Game State Indicators
Players are given information about a certain part of the game state or other players through other means than observing a diegetic game element.
In games with complex game states if can be difficult to visualize parts of this game state, especially those concerning abstract game elements, diegetically. To present these types of information, games can either augment the presentation of game elements with extra Game State Indicators or provide dedicated areas of the interface for showing this type of information.
Contents
Examples
The HUD displays[1] used in first-person shooters like the Doom, Quake, and Half-Life series display the health and ammunition status of players. Although the Half-Life series diegetically motivates this as part of the technology of a protective suit it is not affected by any events in the game world and is thereby equal to being outside the game world. Racing games such as the Mario Kart series and the Need for Speed series also makes use of HUD-like displays to show the speed and position of the vehicles in ongoing races. The Light Gem in the Thief series functions similarly, indicating to players how visible they are, and thus the risk they are in of being detected by guards.
Game State Indicators can also be used inside game environments without being diegetically explained. The jewel-shaped marker in the Sims series is a Game State Indicator shows which character is controlled by the player. World of Warcraft allows players to place raid target icons[2]
Using the pattern
Civilization series or World of Warcraft
Status Indicators are an option to Book-Keeping Tokens in games that have Dedicated Game Facilitators. Although they are not game elements they may be observed within Game Worlds when they are instantiated through dynamic Outstanding Features in the environment.
The most common information shown by Status Indicators are Score values, amount of Damage received, remaining Budgeted Action Points, time remaining of Time Limits, and the position of Focus Loci. However, Score values may be regarded as Progress Indicators in cases where one cannot lose points or when one is striving towards a fixed number. The last of these typical uses it to augment the presentation of game elements and may disturb Immersion, something the two others avoid by presenting information outside the Game World. The other two may, depending on their importance, also cause loss of Immersion as they can be attention grabbingif they provide information that is important enough.
In Races, Status Indicators are usually used together with Progress Indicators so players can know both the relative positions between players and how close they are to finishing the Race.
Like most other forms of indicators, Status Indicators provide ways for game designers to give players Direct Information about the game state. Status Indicators are more attention grabbingthan other forms of indicators since the information they usually represent can change quicker and in more ways than with other indicators, and can thereby quickly cause Tension. They can provide Game State Overviews on First-Person Views to give those views characteristics closer to those of Third-Person Views.
A special type of Status Indicators is those that show Social Status. These do not necessarily give information about the game state but can be important for maintaining Social Organizations within game sessions or based upon the games.
Time Pressure Drop-In/Drop-Out Time Limits Dedicated Game Facilitators Exaggerated Perception of Influence Capture
When considering what information to provide with Game State Indicators, there is a difference between showing information that a player's Avatar or Units would be able to detect and those otherwise impossible to detect. The first alternative can cover problems with the interface presentation not being detailed enough (as for example the Light Gem in the Thief series shows how hidden the player's Avatar is) while the other can be used to provide Game State Overviews.
Mini-maps are a specific form of Game State Indicators that provide at least partial Game State Overviews.
Diegetic Aspects
Providing information about the game state or Game World in non-diegetic ways of course risks breaking Diegetic Consistency. Explaining the information diegetically can however lessen the impact of the Game State Indicators and avoid losing Narrative Engrossment if that is striven for.
Interface Aspects
Game State Indicators are interface patterns and thereby mainly related to this aspect.
Consequences
Game State Indicators change Game Worlds in the sense that they allow players to perceive more of them than would otherwise be possible.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Mini-maps Non-Diegetic Game Elements
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
History
A renamed version of the pattern Status Indicators that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[3].
