Difference between revisions of "Main Goals"

Revision as of 08:22, 15 March 2023

The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Chess Go

Minecraft Fallout 3

Anti-Examples

optional

Using the pattern

In games with Game Worlds, Main Goals are typically created through having Main Quests since this strongly links the Main Goals with the Game Worlds.

While Main Goals often make use of Goal Hierarchies, they can themselves affect Goal Hierarchies in games with Polyathlons or Tournaments. This since each game or game instance in Polyathlons and Tournaments need clear Main Goals so there outcomes can be used in determining the outcome in general for Polyathlons and Tournaments. In this sense Main Goals are functionally more necessary in games which are part of other games than those which are played on their own.

Main Goals are typically natural ending points for gameplay since the other players or the game has been "beat". This is not always the case, e.g. Fallout 3 and Minecraft allow gameplay to continue after the Main Goals of these games have been completed. These games have large open Game Worlds which invites gameplay beyond the Main Goals and it may thereby seem wasteful not allowing players the possibility of continuing playing if they wish (Fallout 3 for example has many independent Quests that may be wished to be explored after the Main Goal has been achieved). World of Warcraft takes this one step further with Endgame Quests which are designed to be played after reaching the maximum Character Levels with a Character; the presence of these can be used to argue that World of Warcraft does not actually have a Main Goal or that it has one in name only.

Narration Aspects

Narration Structures and Main Goals represent two different approaches to motivating players to want to play a game: experiencing a narrative and being motivated to perform gameplay actions. Because of this, they can be, are often are, designed to support each other with the intension of providing a combined motivation that is stronger that the individual parts and that isn't as affected by players' preferences regarding what motivated them more of the two approaches.

Consequences

By definition, Main Goals are Mandatory Goals although implicit Win the game or End the game goals may need to be assumed for games allowing many ways of winning or ending the game.

Can Modulate

Predefined Goals, Supporting Goals, Unwinnable Games

Goal Hierarchies in games with Polyathlons or Tournaments

Can Be Modulated By

Dynamic Goal Characteristic, Endgame Quests, Scores

Potentially Conflicting With

Unwinnable Games

Relations

Can Instantiate

Mandatory Goals

Can Modulate

Goal Hierarchies, Narration Structures, Predefined Goals, Unwinnable Games

Goal Hierarchies in games with Polyathlons or Tournaments

Can Be Instantiated By

Main Quests

Can Be Modulated By

Dynamic Goal Characteristic, Endgame Quests, Goal Hierarchies, Narration Structures, Scores, Supporting Goals

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Unwinnable Games

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgements

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