Value of Effort
The gameplay experience of that one's efforts during gameplay have value.
Practically all games make players perform action during (or before) game instances. However, not all require or allow for actions where players can put meaningful effort into these actions, and not all games
Contents
Examples
Anti-Examples
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Using the pattern
Besides being a Subjective Pattern, Value of Effort is fickle since players may feel that a game rewards their efforts at one moment but the next feel they don't due to some event or action by another player sabotaging those efforts. Irreversible Events can avoid this by making players action cause such events, but this often needs to be balanced with letting players influence each others gameplay and providing Tension. Discontinuous Progression can be used as an alternative. By having efforts that can be interrupted or sabotaged be translated into safe effort at certain points, a game design can provide Tension and possibilities of players influencing each other until enough effort has been put into some action or goal and then translate that to something which players can safely feel a Value of Effort about.
Can Be Instantiated By
Abstract Player Construct Development, Achievements, Character Development, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Further Player Improvement Potential, Goal Achievements, Grind Achievements, Handicap Achievements, Massively Multiplayer Online Games, Persistent Game World Changes, Pottering, Public Player Statistics, Unlocking
Characters together with Player-Planned Development
Construction together with Extra-Game Broadcasting, Irreversible Events, or Persistent Game Worlds
Geometric Progression together with Extended Actions or Positive Feedback Loops
Persistent Game Worlds together with Character Development or Player-Planned Development
Speedruns together with Extra-Game Broadcasting
Can Be Modulated By
Arithmetic Progression, Player Elimination
Potentially Conflicting With
Backtracking Levels, Balancing Effects, Drop-In/Drop-Out, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment, Fudged Results, Grinding, Interruptible Actions, Late Arriving Players, Luck, Multiplayer Games, Non-Player Help, Player Augmentations, Player/Character Skill Composites, Predetermined Winner, Purchasable Game Advantages, Randomness, Setback Penalties
Diegetic Aspects
Interface Aspects
Narration Aspects
Consequences
Can Instantiate
Relations
Can Instantiate
Can Modulate
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Can Be Instantiated By
Abstract Player Construct Development, Achievements, Character Development, Discontinuous Progression, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Further Player Improvement Potential, Goal Achievements, Grind Achievements, Handicap Achievements, Irreversible Events, Massively Multiplayer Online Games, Persistent Game World Changes, Pottering, Public Player Statistics, Unlocking
Characters together with Player-Planned Development
Construction together with Extra-Game Broadcasting, Irreversible Events, or Persistent Game Worlds
Geometric Progression together with Extended Actions or Positive Feedback Loops
Persistent Game Worlds together with Character Development or Player-Planned Development
Speedruns together with Extra-Game Broadcasting
Can Be Modulated By
Arithmetic Progression, Player Elimination
Possible Closure Effects
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Potentially Conflicting With
Backtracking Levels, Balancing Effects, Drop-In/Drop-Out, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment, Fudged Results, Grinding, Interruptible Actions, Late Arriving Players, Luck, Multiplayer Games, Non-Player Help, Player Augmentations, Player/Character Skill Composites, Predetermined Winner, Purchasable Game Advantages, Randomness, Setback Penalties
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
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Acknowledgements
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