God Views

Players are given a view of the game independent of game elements.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Some games do not associate the user's focus of attention in a game with any particular game element. In these games the view the user has of the game is likewise independent of game elements, similar to the omniscience of a God Views.

Examples

Example: SimCity allows players to move around the city without having to consider the locations of any individual game element such as cars or pedestrians.

Example: Populous, as an example of a god game unsurprisingly provides players with God Views.

Europa Universalis series

Hearts of Iron series

Starcraft series

Warcraft series

nearly Asteroids, Centipede, Pac-Man Sokoban

Using the pattern

Similar to Third-Person Views, games with God Views that require Imperfect Information about the terrain in the Game World must either use Fog of War or divide the game area into sections. The use of God Views does not have to be omnipotent; the view of a Game World can easily be restricted by restricting the movement and direction of the Camera use to provide the God View.

does not necessarily mean omniscience

Fog of War

Third-Person Views are not directly compatible with God Views and First-Person Views, although Third-Person Views may occur occasionally through reflections and recordings in games with First-Person Views (e.g. through mirror or surveillance devices). However, as long as gameplay balance or Surprises are not disrupted, it is quite common for games to allow players to switch between First-Person Views and Third-Person Views; examples of games that allow this include the Need for Speed series and the Elder Scroll series. Third-Person Views can also be used to help position players by locking onto selected Focus Loci in games; this is done in games with God Views where players have choices exist on which Focus Loci to use. Some games that mainly use Third-Person Views replace this with First-Person Views for certain Aim & Shoot actions. Examples of games that do this include The Legend of Zelda series and the Grand Theft Auto series. In contrast, games with First-Person Views may introduce Third-Person Views when showing Killcams or Cutscenes.

God Views can be used to create Public Information that provides Spectators with more information about the gameplay than players have.

Can Be Instantiated By

Cutscenes, Dedicated Game Facilitators

Can Be Modulated By

God Fingers, Third-Person Views

Consequences

God Views provide Game State Overviews over Game Worlds and allow these overviews to be easily and quickly moved, making them ideal for Attention Swapping but hindering Spatial Engrossment and making Aim & Shoot actions difficult. They do not easily work with Avatars as the link between player attention and the Avatars is weak, but in games with Third-Person Views it is possible to use God Views without this issue to do general navigation and support the movement between Focus Loci that are to be controlled.

God Views can influence the Freedom of Choice players have both by allowing them to vary their view on the gameplay and by making it easier to spot the actual possible actions they have.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Game State Overviews, Public Information

Can Modulate

Attention Swapping, Freedom of Choice, Game Worlds

with Third-Person Views

Focus Loci

Can Be Instantiated By

Cutscenes, Dedicated Game Facilitators

Can Be Modulated By

God Fingers, Third-Person Views

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Aim & Shoot, Avatars, Spatial Engrossment

History

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

Acknowledgements

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