Friend Lists
The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.
This pattern is a still a stub.
Contents
Examples
Anti-Examples
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Using the pattern
Friend Lists are organizational tools that help players find their friends and information about them in Multiplayer Games. As such, they depend on a certain amount of infrastructure in the form of Meta Servers. Practical design considerations that need to be taken when designing Friend Lists include how people should be able to find each other, how friendships are suggested and confirmed, and if different levels of friendship can be indicated.
The use of Friend Lists is typically to provide specialized versions of services that exist for all players but restricted them so they only apply to one's friends. Examples include only talking with one's friends on Chat Channels or Communication Channels, being able to find information more easily about one's friends on Global High Score Lists or Public Player Statistics, and easily setting up games with one's friends in Game Lobbies.
Friend Lists can be populated using Extra-Game Information from Friend Lists outside the game, for example Friend Lists on social media platforms such as Facebook.
Interface Aspects
Friend Lists is a Interface Pattern
Consequences
Friend Lists help games have Social Adaptability in that they have a larger Freedom of Choice in selecting what type of gameplay experience they will have (based on the assumption that they know how their friends play). This can let players increase their chances of having Togetherness through playing with others that they already have Mutual Experiences with. They are also possible to create new Mutual Experiences since they already have established relationships with those they are playing with and can easily contact each other after the game instance.
Quite naturally, Friend Lists work against anonymity in games. This means that Enforced Player Anonymity, Player Anonymity, and Possibility of Anonymity are all problematic to use together with Friend Lists. As a consequence of this, Friend Lists also make it more difficult for players to have Actor Detachment.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Freedom of Choice, Mutual Experiences, Social Adaptability, Togetherness
Can Modulate
Chat Channels, Communication Channels, Game Lobbies, Global High Score Lists, Meta Servers, Multiplayer Games, Public Player Statistics
Can Be Instantiated By
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Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
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Potentially Conflicting With
Actor Detachment, Enforced Player Anonymity, Player Anonymity, Possibility of Anonymity
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
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Acknowledgements
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