Difference between revisions of "Orthogonal Differentiation"

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''Differences in abilities of game entities that are in type rather than in value.''
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''...''
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This pattern is a still a stub.
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One of the uses of having many game entities in games is that they can have different types of abilities. When these abilities and the functionality they provide do not only have quantitative but also qualitative difference this means that the games have [[Orthogonal Differentiation]]. This give the different game pieces additional value since they represent the only ways for players to perform certain actions. Not all or many aspects of the game entities need to be unique; often it is sufficient that a single ability is radically different from other units for it to have special gameplay value. In team games, the differentiation may actually be between players so that each player has unique abilities.
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When Units in a game can be described by actions, abilities, and characteristics that are orthogonal to each other regarding functionality.
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One of the uses of many game pieces or units in a game is to provide players with different types of abilities. When the abilities and functionality of these are not only quantitative but qualitative the game has Orthogonal Unit Differentiation. This give the different game pieces additional value since they represent the only ways for players to perform certain actions. Not all or many aspects of a units needs to be unique, often it is sufficient that a single ability of a unit is radically different from other units for it to have special gameplay value. In team games, the differentiation may actually be between players so that each player has unique abilities.
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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Example: Real-time games such as the Age of Empires series and the Command & Conquer series are based around producing and making best use of a wide variety of units. Although few units have unique abilities, such as the converting ability of priests, many do have abilities that are only shared by a few other types of units and define one dimensional in the range of unit abilities in the game.
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The pieces in [[Chess]] have different types of movement rules, giving them different gameplay value and giving the game [[Orthogonal Differentiation]].
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While most monsters in the [[Doom series]] differ in health, speed, or damage dealt, the ''Pain elemental'' and ''Arch-vile'' have [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] in that they have the unique abilities to spawn ''lost soul'' monsters and resurrect killed monsters respectively.
  
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Example: the pieces in Chess have different types of movement rules, giving them different gameplay value and giving the game Orthogonal Unit Differentiation.
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Real-time games such as the [[Age of Empires series]] and the [[Command and Conquer series]] are based around producing and making best use of a wide variety of units. Although few units have unique abilities, such as the converting ability of priests, many do have abilities that are shared by only a few other types of units.
  
 
== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
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Orthogonal Unit Differentiation is achieved through Asymmetric Abilities, typically by designed New Abilities for Units or Characters. Not all abilities have to be Privileged Abilities and a differentiation can also be achieved by Improved Abilities and Decreased Abilities as long as not all Units and Characters have the abilities. Typical areas where Orthogonal Unit Differentiation is used is the way they can cause Damage, what Skills they can have, what Combos they can perform, how they affect Fog of War, and what types of Privileged Movement they have (and if not all Units can move, Movement in itself may be a way to have differentiation). Inaccessible Areas provide two different levels of abilities that can be used to create differentiation: the ability to enter them and the ability to be inside them without taking Damage.
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[[Orthogonal Differentiation]] is used in games to either provide more gameplay without increasing production costs or create more [[Complex Gameplay]], or both. The difference in functional [[Abilities]] can exist either between different game entities under the same player's control or between those of different players' control. An alternative is to have [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] between [[Enemies]]. It is achieved through [[Asymmetric Abilities]] between [[Characters]] or [[Units]]. However, [[Asymmetric Abilities]] is not enough since the differences need to be in type rather than in degree. Although [[Privileged Abilities]] guarantees important differences in [[Abilities]], [[New Abilities|New]] or [[Improved Abilities]] can also provide [[Competence Areas]]; even [[Ability Losses]] and [[Decreased Abilities]] can be used for this.
  
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The difference in functional abilities either exists between different Units under the same player's control or between the Characters or groups of Units under different players' control. The requirement of using Privileged Abilities make it difficult to provide symmetric abilities on the same level as the Orthogonal Unit Differentiation, but one can combine the two through Symmetry, for example have all Units belong to a player have the same abilities while having the abilities of Units differ between players. In games with Team Play, having Symmetry between teams that within them have Orthogonal Unit Differentiation allows Team Balance while providing Varied Gameplay and letting players have Competence Areas.
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Typical areas where [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] is used include the ways to do [[Damage]], availability of [[Skills]] and [[Combos]], effects of [[Fog of War]], and differences in how [[Movement]] can be done due to [[Privileged Movement]].
  
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=== Diegetic Aspects ===
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[[Player-Avatar Proximity]] provides [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] through making gameplay actions possibly through the movement of either avatars or players.
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=== Interface Aspects ===
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=== Narrative Aspects ===
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== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
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Orthogonal Unit Differentiation provides Varied Gameplay within a play session on the Unit level. Making full use of the different abilities of Units promotes Stimulated Planning in games where all Units are usable at the same time while games where players have to select which Units (or Characters) are used in the game promotes Replayability. Orthogonal Unit Differentiation among Enemies provides Varied Gameplay for Overcome goals and the first use of unknown abilities may come as Surprises to players. In games with Team Play, players can take the places of Units in Orthogonal Unit Differentiation. This allows players to make use of their individual Competence Areas as well as provide a basis for Social Organizations.
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[[Orthogonal Differentiation]] provides more [[Varied Gameplay]] for a game compared to one with the same amount of [[Characters]] or [[Units]] but without distinct differences in [[Abilities]]. The difference and the added importance individual game entities may have give rise to [[Complex Gameplay]] but also [[Replayability]]. When players have control over the game entities with [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] of [[Abilities]], making full use of the different [[Abilities]] promote [[Stimulated Planning]]. In games with [[Teams]] and [[Characters]], [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] makes the possibility of creating [[Team Combos]] likely and through this [[Team Strategy Identification]] as well.  
  
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The unique abilities required by Orthogonal Unit Differentiation makes it difficult to combine with Symmetry on the same level of game design. However, they can be combined by treating the differentiated units as a set and have the same sets for all players or all teams.
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The unique abilities required by [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] makes it difficult to combine with [[Symmetry]] on the same level of game design. This cause also makes [[Orthogonal Differentiation]] problematic for [[Player Balance]] and [[Team Balance]] in games with [[PvP]] and [[TvT]] gameplay respectively . However, they can be combined by treating the differentiated units as a set and have the same sets for all players or all [[Teams]].  
  
 
== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
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[[Complex Gameplay]],
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[[Replayability]],
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[[Stimulated Planning]],
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[[Varied Gameplay]]
  
 
==== with [[Teams]] and [[Characters]] ====
 
==== with [[Teams]] and [[Characters]] ====
 
[[Team Combos]],  
 
[[Team Combos]],  
 
[[Team Strategy Identification]]
 
[[Team Strategy Identification]]
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==== with [[TvT]] ====
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[[Team Balance]]
  
 
=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
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[[Abilities]],
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[[Characters]],
 
[[Enemies]],  
 
[[Enemies]],  
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[[Multiplayer Games]],  
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[[PvP]],
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[[TvT]],  
 
[[Units]]
 
[[Units]]
  
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
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[[Combos]],  
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[[Asymmetric Abilities]],  
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[[Competence Areas]]
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[[Competence Areas]],
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[[Player-Avatar Proximity]]
  
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
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=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
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[[Player Balance]],
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[[Symmetry]]
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[[Team Balance]] in games with [[TvT]] gameplay
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==

Latest revision as of 21:13, 19 March 2018

Differences in abilities of game entities that are in type rather than in value.

One of the uses of having many game entities in games is that they can have different types of abilities. When these abilities and the functionality they provide do not only have quantitative but also qualitative difference this means that the games have Orthogonal Differentiation. This give the different game pieces additional value since they represent the only ways for players to perform certain actions. Not all or many aspects of the game entities need to be unique; often it is sufficient that a single ability is radically different from other units for it to have special gameplay value. In team games, the differentiation may actually be between players so that each player has unique abilities.

Examples

The pieces in Chess have different types of movement rules, giving them different gameplay value and giving the game Orthogonal Differentiation.

While most monsters in the Doom series differ in health, speed, or damage dealt, the Pain elemental and Arch-vile have Orthogonal Differentiation in that they have the unique abilities to spawn lost soul monsters and resurrect killed monsters respectively.

Real-time games such as the Age of Empires series and the Command and Conquer series are based around producing and making best use of a wide variety of units. Although few units have unique abilities, such as the converting ability of priests, many do have abilities that are shared by only a few other types of units.

Using the pattern

Orthogonal Differentiation is used in games to either provide more gameplay without increasing production costs or create more Complex Gameplay, or both. The difference in functional Abilities can exist either between different game entities under the same player's control or between those of different players' control. An alternative is to have Orthogonal Differentiation between Enemies. It is achieved through Asymmetric Abilities between Characters or Units. However, Asymmetric Abilities is not enough since the differences need to be in type rather than in degree. Although Privileged Abilities guarantees important differences in Abilities, New or Improved Abilities can also provide Competence Areas; even Ability Losses and Decreased Abilities can be used for this.

Typical areas where Orthogonal Differentiation is used include the ways to do Damage, availability of Skills and Combos, effects of Fog of War, and differences in how Movement can be done due to Privileged Movement.

Player-Avatar Proximity provides Orthogonal Differentiation through making gameplay actions possibly through the movement of either avatars or players.

Consequences

Orthogonal Differentiation provides more Varied Gameplay for a game compared to one with the same amount of Characters or Units but without distinct differences in Abilities. The difference and the added importance individual game entities may have give rise to Complex Gameplay but also Replayability. When players have control over the game entities with Orthogonal Differentiation of Abilities, making full use of the different Abilities promote Stimulated Planning. In games with Teams and Characters, Orthogonal Differentiation makes the possibility of creating Team Combos likely and through this Team Strategy Identification as well.

The unique abilities required by Orthogonal Differentiation makes it difficult to combine with Symmetry on the same level of game design. This cause also makes Orthogonal Differentiation problematic for Player Balance and Team Balance in games with PvP and TvT gameplay respectively . However, they can be combined by treating the differentiated units as a set and have the same sets for all players or all Teams.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Complex Gameplay, Replayability, Stimulated Planning, Varied Gameplay

with Teams and Characters

Team Combos, Team Strategy Identification

with TvT

Team Balance

Can Modulate

Abilities, Characters, Enemies, PvP, TvT, Units

Can Be Instantiated By

Asymmetric Abilities, Competence Areas, Player-Avatar Proximity

Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Player Balance, Symmetry

Team Balance in games with TvT gameplay

History

An updated version of the pattern Orthogonal Unit Differentiation that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[1]. The concept was first introduced by Harvey Smith to game developers at a presentation at GDC 2003, and the presentation is available online[2].

References

  1. ↑ Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.
  2. ↑ Smith. H. (2003) Orthogonal Unit Differentiation. Presented at GDC 2003. Available online.

Acknowledgements

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Retrieved from "http://virt10.itu.chalmers.se/index.php?title=Orthogonal_Differentiation&oldid=26443"