Difference between revisions of "Red Herrings"

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[[Category:Diegetic Patterns]]
 
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[[Category:Patterns created on the Wiki]]
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''Objects or information designed to mislead or distract players.''
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[[Category:Stub]]
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''...''
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This pattern is a still a stub.
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Many games require that players try to figure out the correct or best action, or solve puzzles where not all information is known. [[Red Herrings]], purposely misleading information or objects, can be inserted into the game to make them challenging. Some games, especially strategy games, also give players themselves the possibility to create [[Red Herrings]] for other players in order to distract or deceive them.  
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Information or potential goals that are designed to either mislead or distract the player
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Red Herrings can be deliberately designed into the game to provide alternative gameplay paths as distractions to the players. Some games, especially strategy games, also give players themselves the possibility to create Red Herrings as decoys in order to distract or deceive other players. In these cases Red Herrings are used as parts of players' tactics and strategies.
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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Example: the player in Medieval: Total War can set up some of the units as decoys in order to lure other players' units into positions where they are vulnerable to surprise attacks. One common tactic is to hide the archers and cavalry on hills covered by trees and use peasant units to lure the opposing cavalry to charge into a position where archers can volley them down while the player's own cavalry charges downhill to outflank the enemy units.
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[[:Category:Adventure Games|Adventure Games]] such as [[Police Quest series|Police Quest]] or [[Zork series]] often use [[Red Herrings]] to give players objects or information that serve no constructive purpose in the games. Sometimes this is only true for a certain time and they can be put to meaningful use but they still serve as [[Red Herrings]] up to that point. Similar uses of objects and information can be found in detective scenarios in [[:Category:Live Action Roleplaying Games|Live Action Roleplaying Games]] (e.g. [[Conspiracy for Good]]) and [[:Category:Tabletop Roleplaying Games|Tabletop Roleplaying Games]] (several examples of this can be found in [[Call of Cthulhu]], [[Fallen Reich]], and [[Mutant]]).
  
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Example: adventure and roleplaying, especially those with mystery elements, use Red Herrings to give players false clues to make progress more difficult and at the same time more interesting.
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Players of [[:Category:Strategy Games|Strategy Games]], especially [[:Category:Real-Time Strategy Games|Real-Time Strategy Games]] such as the [[Starcraft series]], can use some units as decoys in order to lure other players' into placing their units in positions where they are vulnerable to surprise attacks.  
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Example: random wandering monsters in many roleplaying games can distract and in some cases also mislead players.
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== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
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Games with Narrative Structures often use Red Herrings to raise the uncertainty of the progression of the narrative and also to create Surprises. Clues, Traces, and especially Helpers can be used as Red Herrings in a game to mislead players. The use of Helpers is one way to provide misleading Indirect Information to players. The other way, naturally, is to let the other players provide Red Herrings in the game. These can be in the form of decoys to help Conceal goals, but can also be Indirect Information provided during Social Interaction. For Red Herrings to work properly almost always require Imperfect Information or Fog of War. It is possible, however, to use decoys as Red Herrings in games of total Perfect Information to give false impressions to other players about a player's true intentions in the game. The same applies to the use of Direct Information: perhaps the only possible way to use it with Red Herrings is to have decoys.
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Inserting [[Red Herrings]] into a game design is basically a case of misdirecting players regarding how they can solve goals, typically [[Puzzle Solving]] related to [[Gain Information]] or [[Gain Ownership]]. This means that [[Red Herrings]] also require some level of [[Imperfect Information]] to work. The exception is that players can use [[Red Herrings]] to lie about their strategies and intentions even in [[Perfect Information]] games.
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The actual misdirection required of [[Red Herrings]] can be constructed by subverting [[Clues]], [[Diegetically Outstanding Features]], [[Props]], [[Traces]], and [[Helpers]]; [[Feelies]] can in this context be a special opportunity that combines physical [[Props]] with [[Clues]]. [[Traps]] are often [[Red Herrings]] but naturally need to appear to be something else to work as such. The use of [[Helpers]] is one way to provide misleading [[Indirect Information]] to players through [[Information Passing]]. The other way is to let the other players provide these [[Red Herrings]]. These can be in the form of decoys to help succeed with [[Conceal]] goals, which may be part of [[Social Interaction]]. [[Ephemeral Goals]] may in effect be [[Red Herrings]] since they may intentionally or not distract players from the main goals of a game.
  
 
=== Diegetic Aspects ===
 
=== Diegetic Aspects ===
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[[Red Herrings]] are typically of a diegetic nature (although some may be more related to game interfaces), so they can be considered [[:Category:Diegetic Patterns|Diegetic Patterns]].
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=== Interface Aspects ===
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=== Narrative Aspects ===
 
=== Narrative Aspects ===
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[[Red Herrings]] are often present in [[Narration Structures|Narration]] and [[Predetermined Story Structures]], especially those using [[Detective Structures]], to raise the uncertainty regarding how the narrative will progress. It can of course also create [[Surprises]] related to the overall plot besides just momentary ones.
  
 
== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
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The use of Red Herrings gives the players more potential outcomes and more things to consider while playing the game. This modulation of Anticipation can lead to increased Tension as players are more uncertain about the possible outcomes and, in some cases, can be used to promote Varied Gameplay even at the cost of Disruption of Focused Attention. Careless use of Red Herrings, however, can cause problems with the Right Level of Complexity and might lead to player frustration and to the feeling of loss of control. Red Herrings in some cases can also be used to provide Right Level of Complexity if the gameplay would otherwise be too straightforward.
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[[Red Herrings]] populate [[Game Worlds]] and [[Levels]] with irrelevant or misleading content. While this can make [[Game World Exploration]] and [[Game World Navigation|Navigation]] more difficult, it can also support [[Thematic Consistency]] by providing a more believable amount of content. Discovering that [[Red Herrings]] are in fact [[Red Herrings]] is likely to be a [[Surprises|Surprise]], but may also lead to player frustration and work against them feeling a [[Value of Effort]].  
  
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Red Herrings are potentially conflicting with Supporting Goals in the sense that what to players may seem to be a Supporting Goal can turn out to be a Red Herring.
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The presence of [[Red Herrings]] means that players have a [[Freedom of Choice]] while playing, even if there might only be one "correct" alternative. By thus giving players more potential outcomes from actions and more things to consider while playing the game, [[Red Herrings]] can create both [[Complex Gameplay|Complex]] and [[Challenging Gameplay]], and deciding which actions, information, etc. is worth investigating can be a form of [[Puzzle Solving]] in itself. Knowledge that [[Red Herrings]] make exist can modulate [[Anticipation]] and lead to increased [[Tension]] as players are more uncertain about the effects of their efforts.
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[[Red Herrings]] are potentially conflicting with [[Supporting Goals]] in the sense that what to players may seem the latter can turn out to be the former.
  
 
== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
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[[Levels]]
 
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[[Characters]]
 
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[[Diegetically Outstanding Features]]
 
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[[Information Passing]]
 
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[[Game Worlds]]
 
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[[Ephemeral Goals]]
 
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[[Props]]
 
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[[Traps]]
 
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[[Clues]]
 
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[[Traces]]
 
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[[Helpers]]
 
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[[Game World Exploration]]
 
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[[Game World Navigation]]
 
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=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
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[[Challenging Gameplay]],
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==== with ... ====
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[[Complex Gameplay]],
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[[Freedom of Choice]],
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[[Indirect Information]],
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[[Puzzle Solving]],
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[[Surprises]],
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[[Tension]],
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[[Thematic Consistency]]
  
 
=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
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[[Anticipation]],
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[[Conceal]],
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[[Detective Structures]],
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[[Gain Information]],
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[[Gain Ownership]],
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[[Game World Exploration]],
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[[Game World Navigation]],
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[[Game Worlds]],
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[[Levels]],
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[[Narration Structures]],
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[[Predetermined Story Structures]]
  
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
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[[Clues]],
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[[Diegetically Outstanding Features]],
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[[Ephemeral Goals]],
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[[Feelies]],
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[[Helpers]],
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[[Imperfect Information]],
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[[Information Passing]],
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[[Props]],
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[[Puzzle Solving]],
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[[Social Interaction]],
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[[Traces]],
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[[Traps]]
  
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
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=== Possible Closure Effects ===
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
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-
  
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
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[[Supporting Goals]]
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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== Acknowledgements ==
 
== Acknowledgements ==
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Latest revision as of 08:50, 8 March 2023

Objects or information designed to mislead or distract players.

Many games require that players try to figure out the correct or best action, or solve puzzles where not all information is known. Red Herrings, purposely misleading information or objects, can be inserted into the game to make them challenging. Some games, especially strategy games, also give players themselves the possibility to create Red Herrings for other players in order to distract or deceive them.

Examples

Adventure Games such as Police Quest or Zork series often use Red Herrings to give players objects or information that serve no constructive purpose in the games. Sometimes this is only true for a certain time and they can be put to meaningful use but they still serve as Red Herrings up to that point. Similar uses of objects and information can be found in detective scenarios in Live Action Roleplaying Games (e.g. Conspiracy for Good) and Tabletop Roleplaying Games (several examples of this can be found in Call of Cthulhu, Fallen Reich, and Mutant).

Players of Strategy Games, especially Real-Time Strategy Games such as the Starcraft series, can use some units as decoys in order to lure other players' into placing their units in positions where they are vulnerable to surprise attacks.

Using the pattern

Inserting Red Herrings into a game design is basically a case of misdirecting players regarding how they can solve goals, typically Puzzle Solving related to Gain Information or Gain Ownership. This means that Red Herrings also require some level of Imperfect Information to work. The exception is that players can use Red Herrings to lie about their strategies and intentions even in Perfect Information games.

The actual misdirection required of Red Herrings can be constructed by subverting Clues, Diegetically Outstanding Features, Props, Traces, and Helpers; Feelies can in this context be a special opportunity that combines physical Props with Clues. Traps are often Red Herrings but naturally need to appear to be something else to work as such. The use of Helpers is one way to provide misleading Indirect Information to players through Information Passing. The other way is to let the other players provide these Red Herrings. These can be in the form of decoys to help succeed with Conceal goals, which may be part of Social Interaction. Ephemeral Goals may in effect be Red Herrings since they may intentionally or not distract players from the main goals of a game.

Diegetic Aspects

Red Herrings are typically of a diegetic nature (although some may be more related to game interfaces), so they can be considered Diegetic Patterns.

Narrative Aspects

Red Herrings are often present in Narration and Predetermined Story Structures, especially those using Detective Structures, to raise the uncertainty regarding how the narrative will progress. It can of course also create Surprises related to the overall plot besides just momentary ones.

Consequences

Red Herrings populate Game Worlds and Levels with irrelevant or misleading content. While this can make Game World Exploration and Navigation more difficult, it can also support Thematic Consistency by providing a more believable amount of content. Discovering that Red Herrings are in fact Red Herrings is likely to be a Surprise, but may also lead to player frustration and work against them feeling a Value of Effort.

The presence of Red Herrings means that players have a Freedom of Choice while playing, even if there might only be one "correct" alternative. By thus giving players more potential outcomes from actions and more things to consider while playing the game, Red Herrings can create both Complex and Challenging Gameplay, and deciding which actions, information, etc. is worth investigating can be a form of Puzzle Solving in itself. Knowledge that Red Herrings make exist can modulate Anticipation and lead to increased Tension as players are more uncertain about the effects of their efforts.

Red Herrings are potentially conflicting with Supporting Goals in the sense that what to players may seem the latter can turn out to be the former.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Challenging Gameplay, Complex Gameplay, Freedom of Choice, Indirect Information, Puzzle Solving, Surprises, Tension, Thematic Consistency

Can Modulate

Anticipation, Conceal, Detective Structures, Gain Information, Gain Ownership, Game World Exploration, Game World Navigation, Game Worlds, Levels, Narration Structures, Predetermined Story Structures

Can Be Instantiated By

Clues, Diegetically Outstanding Features, Ephemeral Goals, Feelies, Helpers, Imperfect Information, Information Passing, Props, Puzzle Solving, Social Interaction, Traces, Traps

Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Supporting Goals

History

An updated version of the pattern Red Herrings 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

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