Difference between revisions of "Unknown Goals"

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[[Category:Goal Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Goal Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Patterns]]
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[[Category:Needs work]]
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[[Category:Mechanical Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Needs revision]]
 
[[Category:Needs revision]]
 
[[Category:Needs examples]]
 
[[Category:Needs examples]]
 
[[Category:Needs references]]
 
[[Category:Needs references]]
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[[Category:Stub]]
 
 
[[Category:To be Published]]
 
[[Category:To be Published]]
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[[Category:Staffan's current workpage]]
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''Goals initially, or currently, unknown to the players that have them.''
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''The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.''
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This pattern is a still a stub.
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Games provide goals to players to give them motivations to attempt various activities within the games. However, players may not be given all goals at once in order to facilitate suspense and interesting narratives. The goals that exist in games but are not known to players are [[Unknown Goals]].  
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Goals initially, or currently, unknown to players.
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Unknown Goals are goals that players are currently not aware of. The Unknown Goals can either be goals that players themselves will have to fulfill later to win or complete the game, or can be goals that the other players are trying to complete but have no knowledge about. Some Unknown Goals may be revealed during gameplay while others at the end of the game. In some cases these goals are never revealed and it may be the case that other alternatives may have to be chosen when replaying the game to reveal the Unknown Goals.
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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Most adventure games, e.g. [[Maniac Mansion]] and the [[King's Quest series]], start by providing the players with an overarching goal which motivates the players to complete the game. However, the different subgoals that must be completed before the main goal is completed are usually unknown, as knowing these would ruin many of the surprises in the narrative. A related example can be found in the [[Super Mario Bros series]] where players may know that they need to collect Star Coins but where they are.
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Example: The collectable card game Illuminati New World Order has known goals which all players have, but also allows individual players to have goal cards which gives individual players goals that unknown to the other players.
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Example: Most adventure games start by providing the players with an overarching goal which motivates the players to complete the game. However, the different subgoals that have to be completed before the main goal is completed are usually unknown, as knowing these would ruin many of the surprises in the narrative.
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==== Anti-Examples ====
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optional
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== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
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[[Predefined Goals]] are often made into [[Unknown Goals]] to support [[Predetermined Story Structures]] without revealing those structures to early. This makes such goals also typically be subgoals in [[Goal Hierarchies]]. However, [[Ephemeral Goals]] are in most cases also [[Unknown Goals]], either because players don't know the details about them (e.g. when they will become available) or because players don't know they exist when gameplay begins. [[Unknown Goals]] can be part of [[Selectable Set of Goals]], which leads to players to have to reconsider their choices of goals as the [[Unknown Goals]] become revealed. Combining [[Unknown Goals]] with [[Symmetric Goals]] is often difficult since players may infer other players' goals from the similarity in actions displayed between players trying to reach them.
  
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=== Diegetic Aspects ===
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The primary requirement for having [[Unknown Goals]] is to provide players with [[Imperfect Information]]. This can often be done by [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]], and may be necessary to support the goals if they are not [[Predefined Goals]]. An easy way to create [[Unknown Goals]] is to have [[Levels]] in games since the goals of a [[Levels|Level]] typically only are revealed when the [[Levels]] are entered. [[Conceal]] goals provide [[Unknown Goals]] of finding the concealer to those that the concealer is trying to hide from. [[Dynamic Goal Characteristics]] can make a goal into an [[Unknown Goals|Unknown Goal]] if the specifics of the characteristics aren't known.
  
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=== Interface Aspects ===
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Games can provide hints that [[Unknown Goals]] exist either through [[Clues]] during gameplay or through [[Level Summaries]] after a specific part of gameplay has finished. One version of the former is to let players know the [[Rewards]] for completing a goal but not let them know all details regarding how to solve it
  
 
=== Narration Aspects ===
 
=== Narration Aspects ===
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Besides supporting [[Surprises]] in a game, the use of [[Unknown Goals]] is primarily to support [[Predetermined Story Structures]] and make the players actions relate to the narration.
  
 
== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
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[[Unknown Goals]] can give players [[Surprises]] when they are discovered or revealed. If players know of their existence but not their details, they can make players take on [[Gain Information]] goals. The knowledge about them are part of a game's [[Strategic Knowledge]] if they are [[Predefined Goals]] that don't change between game instances, but such cases can also lower a game's
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[[Replayability]]. Phrased differently, [[Trans-Game Information]] about such goals work against that they are [[Unknown Goals]].
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The presence of [[Unknown Goals]] can force players to have to replan in games that allow [[Player-Planned Development]].
  
 
== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
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Instantiated by: [[Conceal]], [[Dynamic Goal Characteristics]], [[Imperfect Information]]
 
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Modulated by: [[Clues]], [[Uncertainty of Information]], [[Asymmetric Information]], [[Narration Structures]], [[Downtime]], [[Turn Taking]]
 
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[[Replayability]]
 
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[[Dedicated Game Facilitators]]
 
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[[Levels]]
 
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[[Player-Planned Development]]
 
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[[Ephemeral Goals]]
 
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[[Clues]]
 
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[[Strategic Knowledge]]
 
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[[Parties]]
 
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[[Rewards]]
 
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[[Goal Hierarchies]]
 
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[[Predefined Goals]]
 
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[[Selectable Set of Goals]]
 
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[[Information Passing]]
 
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[[Optional Goals]]
 
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[[Level Summaries]]
 
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[[Environmental Storytelling]]
 
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=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
[[Gain Information]],
 
[[Gain Information]],
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=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
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[[Committed Goals]],  
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[[Goal Hierarchies]],
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[[Competition]]
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[[Player-Planned Development]],
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[[Predefined Goals]],  
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[[Predetermined Story Structures]],
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[[Rewards]],
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[[Selectable Set of Goals]]  
  
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
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[[Conceal]],
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[[Dedicated Game Facilitators]],
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[[Dynamic Goal Characteristics]],
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[[Ephemeral Goals]],
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[[Imperfect Information]],
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[[Levels]]
  
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
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[[Clues]],
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[[Level Summaries]]
  
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
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=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
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[[Replayability]],
 
[[Symmetric Goals]],  
 
[[Symmetric Goals]],  
 
[[Trans-Game Information]]
 
[[Trans-Game Information]]

Latest revision as of 10:45, 18 March 2018

Goals initially, or currently, unknown to the players that have them.

Games provide goals to players to give them motivations to attempt various activities within the games. However, players may not be given all goals at once in order to facilitate suspense and interesting narratives. The goals that exist in games but are not known to players are Unknown Goals.

Examples

Most adventure games, e.g. Maniac Mansion and the King's Quest series, start by providing the players with an overarching goal which motivates the players to complete the game. However, the different subgoals that must be completed before the main goal is completed are usually unknown, as knowing these would ruin many of the surprises in the narrative. A related example can be found in the Super Mario Bros series where players may know that they need to collect Star Coins but where they are.

Using the pattern

Predefined Goals are often made into Unknown Goals to support Predetermined Story Structures without revealing those structures to early. This makes such goals also typically be subgoals in Goal Hierarchies. However, Ephemeral Goals are in most cases also Unknown Goals, either because players don't know the details about them (e.g. when they will become available) or because players don't know they exist when gameplay begins. Unknown Goals can be part of Selectable Set of Goals, which leads to players to have to reconsider their choices of goals as the Unknown Goals become revealed. Combining Unknown Goals with Symmetric Goals is often difficult since players may infer other players' goals from the similarity in actions displayed between players trying to reach them.

The primary requirement for having Unknown Goals is to provide players with Imperfect Information. This can often be done by Dedicated Game Facilitators, and may be necessary to support the goals if they are not Predefined Goals. An easy way to create Unknown Goals is to have Levels in games since the goals of a Level typically only are revealed when the Levels are entered. Conceal goals provide Unknown Goals of finding the concealer to those that the concealer is trying to hide from. Dynamic Goal Characteristics can make a goal into an Unknown Goal if the specifics of the characteristics aren't known.

Games can provide hints that Unknown Goals exist either through Clues during gameplay or through Level Summaries after a specific part of gameplay has finished. One version of the former is to let players know the Rewards for completing a goal but not let them know all details regarding how to solve it

Narration Aspects

Besides supporting Surprises in a game, the use of Unknown Goals is primarily to support Predetermined Story Structures and make the players actions relate to the narration.

Consequences

Unknown Goals can give players Surprises when they are discovered or revealed. If players know of their existence but not their details, they can make players take on Gain Information goals. The knowledge about them are part of a game's Strategic Knowledge if they are Predefined Goals that don't change between game instances, but such cases can also lower a game's Replayability. Phrased differently, Trans-Game Information about such goals work against that they are Unknown Goals.

The presence of Unknown Goals can force players to have to replan in games that allow Player-Planned Development.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Gain Information, Surprises

with Predefined Goals

Strategic Knowledge

Can Modulate

Goal Hierarchies, Player-Planned Development, Predefined Goals, Predetermined Story Structures, Rewards, Selectable Set of Goals

Can Be Instantiated By

Conceal, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Dynamic Goal Characteristics, Ephemeral Goals, Imperfect Information, Levels

Can Be Modulated By

Clues, Level Summaries

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Replayability, Symmetric Goals, Trans-Game Information

History

An updated version of the pattern Unknown Goals 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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