Variable Accuracy
Game mechanics to simulate differences in the difficulty to hit what one aims at.
In real life, hitting what one aims at is quite difficult. This is however not the case in games since the granularity of game worlds and the rather simple physics needed to create a basic combat system can result in players always hitting what they aim at. When this is seen as a problem, Variable Accuracy can introduce to make hitting what one aims at depend on more gameplay factors.
Contents
Examples
Deus Ex series, Fallout series Battlefield series
Red Orchestra series America's Army
Using the pattern
Variable Accuracy requires the presence of Weapons (conceivably other devices such as cameras could used the pattern as well). That given, three main ways of creating Variable Accuracy has been identified: Wobble Aiming, Stationary Aiming, and Iron Sights.
Wobble Aiming[1], found for example in the Left 4 Dead series, the Deus Ex series, and the latter installments of the Fallout series, is simply that the Crosshairs either move slightly or that players are presented with a circle showing the potential hit area of a shot. While the latter makes use of Randomness, players are often able to lessen the movement or circles through doing Extended Actions (aiming) or acquiring better Skills or Upgrades for their Weapons.
Stationary Aiming[2] (e.g.
Iron Sights[3] (e.g.
These techniques can be combined, e.g. the Battlefield series uses both wobble aiming and iron sights.
Diegetic Aspects
Variable Accuracy is often introduced to increase Thematic Consistency, and as such it is typically also important that the ways players can affect the Variable Accuracy, e.g. the Skills, Upgrades, and Weapons available fit the setting.
Interface Aspects
Variable Accuracy typically requires some work on the game interface, especially concerning how Crosshairs can be used to indicate the level of accuracy one currently has.
Consequences
Variable Accuracy is a way of modifying Weapons so that Aim & Shoot action, and thereby Combat, becomes more difficult. The level of accuracy attained in games using the Variable Accuracy is often displayed through a visual change in the Crosshairs presented to the player. When the Variable Accuracy depends on Skills or Weapons the players has, this creates Player/Character Skill Composites, and these can be further modified by Upgrades.
The introduction of Variable Accuracy, and potentially the addition of Skills, Upgrades, and actions that affect this can make for both Challenging and Complex Gameplay. This is however often a side effect of trying to create Player Balance by balancing the different Weapons against each other, most often trying to reduce the effectiveness of sniper weapons. Indirectly, this means that the presence of Variable Accuracy in games reduces the usefulness of Sniper Locations.
By making it less certain that one will hit what one aims at, the pattern works against Predictable Consequences.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Challenging Gameplay, Complex Gameplay, Player Balance, Thematic Consistency
with Skills or Weapons
Player/Character Skill Composites
Can Modulate
Aim & Shoot, Combat, Crosshairs, Sniper Locations, Weapons
with Upgrades
Player/Character Skill Composites
Can Be Instantiated By
Extended Actions Randomness, Weapons
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
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Potentially Conflicting With
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
- ↑ Page on the GiantBomb site describing Wobble aiming.
- ↑ Page on the GiantBomb site describing Stationary Aiming.
- ↑ Page on the GiantBomb site describing Iron Sights.
Acknowledgements
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