Tick-Based Games

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

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Anti-Examples

optional

Using the pattern

Dedicated Game Facilitators are typically needed to enforce, or at least inform players, when ticks should occur. Ticks can also be created locally for players or for actions. Spawning

Can Be Instantiated By

Cooldown,

Can Be Modulated By

Action Caps, Always Vulnerable, Game Pauses, Persistent Game Worlds, Private Game Spaces, Real-Time Games, Time Limits

Can Modulate

Asynchronous Gameplay, Budgeted Action Points, Massively Single-Player Online Games, Synchronous Gameplay

Like in Real-Time Games, Tick-Based Games can make Events Timed to the Real World.

Consequences

Tick-Based Games allow players to do a limited number of action each tick, including No-Ops. When the time allotted to each tick is more than significant for planning and performing these actions, Tick-Based Games support a bounded Freedom of Choice of when to play, or phrased differently, Negotiable Play Sessions. This also supports a limited form of Interruptibility since players can interrupt their gameplay without negative effects if they have time to plan and perform necessary gameplay action before the tick occurs. Exaggerated Perception of Influence can be another consequence of Tick-Based Games in these cases where they have ample time to plan what to do.

Tick-Based Games that take place in Private Game Spaces support Asynchronous Gameplay. They limit the amount of Downtime a player can have to the length of a tick.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Events Timed to the Real World, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Freedom of Choice, Interruptibility, Negotiable Play Sessions, No-Ops

with Private Game Spaces

Asynchronous Gameplay, Freedom of Choice

Can Modulate

Asynchronous Gameplay, Budgeted Action Points, Downtime, Massively Single-Player Online Games, Synchronous Gameplay

Can Be Instantiated By

Cooldown, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Spawning

Can Be Modulated By

Action Caps, Always Vulnerable, Game Pauses, Persistent Game Worlds, Private Game Spaces, Real-Time Games, Time Limits

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

An updated version of the pattern Tick-Based Games that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.

Acknowledgements

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