Difference between revisions of "Discard Piles"
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[[Category:Needs references]] | [[Category:Needs references]] | ||
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| − | '' | + | ''Areas or stacks where cards or tiles are placed after they have been used.'' |
| − | + | Games that use cards, chips, or tiles often distinguish between those that have yet to come in play, those that are in play, and those that have been used. [[Discard Piles]] are used to keep track of used cards etc. While this may be for pure practical or aesthetic reasons, other uses is that these represent future drawing stacks or resource areas for those with abilities to take game elements from the [[Discard Piles]]. | |
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Players of [[Race for the Galaxy]] place the cards they have used as payment for actions in [[Discard Piles]]. When the drawing stack is empty, these [[Discard Piles]] are shuffled and used as new drawing stacks - meaning that discards cards can return to gameplay. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Cards in [[Seven Wonders]] are only discarded at the end of each era with the except of cards discarded for money. The players are then permanently out of gameplay except that the player controlling ''Helicarnassus'' which can pick a limited number of cards from the [[Discard Piles|Discard Pile]] during a game instance (the leader ''Solomon'' provides this special abilities once as well). | ||
== Using the pattern == | == Using the pattern == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Discard Piles can be either closed or opened. Closed Discard Piles hide the important information of the game elements in them and do not let the players go through the piles. These piles can be used to provide an advantage of Memorizing (with the most famous example being the cards played in games such as Blackjack). Open Discard Piles, by contrast, either place the game elements so that they can all be seen or allow the players to go through the pile. These open piles support Stimulated Planning but may also cause Analysis Paralysis since they allow players a more complete view of the game state. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Discard Piles make possible a certain kind of Privileged Ability: going through the Discard Pile and taking, or directly using, one of the items in the pile. | ||
| + | |||
=== Diegetic Aspects === | === Diegetic Aspects === | ||
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== Consequences == | == Consequences == | ||
| + | The most basic function of Discard Piles is purely bureaucratic: it defines a place where to place the used game elements. However, the size of the Discard Pile allows players to judge the progress of the game. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Discard Piles are often combined with Drawing Stacks to create a Closed Economy of cards or tiles; when the Drawing Stack is depleted, a new is created by shuffling all the game elements in the Discard Pile and making it the new Drawing Stack. | ||
== Relations == | == Relations == | ||
| + | [[Analysis Paralysis]] | ||
| + | [[Randomness]] | ||
| + | [[Drawing Stacks]] | ||
| + | [[Stimulated Planning]] | ||
| + | [[Stack Seeding]] | ||
| + | [[Privileged Abilities]] | ||
| + | [[Cards]] | ||
=== Can Instantiate === | === Can Instantiate === | ||
Revision as of 13:31, 22 August 2011
Areas or stacks where cards or tiles are placed after they have been used.
Games that use cards, chips, or tiles often distinguish between those that have yet to come in play, those that are in play, and those that have been used. Discard Piles are used to keep track of used cards etc. While this may be for pure practical or aesthetic reasons, other uses is that these represent future drawing stacks or resource areas for those with abilities to take game elements from the Discard Piles.
Contents
Examples
Players of Race for the Galaxy place the cards they have used as payment for actions in Discard Piles. When the drawing stack is empty, these Discard Piles are shuffled and used as new drawing stacks - meaning that discards cards can return to gameplay.
Cards in Seven Wonders are only discarded at the end of each era with the except of cards discarded for money. The players are then permanently out of gameplay except that the player controlling Helicarnassus which can pick a limited number of cards from the Discard Pile during a game instance (the leader Solomon provides this special abilities once as well).
Using the pattern
Discard Piles can be either closed or opened. Closed Discard Piles hide the important information of the game elements in them and do not let the players go through the piles. These piles can be used to provide an advantage of Memorizing (with the most famous example being the cards played in games such as Blackjack). Open Discard Piles, by contrast, either place the game elements so that they can all be seen or allow the players to go through the pile. These open piles support Stimulated Planning but may also cause Analysis Paralysis since they allow players a more complete view of the game state.
Discard Piles make possible a certain kind of Privileged Ability: going through the Discard Pile and taking, or directly using, one of the items in the pile.
Diegetic Aspects
Interface Aspects
Narrative Aspects
Consequences
The most basic function of Discard Piles is purely bureaucratic: it defines a place where to place the used game elements. However, the size of the Discard Pile allows players to judge the progress of the game.
Discard Piles are often combined with Drawing Stacks to create a Closed Economy of cards or tiles; when the Drawing Stack is depleted, a new is created by shuffling all the game elements in the Discard Pile and making it the new Drawing Stack.
Relations
Analysis Paralysis Randomness Drawing Stacks Stimulated Planning Stack Seeding Privileged Abilities Cards
Can Instantiate
with ...
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
History
An updated version of the pattern Discard Piles that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[1].
References
- ↑ Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.
Acknowledgements
-
