Asynchronous Gameplay

Gameplay that does not require - or demands - that not all players are playing at the same time.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Left 4 Dead series

Anti-Examples

optional

Using the pattern

ref to Unsynchronized Game Sessions

One of the needs of Asynchronous Gameplay is maintaining the game state, often without any player present. This means that Dedicated Game Facilitators are often needed for Asynchronous Gameplay.

Another aspect of Asynchronous Gameplay is how players should be able to interact with the game. Turn-Based Games ensure that players have chances of interacting with the game in equal amounts but can lead to Downtime. Tick-Based Games in practice makes players have simultaneous and synchronized turns but unless the ticks are long players the presence of The Show Must Go On can work directly against Asynchronous Gameplay. The same goes for Real-Time Games.

While not strictly necessary for Asynchronous Gameplay, it is often easier to allow players to also not be in physical proximity through the use of Communication Channels and Mediated Gameplay.

Persistent Game Worlds

Common Experiences

Can Be Instantiated By

Ghosts, No Direct Player Influence,

Can Be Modulated By

Free Gift Inventories, Handles, Late Arriving Players,

Public Information can be difficult to combine with Asynchronous Gameplay since players can potentially gain advantages by access information about the other players.

Consequences

Asynchronous Gameplay can cause quite difference consequences depending on how what other characteristics a game has. If it allows players flexibility when to play, it supports Interruptibility or a Freedom of Choice of when to play and when taken further in this direction it also supports Ubiquitous Gameplay. On the other hand, if players need to wait for other players to finish their game sessions so they jointly can start new ones, Asynchronous Gameplay instead causes Downtime with the silver lining that this can be used for Stimulated Planning.

In games with Private Game Spaces, Asynchronous Gameplay can turn Multiplayer Games into Massively Single-Player Online Games. As another example of different consequences due to the presence of other characteristics or patterns, Asynchronous Collaborative Actions can emerge when Asynchronous Gameplay co-exists with Altruistic Actions or Cooperation.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Downtime, Freedom of Choice, Interruptibility, Stimulated Planning, Ubiquitous Gameplay

with Altruistic Actions or Cooperation

Asynchronous Collaborative Actions

with Private Game Spaces

Massively Single-Player Online Games

Can Modulate

-

Can Be Instantiated By

Dedicated Game Facilitators, Ghosts, No Direct Player Influence, Persistent Game Worlds

Can Be Modulated By

Communication Channels, Free Gift Inventories, Handles, Late Arriving Players, Mediated Gameplay, Real-Time Games, Tick-Based Games, Turn-Based Games

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Public Information, The Show Must Go On

History

An updated version of the pattern Asynchronous Games that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.

Acknowledgements

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