Predefined Goals

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

This pattern is a still a stub.

Predefined Goals are preset by the game designer, usually arranged in a rigid hierarchy, which can only be adaptable by players' choices or interpretations if the design allows it. To make goals unambiguous, Predefined Goals are described using the components of the game and have Rewards described and implemented through the game system. All winnable games, i. e., games where there exists a game state that defines one or several winners, have the predefined primary goal that can be stated as: win the game. This is so common that the existence of such a goal is sometimes used to define what a game is, but examples such as the Sims, Tetris, and Pac-Man show the existence of games that at least question if these definitions are inclusive of all games.

Examples

Chess has the Predefined Goals for each player to checkmate the other player's king. Monopoly has the Predefined Goal of eliminating all other players by driving them into bankruptcy.

Games of Starcraft is won by eliminating all the units of the opponents, although human opponents may surrender before this happens.

Anti-Examples

Tabletop Roleplaying Games don't provide players (or Game Masters) with Predefined Goals. Instead, it is up to Game Masters to propose goals to the players' Characters that the players can adopt or invent their own for their Characters.

Using the pattern

Can Be Instantiated By

Factions

Can Be Modulated By

Asymmetric Information, Ephemeral Goals, Imperfect Information, Information Passing, Perfect Information, Symmetric Information, Unknown Goals

Consequences

Predefined Goals let players have goals that are designed for specific purposes in a game. Being able to fulfill them efficiently or repeatedly over game instances are not only an indicator but a reason for players being able to reach Gameplay Mastery of games with them. While this effect of Predefined Goals applies regardless of if players know which Predefined Goals they have at the beginning of the game, Predefined Goals that are also Unknown Goals let players acquire Strategic Knowledge between game instances.

Can Instantiate

Enforced Agent Behavior, Goal Hierarchies

Can Modulate

Analysis Paralysis, Freedom of Choice, Internal Rivalry, Player-Planned Development

Relations

Can Instantiate

Enforced Agent Behavior, Gameplay Mastery, Goal Hierarchies

with Unknown Goals

Strategic Knowledge

Can Modulate

Analysis Paralysis, Freedom of Choice, Internal Rivalry, Player-Planned Development

Can Be Instantiated By

Factions

Can Be Modulated By

Asymmetric Information, Ephemeral Goals, Imperfect Information, Information Passing, Perfect Information, Symmetric Information, Unknown Goals

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

-

History

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

Acknowledgements

-