God Fingers

Graphical interface components in computer games that display players' current point of interact.

A God Finger is a game element that allows the player to affect the game world, but which cannot be affected by events in the game world itself. It is quite often a mouse pointer similar - or the same - as found in graphical computer operating systems.

Examples

While it is unclear in the Sims series what the pointers used to select Sims or game items represent, the cursors in god games of the Black & White series are literally God Fingers.

Many real-time strategy games, e.g. the Command & Conquer, Starcraft, and Warcraft series, make use of God Fingers in the form of a cursor that is used to select individual units or groups.

Using the pattern

The simplest use of a God's Finger is to let players navigate the Game World to select the Units they wish to use. However, a God's Finger can act as a Focus Loci for actions that are independent of Units or to specify the effect areas of ranged actions, for example, by selecting an area by stating its boundaries. Often the God's Finger is outside the Consistent Reality Logic of the game but exceptions are possible, e. g. through using spirits and possessions.

Consequences

A God's Finger lets the players navigate the game world regardless of where their Avatars and Units are. By doing so, they may limit the use of Surprises and the feeling of Immersion as the God's Finger does not typically provide a point of identificationfor the player and is outside the Consistent Reality Logic of the game.

Relations

Geospatial Game Widgets

Diegetic Consistency

Attention Demanding

History

An updated version of the pattern God's Finger that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.

Acknowledgements

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