Difference between revisions of "Repeat Combos"

Revision as of 18:01, 20 May 2011

Combos that consist of performing the same kind of action repeatedly a certain number of times within a certain time limit.

One way of making it more interesting to do the same activity many times in games is to create a specific reward for this. Repeat Combos is one way of doing this through giving rewards to players that have done an action a predetermined number of times within a short period of time.

Examples

CityVille, Ravenwood Fair, and Little Cave Hero all begin counting towards a Repeat Combo when players pick up rewards given for completing actions or goals. Meeting the requirement for the Repeat Combos result in more rewards.

Making high jumps repeatedly in Icy Tower begins combo counts that when continued result in both individual rewards for each additional jump and a final extra reward.

Team Fortress 2 have several Repeat Combos, including the spy achievement You Only Shiv Twice (for backstabbing 3 enemies within 10 seconds), the engineer achievement Quick Draw (for killing a spy and two sappers within 10 seconds), the demo achievement Tam O'Shatter (for destroying 5 enemy engineer buildings during a single ÜberCharge from a Medic), and the general achievement Flamethrower (for setting five enemies on fire within 30 seconds).

Using the pattern

Repeat Combos basically consist of choosing a type of action, a number of times it needs to be done, a Time Limit for doing these actions, and what Rewards should be given for succeeding. Acquiring Pick-Ups is a common example of the action needed, and is used in both CityVille and Ravenwood Fair but Icy Tower shows an example of using Jumping, and Team Fortress 2 shows others still. While the first example is trivial and more an effect of having succeeded with previous actions, the two latter examples show that Repeat Combos can require skill.

Succeeding with Repeat Combos typically initiates new ones, creating Continuous Goals with an Arithmetic Progression.

Repeat Combos are often created to make Grinding more rewarding, and Grind Achievements are quite similar to Repeat Combos but do not have Time Limits associated with them. As the Team Fortress 2 examples above shows, they can however instead be the basis for Goal Achievements.

Interface Aspects

To encourage players to try and achieve Repeat Combos, their progress in completing them are nearly always shown as Game State Indicators. The exception is when many different types of Repeat Combos exist since this most likely clutters the game interfaces.

Consequences

As the name implies, Repeat Combos are a form of Combos. Their representations are typically Game State Indicators. They are examples of Ephemeral Goals besides often also being Continuous Goals with Arithmetic Progression.

The presence of Repeat Combos quite likely makes Grinding more interesting by adding (additional) possibilities for gaining Rewards for doing it. When completing them can be noticed by others, e.g. through being Goal Achievements or supporting Spectators, they can let players show their Game Mastery.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Arithmetic Progression, Combos, Continuous Goals, Ephemeral Goals, Game State Indicators, Goal Achievements, Rewards

Can Modulate

Grinding, Jumping, Pick-Ups

with Goal Achievements or Spectators

Game Mastery

Can Be Instantiated By

Time Limits

Can Be Modulated By

Arithmetic Progression

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgements