Tile-Laying

The act of placing game elements when their spatial relation to other such game elements affect gameplay.

Not all games use tiles as static parts of the game that define the game world from the beginning of the game. Instead, these games either use the tiles either to randomize the layout of the game world or make the construction of the game world into a player-driven activity.

Note: While the pattern name suggest only the laying of Tiles, it is also applicable to Cards and Tokens.

Examples

As the name suggests, Tile-Laying primarily occurs in Tile-Based Games. For example, players' turns in Carcassonne consist of drawing and laying a tile in connection to those already in play and then optionally placing a token. Samurai and Neuroshima Hex have similar gameplay structures to depict struggles over land areas. Acquire using Tile-Laying to abstractly represent competitions between hotel chains and Android uses played tiles to unveil a conspiracy; Illuminati is a Card Game where its is instead used to abstractly represent power structures. Tiles are placed in Drakborgen gradually as the players' explore the gameplay area. Kingdoms is a math-oriented Tile-Laying game with a fantasy theme.

Weaker examples of Tile-Laying exist in games where the Tile-Laying is done before gameplay begins. Settlers of Catan is commonly played this way in order to ensure that the resources provided on its hexagonal tiles are randomized. Rogue and Angband, early Computer-based Roleplaying Games that used ASCII-based graphics, randomizes the layout of levels for each game session.

Using the pattern

Tile-Laying may be used either before game play begins as part of the setup phase of the game or as actions players perform. The design of the Tiles used in both cases is similar to the design of Cards, and in the later case may make use of Drawing Stacks and variants of Card Hands.

The Randomness of Game Worlds constructed through Tile-Laying allows the information about Tiles to Imperfect Information if the tiles are covered or placed upside down. By using a form of Fog of War this makes Exploration goals possible.

Can Be Instantiated By

Construction together with Cards, Tiles, or Tokens

Can Be Modulated By

Drawing Stacks, Randomness

Consequences

Tile-Laying a concrete way to construct Game Worlds or abstract structures whose relations are shown through spatial positioning. When laid Tiles (or Cards, etc.) can be moved, this allows for Reconfigurable Game Worlds during gameplay but this pattern is in one sense always supported by the game since the Game Worlds can change between game instances. While Reconfigurable Game Worlds can allow Exploration goals, Tile-Laying can more directly link to this if players place Tiles as they do the actual exploration (e.g. Drakborgen). When players control the placement of the game elements that are used for the Tile-Laying to makes Player-Constructed Worlds possible.

Regardless if players are placing the tiles or Randomness is used, the variation this causes makes it likely that games with Tile-Laying have Varied Gameplay. This, or the Reconfigurable Game Worlds that Tile-Laying can provide, supports Replayability.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Exploration, Player-Constructed Worlds, Reconfigurable Game Worlds, Varied Gameplay

with Reconfigurable Game Worlds

Replayability

Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Construction together with Cards, Tiles, or Tokens

Can Be Modulated By

Drawing Stacks, Randomness

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

An updated version of the pattern Tile-Laying that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.

Acknowledgements

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