Entrenching Gameplay

Games where the perceivable game state becomes less and less mutable as gameplay continues.

In some games, effects of the actions players do cannot be undone. When these effects combine they can limit the possible future gameplay actions and steer the gameplay towards focusing on dealing with the local situations that have arisen. This leads to a form of Entrenching Gameplay where while the initial gameplay may be seen as quite open or unpredictable, the later gameplay focuses on a few specific parts of the game state.

Examples

Go is an archetypical example of a game that becomes more entrenched as gameplay continues. This since each player action is placing a stone on a board with a limited size, and even if stones are sometimes removed, the space freed up is limited in how much gameplay options are available.

The puzzle game Sokoban consists of pushing single boxes and trying to cover all target areas with boxes. Since boxes can become stuck - and usually are - through being pushed into corners or into clusters of other boxes, most played levels exhibit Entrenching Gameplay.

The tiles placed while playing Carcassonne cannot be moved. While many tiles can be placed next to existing tiles in the early game, the combination of tiles neighboring the same empty spaces reduces the number of tiles that possibly could be placed there.

The placement of roads and settlements in Settlers of Catan locks the options for other players. This makes game instances of the game exhibit first initial expansions, then races, and finally a focus on developing settlements and acquiring score cards.

Anti-Examples

The gameplay of Munchkin often includes quick shifts in who is the leader and generally the possibilities of the players. This runs counter to the core of Entrenching Gameplay.

Using the pattern

The main component in constructing Entrenching Gameplay is the use of Irreversible Events (and by implication avoiding Reversibility).

Entrenching Gameplay is often used to create Predictable Gameplay Time, if this is the cause of using the pattern then an alternative is using Positive Feedback Loops instead.

Consequences

Entrenching Gameplay often makes games exhibit Middlegame and Endgame phases; Startgame phases can occur but may not if Randomness plays a large roll in the beginning of the game (as in e.g. Carcassonne).

Relations

Can Instantiate

Endgame, Middlegame, Predictable Gameplay Time

Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Irreversible Events, Reversibility

Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgements

Karl-Petter Åkesson