Non-Diegetic Communication

The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Anti-Examples

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Using the pattern

Non-Diegetic Communication is not so much sometime that games are designed to support as designed to handle. This since it occurs frequently and can disturb some gameplay activities, e.g. Live Action Roleplaying and Roleplaying. Prompting Techniques and Substitute Actions are ways of avoiding Non-Diegetic Communication by letting players have other ways of communication. Meta-Postures are somewhat similar in that Non-Diegetic Communication may be done through them which may make the communication less obvious and thereby lessen its impact on Diegetic Consistency. However, this may at the same time encourage more Non-Diegetic Communication.

The presence of Non-Diegetic Features may give reasons for players to engage in Non-Diegetic Communication, so one strategy for avoiding this types of communication is to avoid Non-Diegetic Features.

While Non-Diegetic Communication and Diegetic Communication are mutually exclusive by definition, it may still be worth considering both when it comes to a specific type of information that players are supposed to be able to communicate about. This since non-diegetic information can sometimes be given a diegetic meaning, or masked as part of some diegetic actions (i.e. through using Substitute Actions).

Diegetic Aspects

Not too surprising, Non-Diegetic Communication is a Diegetic Pattern.

Consequences

Non-Diegetic Communication may both modify how Communication Channels work and may create them when these are dedicated to that types of communication. Quite naturally, Non-Diegetic Communication work against the Diegetic Consistency of a game.

Relations

Can Instantiate

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Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Communication Channels, Live Action Roleplaying, Non-Diegetic Features, Roleplaying

Can Be Modulated By

Communication Channels, Meta-Postures

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Diegetic Communication, Diegetic Consistency, Meta-Postures, Prompting Techniques, Substitute Actions

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgements

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