Symbiotic Player Relations
Gameplay relations between players that make successes and failure of one player affect another similarly, and vice versa.
In many games the fortunes or misfortunes of one players may affects other players as well. When these ripple effects match the original effects, i.e. good effect for one player becomes a good effect for another player and the same for bad effects, the players are inclined to help each other. The will to help other players can also occur with less direct cause-effect relations, e.g. players may be able to perform actions that only benefits other players but those players also have actions that only can affect other players. When the combinations of goals and actions available make players benefit from cooperating in any of these fashions, the players have Symbiotic Player Relations.
Note that Symbiotic Player Relations does not imply that players always have to collaborate or that this may be the most efficient gameplay strategy or tactic. While symbiosis may be necessary (or obligated), it can also be facultative so that partners in the relationship benefit from it but can exist without it[1].
Contents
Examples
Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game
Using the pattern
Simple ways of creating Symbiotic Player Relations is to give them Mutual Goals or place them within Teams or Social Organizations such as Guilds that have these. The relations can also be given on more voluntary basis through providing players with actions that provide Buffs for others (and not for themselves). The relations can be complicated through the introduction of Traitors or opportunities for Betrayal in facultative symbiotic relations.
Consequences
Quite expectantly, Symbiotic Player Relations gives rise to Cooperation. These Symbiotic Player Relations do not require that the benefits at once spread to all involved players, this since Delayed Reciprocity can be expected by the players (which in turn can lead to Guilting). If the relation is not obligated, the patterns opens up for Betrayal. If the relation is mapped in diegetic terms, the relations are a form of Loyalty.
Depending of how consciously players motivate their actions, Symbiotic Player Relations can give rise to Altruistic Actions.
Symbiotic Player Relations give players reasons to interact more with each other. These interaction are likely to create Social Interaction between the players, either through the actions themselves or as part of coordinating themselves, offering advice, or Guilting each other.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Altruistic Actions, Betrayal, Cooperation, Delayed Reciprocity, Guilting, Loyalty, Social Interaction
Can Modulate
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Can Be Instantiated By
Buffs, Guilds, Mutual Goals, Social Organizations, Teams
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
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Potentially Conflicting With
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History
New pattern created in this wiki. The initial idea of the pattern came from Niklas Kärrstrand (as codependency; this name in not used to avoid confusion since codependency has another meaning within psychiatry).
References
Acknowledgements
Niklas Kärrstrand, Jonas Linderoth
