Difference between revisions of "Movement Limitations"

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[[Category:Staffan's current workpage]]
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[[Category:Action Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Patterns]]
 
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Many racing games, e.g. [[Super Monkey Ball series]], make the leading vehicle have a little lower maximum speed than the others vehicles in order to increase the chance of the other vehicles catching up, or have this as an balancing option.
 
Many racing games, e.g. [[Super Monkey Ball series]], make the leading vehicle have a little lower maximum speed than the others vehicles in order to increase the chance of the other vehicles catching up, or have this as an balancing option.
  
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The boxes that have to be moved to specific spots in [[Sokoban]] also limit how players can move in the game, potentially trapping them and make levels impossible to solve.
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The boxes that have to be moved to specific spots in [[Sokoban]] also limit how players can move in the game, potentially trapping them and make levels impossible to solve. Players of [[Hey! That's My Fish!]] cause [[Movement Limitations]] to themselves and others during gameplay through the removal of ice blocks.
  
 
== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
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Designing [[Movement Limitations]] consist on deciding how to negatively modify [[Movement]], and can be applied to both [[Real-Time Games]] and [[Turn-Based Games]]. In [[Real-Time Games]] they typically take the form of making Maneuvering more difficult or decreasing speed but can also make areas of the Game World into Obstacles or Inaccessible Areas (typically marked with Outstanding Features). In Turn-Based Games movement is nearly always limited by Budgeted Action Points but the cost for movement can be different for different kinds of movement to signify specific Movement Limitations. When the action points can be used for other actions as well this further imposes limitations and forces players to do Risk/Reward choices.
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Designing [[Movement Limitations]] consist on deciding how to negatively modify [[Movement]], and can be applied to both [[Real-Time Games]] and [[Turn-Based Games]]. In [[Real-Time Games]] they typically take the form of making [[Maneuvering]] more difficult or decreasing speeds. In [[Turn-Based Games]] one can create [[Movement Limitations]] through the using [[Budgeted Action Points]] and having different costs for different players and for moving over different types of terrains. For both cases, [[Movement Limitations]] can also be constructed through introducing [[Environmental Effects]], [[Inaccessible Areas]], [[Obstacles]], or [[Traps]] into [[Game Worlds]] (and one possible effect of [[Environmental Effects]] in [[Turn-Based Games]] is to increase the action point cost to move through them). [[Shrinking Game Worlds]] are an example of providing [[Movement Limitations]] by slowly but surely making more of the game area into [[Inaccessible Areas]].
  
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Area Control by other players can cause Movement Limitations. In Turn-Based Games this is typically explicitly governed by rules forbidding movement, increasing movement costs, or making Units moving into the area under control stop their movement. In Real-Time Games the Movement Limitations is implicit and enforced by threats of Combat.
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[[Area Control]] by other players and [[Zone of Control]] effects caused by these can also cause [[Movement Limitations]]. In [[Turn-Based Games]] this is typically governed by rules forbidding movement, increasing movement costs, or making [[Units]] moving into the area under control stop their movement. In [[Real-Time Games]] the [[Movement Limitations]] are instead often implicit and enforced by threats of [[Combat]]. An exception to this is when the aiming possibilities associated with a game's [[Variable Accuracy]] require players to be stationary to be able to aim (and in some cases fire) at all.
  
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=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
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== Consequences ==
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[[Diegetically Outstanding Features]],  
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[[Movement Limitations]] modulates [[Movement]] or [[Maneuvering]] and often makes [[Game World Navigation]] more difficult, and can be important components of [[Balancing Effects]] and [[Handicap Systems]] in [[Races]]. They also make [[Evade]] goals more difficult.
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[[Environmental Effects]],
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[[Inaccessible Areas]],
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[[Obstacles]],
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[[Traps]]
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Shrinking Game World is an example of a way to achieve this form of Movement Limitations although no benefits can be gained by being in the area which is removed.
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The pattern can replace or be combined with reduced [[Health]] as [[Penalties]] or the effects of [[Damage]] as a way of instantiating [[Decreased Abilities]] and creating [[Critical Hits]]. [[Tension]] and limited [[Freedom of Choice]] can be the consequence of [[Movement Limitations]] while [[Downtime]] are can be created by temporary but complete losses of movement abilities. If sufficiently negative limitations are imposed by the pattern, it can give rise to [[Competence Areas]].
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=== Diegetic Aspects ===
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=== Interface Aspects ===
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=== Narrative Aspects ===
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== Consequences ==
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[[Movement Limitations]] modulates [[Movement]] or [[Maneuvering]] and often makes [[Game World Navigation]] more difficult, and can be important components of [[Balancing Effects]] and [[Handicap Systems]] in [[Races]]. The pattern can replace or be combined with reduced [[Health]] as [[Penalties]] or the effects of [[Damage]] as a way of instantiating [[Decreased Abilities]]. [[Tension]] and limited [[Freedom of Choice]] can be the consequence of [[Movement Limitations]] while [[Downtime]] are can be created by temporary but complete losses of movement abilities.
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== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
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[[Competence Areas]],
 
[[Damage]],  
 
[[Damage]],  
 
[[Decreased Abilities]],  
 
[[Decreased Abilities]],  
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[[Penalties]],  
 
[[Penalties]],  
 
[[Tension]]  
 
[[Tension]]  
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==== with [[Damage]] and [[Health]] ====
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[[Critical Hits]]
  
 
==== with [[Races]] ====
 
==== with [[Races]] ====
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=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
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[[Evade]],
 
[[Freedom of Choice]],  
 
[[Freedom of Choice]],  
 
[[Game World Navigation]],  
 
[[Game World Navigation]],  
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=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
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[[Area Control]],
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[[Budgeted Action Points]],
 
[[Diegetically Outstanding Features]],  
 
[[Diegetically Outstanding Features]],  
 
[[Environmental Effects]],  
 
[[Environmental Effects]],  
 
[[Inaccessible Areas]],  
 
[[Inaccessible Areas]],  
 
[[Obstacles]],  
 
[[Obstacles]],  
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[[Traps]]
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[[Shrinking Game Worlds]],
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[[Traps]],
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[[Variable Accuracy]],
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[[Zone of Control]]
  
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===

Latest revision as of 13:07, 24 August 2015

Negative changes in how movement is done.

In games where movement is an important aspect of game play, limitations to movement abilities are common. These Movement Limitations may be part of the game environment and effect all players that enter an area, part of what defines specific game elements, or negative effects of hostile actions or dangerous events.

Examples

Icy areas in Super Mario 64 and Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory make steering difficult and affect acceleration and deceleration. The banana peel, polygon ball, and ice cube power-ups in the Monkey Race 2 party game in Super Monkey Ball 2 all let players shoot or drop objects that negatively affect other players movement if hit.

Many racing games, e.g. Super Monkey Ball series, make the leading vehicle have a little lower maximum speed than the others vehicles in order to increase the chance of the other vehicles catching up, or have this as an balancing option.

The boxes that have to be moved to specific spots in Sokoban also limit how players can move in the game, potentially trapping them and make levels impossible to solve. Players of Hey! That's My Fish! cause Movement Limitations to themselves and others during gameplay through the removal of ice blocks.

Using the pattern

Designing Movement Limitations consist on deciding how to negatively modify Movement, and can be applied to both Real-Time Games and Turn-Based Games. In Real-Time Games they typically take the form of making Maneuvering more difficult or decreasing speeds. In Turn-Based Games one can create Movement Limitations through the using Budgeted Action Points and having different costs for different players and for moving over different types of terrains. For both cases, Movement Limitations can also be constructed through introducing Environmental Effects, Inaccessible Areas, Obstacles, or Traps into Game Worlds (and one possible effect of Environmental Effects in Turn-Based Games is to increase the action point cost to move through them). Shrinking Game Worlds are an example of providing Movement Limitations by slowly but surely making more of the game area into Inaccessible Areas.

Area Control by other players and Zone of Control effects caused by these can also cause Movement Limitations. In Turn-Based Games this is typically governed by rules forbidding movement, increasing movement costs, or making Units moving into the area under control stop their movement. In Real-Time Games the Movement Limitations are instead often implicit and enforced by threats of Combat. An exception to this is when the aiming possibilities associated with a game's Variable Accuracy require players to be stationary to be able to aim (and in some cases fire) at all.

Consequences

Movement Limitations modulates Movement or Maneuvering and often makes Game World Navigation more difficult, and can be important components of Balancing Effects and Handicap Systems in Races. They also make Evade goals more difficult.

The pattern can replace or be combined with reduced Health as Penalties or the effects of Damage as a way of instantiating Decreased Abilities and creating Critical Hits. Tension and limited Freedom of Choice can be the consequence of Movement Limitations while Downtime are can be created by temporary but complete losses of movement abilities. If sufficiently negative limitations are imposed by the pattern, it can give rise to Competence Areas.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Competence Areas, Damage, Decreased Abilities, Downtime, Penalties, Tension

with Damage and Health

Critical Hits

with Races

Balancing Effects, Handicap Systems

Can Modulate

Evade, Freedom of Choice, Game World Navigation, Movement, Races

with Real-Time Games

Maneuvering

Can Be Instantiated By

Area Control, Budgeted Action Points, Diegetically Outstanding Features, Environmental Effects, Inaccessible Areas, Obstacles, Shrinking Game Worlds, Traps, Variable Accuracy, Zone of Control

Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

A rewrite of the pattern Movement Limitations 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.
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