must Go On in Real-Time Games to force Movement of players' Avatars (technically it may be the presentation of the Game Worlds that move).
While Transport Routes can simply be designated as only supporting One-Way Travel (e.g. by Vehicles that can only travel in one direction), it can also be explicitly created through blocking returns by introducing Obstacles that appear as Irreversible Events after one has entered specific areas of Levels or Game Worlds. Have game elements begin or be created in Inaccessible Areas and letting them leave these but not re-enter them is another way to create One-Way Travel.
In games including much Movement, the One-Way Travel may be limited to noteworthy forms of Movement such as Quick Travel or Warp Zones, or to situations where it creates specific gameplay choices in the form of Leaps of Faith. They can be used on Flanking Routes to make players have to commit themselves to one approach out of several.
Often being designed through the use of height differences, Galleries can provide One-Way Travel to those in these.
Narrative Aspects
Since One-Way Travel can be used to create Irreversible Events, they can be tools for ensuring that Predetermined Story Structures are unfolded in a certain way as long as they depend on changes in physical location. Since they quite often represent travel over long distances or significant jumps forward in diegetic time, they are quite often modulated by Cutscenes.
Travelling back to areas previous visited to not have to be incompatible with pure One-Way Travel. The pattern concerns gameplay, so if players can return to a part of the Game World but the gameplay has changed even if only being distinctly close to some high-level closure the pattern still holds. Diegetic changes probably need to be made in these cases to uphold Thematic Consistency but these can be motivated even after a brief period of gameplay through use of Cut Scenes.
Consequences
Pure One-Way Travel is a way to make Movement in Game Worlds or Levels into Irreversible and Ultra-Powerful Events. As such, it makes Reversibility impossible and this can be used to guarantee at least location in Predetermined Story Structures. It can make Herd goals easier since it effectively divides this goal into a Goal Hierarchy.
When return is possible but cumbersome, One-Way Travel instead requires players to make Trade-Off decisions between the value of moving forward and the cost of possibly having to return. Both types of One-Way Travel are examples of Conditional Passageways.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Conditional Passageways, Irreversible Events, Leaps of Faith, Predetermined Story Structures, Trade-Offs, Ultra-Powerful Events
with Herd
Can Modulate
Facilitating Rewards, Flanking Routes, Game Worlds, Herd, Inaccessible Areas, Levels, Movement, Quick Travel, Transport Routes, Warp Zones
Can Be Instantiated By
Irreversible Events together with Obstacles
Real-Time Games together with The Show Must Go On
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
-
Potentially Conflicting With
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
-
Acknowledgements
-
