Difference between revisions of "Selectable Set of Goals"
(→Examples) |
|||
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
| − | + | The [[Ticket to Ride]] series of board games provides each player with a number of ''destination tickets'' which provides goals. Players have to keep some or all of them (types of tickets and numbers varies between the versions). Fulfilled goals provide bonus points while unfulfilled ones cause point penalties, so the selection is binding although players can acquire more tickets during play. | |
| + | |||
| + | The [[Civilization]] series of computer games provide several winning goals that players can strive for, e.g. military dominance, cultural victory, or winning a space race (the exact goals vary between versions of the game). All the goals are available to all players all the time but the first player to reach any of the goals wins the game, making the set of winning goals into a selectable one. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A weaker example regards technology trees in these games. Players can choose from a number of technology which to research, but the example is weaker since players often can - and are motivated from a gameplay perspective - to research all possible technologies. The choose is therefore more related to which order players wish to research the technologies. | ||
| + | |||
| + | requires players to select goals defining what kind of technology to develop. Beyond what technology to develop next, players can also implicitly select collections of technology goals to reach as goals in order to match later requirements of advanced technologies. | ||
Example: The different possibilities for scoring in the board game Settlers of Catan allow players to select from several different goals to achieve the overarching goal of reaching a certain amount of points. | Example: The different possibilities for scoring in the board game Settlers of Catan allow players to select from several different goals to achieve the overarching goal of reaching a certain amount of points. | ||
Revision as of 15:10, 9 February 2018
Goals which players can choose a subset to strive towards.
Games typically provide players with many goals that they can try to complete. In some cases this means that players can choose one or several goals from a larger set of goals. The Selectable Set of Goals can be defined so that players have to select goals first and then can try to achieve them or that they have all goals accessible all the time but only need to complete some of them to complete a larger goal.
Contents
Examples
The Ticket to Ride series of board games provides each player with a number of destination tickets which provides goals. Players have to keep some or all of them (types of tickets and numbers varies between the versions). Fulfilled goals provide bonus points while unfulfilled ones cause point penalties, so the selection is binding although players can acquire more tickets during play.
The Civilization series of computer games provide several winning goals that players can strive for, e.g. military dominance, cultural victory, or winning a space race (the exact goals vary between versions of the game). All the goals are available to all players all the time but the first player to reach any of the goals wins the game, making the set of winning goals into a selectable one.
A weaker example regards technology trees in these games. Players can choose from a number of technology which to research, but the example is weaker since players often can - and are motivated from a gameplay perspective - to research all possible technologies. The choose is therefore more related to which order players wish to research the technologies.
requires players to select goals defining what kind of technology to develop. Beyond what technology to develop next, players can also implicitly select collections of technology goals to reach as goals in order to match later requirements of advanced technologies.
Example: The different possibilities for scoring in the board game Settlers of Catan allow players to select from several different goals to achieve the overarching goal of reaching a certain amount of points.
Example: The different worlds in Super Mario 64 offer different sets of goals providing players with selectable sets of Selectable Sets of Goals. The player is also free to move within these worlds and goals without needing to complete them in any specific order.
Using the pattern
Can Modulate
Excluding Goals, Goal Hierarchies, Grind Achievements, Open Destiny, Polyathlons, Predetermined Story Structures, Predictable Consequences
Can Be Instantiated By
Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences, Area Control, Choke Points, Flanking Routes, Open Destiny, Optional Goals, Predefined Goals
Configuration together with Incompatible Goals
Can Be Modulated By
Ephemeral Goals, Strategic Knowledge, Unknown Goals
Diegetic Aspects
Interface Aspects
Narration Aspects
Consequences
Can Instantiate
Analysis Paralysis, Balancing Effects, Challenging Gameplay, Enforced Agent Behavior, Freedom of Choice, Internal Conflicts, Open Destiny, Replayability, Risk/Reward, Trade-Offs, Varied Gameplay
with Excluding Goals
with Polyathlons
with Traverse
Relations
Can Instantiate
Analysis Paralysis, Balancing Effects, Challenging Gameplay, Enforced Agent Behavior, Freedom of Choice, Internal Conflicts, Open Destiny, Replayability, Risk/Reward, Trade-Offs, Varied Gameplay
with Excluding Goals
with Polyathlons
with Traverse
Can Modulate
Excluding Goals, Goal Hierarchies, Grind Achievements, Open Destiny, Polyathlons, Predetermined Story Structures, Predictable Consequences
Can Be Instantiated By
Actions Have Diegetically Social Consequences, Area Control, Choke Points, Flanking Routes, Open Destiny, Optional Goals, Predefined Goals
Configuration together with Incompatible Goals
Can Be Modulated By
Ephemeral Goals, Strategic Knowledge, Unknown Goals
Possible Closure Effects
-
Potentially Conflicting With
-
History
An updated version of the pattern Selectable Sets of Goals 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
-
