Complex Gameplay

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

This pattern is a still a stub.

(Right level of complexity)

Examples

Minecraft

Go

Chess

Game of Life Magic: the Gathering both which are Turing equivalent.

Europa Universalis series Crusader Kings series

Nomic

Anti-Examples

optional

Using the pattern

number of game components, number of rules, number of combinations of actions (and how well these can be predicted)

Can Be Instantiated By

Abilities, Algorithmic Agents, Asynchronous Collaborative Actions, Attention Swapping, Budgeted Action Points, Combos, Converters, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Enemies, Evolving Rule Sets, Game Masters, Indirect Control, Internal Rivalry, Movement, Optional Rules, Orthogonal Differentiation, Perfect Information, Producer-Consumer, Puzzle Solving, Red Herrings, Resources, Resource Management, Rhythm-Based Actions, Rock-Paper-Scissors, Role Reversal, Skills, Trumps, Units, Variable Accuracy, Varying Rule Sets

Betrayal together with Cooperation or Teams

Collaborative Actions together with Delayed Effects or Delayed Reciprocity

Limited Resources together with Traverse

Trading together with Delayed Effects

(have below as example for Algorithmic Agents, Dedicated Game Facilitators, or Game Masters)

Non-Player Characters with Algorithmic Agents, Dedicated Game Facilitators, or Game Masters

(have below as example for Enemies and [[Goal Hierarchies)

Quests together with with Enemies or Goal Hierarchies

Can Be Modulated By

Ability Losses, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Extra-Game Information, Limited Foresight, Limited Planning Ability, Narration Structures, Smooth Learning Curves, Time Pressure, Varying Rule Sets

Can Modulate

Analysis Paralysis, Stimulated Planning

Consequences

Complex Gameplay can have several different far-reaching consequences for a game design. First, it can lead to Challenging Gameplay and possibly FUBAR Enjoyment. Second, it can lead to Solution Uncertainty and make Predictable Consequences absent so players may be inclined to do Experimenting. It does however not need to lead to both at the same time, and when a game with Complex Gameplay lacks challenging aspects (at least sometimes), it can provide Creative Control and let players engage in Pottering (Minecraft can be seen as an example of this). Third, the complexity of gameplay can lead to Varied Gameplay since players may only be focusing or interacting with specific parts of the gameplay in each game instance. All these consequences can lead to Cognitive Engrossment so this is perhaps one of the more predictable effects of Complex Gameplay. Finally, being able to handle the complexity of a game with Complex Gameplay is a form of Game Mastery, e.g. when being able to skillfully make use of all possible Combos.

Complex Gameplay can give Excise if players need to manipulate many individual game components as part of gameplay. When the Complex Gameplay relies on Resource Management, this can take the form of Grinding.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Challenging Gameplay, Cognitive Engrossment, Creative Control, Excise, Experimenting, FUBAR Enjoyment, Game Mastery, Pottering, Solution Uncertainty, Varied Gameplay

with Resource Management

Grinding

Can Modulate

Analysis Paralysis, Stimulated Planning

Can Be Instantiated By

Abilities, Algorithmic Agents, Asynchronous Collaborative Actions, Attention Swapping, Budgeted Action Points, Combos, Converters, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Enemies, Evolving Rule Sets, Game Masters, Indirect Control, Internal Rivalry, Movement, Optional Rules, Orthogonal Differentiation, Perfect Information, Producer-Consumer, Puzzle Solving, Red Herrings, Resources, Resource Management, Rhythm-Based Actions, Rock-Paper-Scissors, Role Reversal, Skills, Trumps, Units, Variable Accuracy, Varying Rule Sets

Betrayal together with Cooperation or Teams

Collaborative Actions together with Delayed Effects or Delayed Reciprocity

Limited Resources together with Traverse

Trading together with Delayed Effects

Can Be Modulated By

Ability Losses, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Extra-Game Information, Limited Foresight, Limited Planning Ability, Narration Structures, Smooth Learning Curves, Time Pressure, Varying Rule Sets

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Predictable Consequences

History

An heavily updated version of the pattern Right Level of Complexity that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design. The update has made the pattern be rather close to the concept of analytic complexity described in Costikyan's book Uncertainty in Games.

Acknowledgements

-