Point of Interest Indicators
Game actions that point players towards important aspects of game worlds, or entities within them.
This pattern is a still a stub.
Contents
Examples
Players of Mirror's Edge can by a simple button press know which direction to move since this gameplay action turns their avatar in the direction of the level exit.
Letting players aim correctly of enemies by a single button press is a form of Point of Interest Indication. Examples of games with this include Batman: Arkham Asylum, the Mass Effect series, and the Tomb Raider series.
Using the pattern
Point of Interest Indications can be used with all different types of ways of presenting Game Worlds, i.e. First-Person, Third-Person, and God Views. These can also be apply indirectly through pointing out direction on Mini-maps.
Although a lot of places in Game Worlds may be qualify to have Point of Interest Indications, Goal Points are most often shown to players through these. Although they may change view points, Killcams are specific Point of Interest Indications for spots where kills have just occurred and Auto-Aim support is a way of providing Point of Interest Indications for Enemies.
Interface Aspects
Point of Interest Indications is both an Information and Interface Pattern.
Consequences
Besides helping in Game World Navigation, Point of Interest Indications can draw players' attention to Clues. While this can make games more Casual, it can also be detrimental to player learning (see Linderoth 2010[1]).
Since Point of Interest Indications can represent perceptual abilities of Characters in games with First-Person Views, the pattern can imply such as well as Player/Character Skill Composites.
Relations
Can Instantiate
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with First-Person Views
Characters, Player/Character Skill Composites
Can Modulate
Clues, Diegetically Outstanding Features, First-Person Views, Game World Navigation, Goal Points, God Views, Mini-maps, Third-Person Views
Can Be Instantiated By
Can Be Modulated By
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Possible Closure Effects
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Potentially Conflicting With
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History
New pattern created in this wiki. However, it was first reported as a design feature in games by Linderoth (2010)[1].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Linderoth, J. (2010). Why gamers donʼt learn more - An ecological approach to games as learning environment, in Nordic DiGRA 2010.
Acknowledgements
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