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.

Examples

Wargames with complex combat rules allowing various states of the combatants often have to make use of markers to indicate their status. An example of this can be found in the game Advanced Squad Leader, but their offspring Tabletop Roleplaying Games such as Dungeons & Dragons often require them as well.

Many computer games, as diverse as the Civilization series, the Zelda series, the Battlefield series, and World of Warcraft, all provide players with small maps as part of their interfaces to help them navigate in their game worlds.

The HUD displays 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 on enemies to coordinate their activities.

Using the pattern

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

Characters

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. Those providing information not tied to players' diegetic Focus Loci instead offer possibilities to create Game State Overviews. Some information related to the game state may require Game State Indicators since it does not per se belong to a Game World - the most common example of this is the need to highlight selected Avatars or Units (see for example the use of the green marker Sims series and the highlighting used in the Command and Conquer series).

Another aspect to consider is if the Game State Indicators should exist inside the Game Worlds or as part of interfaces outside them. Non-Diegetic Game Elements exist inside the Game Worlds and can be especially suitable for supporting Coordination. Examples of these include the glowing outline of the Avatars in the Left 4 Dead series and the raid target icons in World of Warcraft, the latter placeable by the player designated to be raid leader.

Examples of Game State Indicators existing outside the representations of Game Worlds include HUD Interfaces and Mini-maps, that latter which at least provides partial Game State Overviews. MUDs like Kingdoms and DragonMud as well as the interface API of World of Warcraft allow players to create their own Game State Indicators outside the diegetic representations through the use of Modifiable Game Interfaces.

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

Coordination Game State Overviews

Can Modulate

Avatars Focus Loci Units Game Worlds

Can Be Instantiated By

HUD Interfaces Mini-maps Modifiable Game Interfaces Non-Diegetic Game Elements

Potentially Conflicting With

Diegetic Consistency

History

A renamed version of the pattern Status Indicators that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.