Value of Effort

The gameplay experience of that one's efforts during gameplay have value.

Practically all games make players perform action during (or before) game instances. However, not all require or allow for actions where players can put meaningful effort into these actions, and not all games

Examples

Anti-Examples

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Using the pattern

Designing for Value of Effort in a game is not only about making players effort feel meaningful for them, it is considering how player actions and game events can diminish or destroy those efforts. Therefor, giving players the possibility of feeling a Value of Effort can often require much thought about what other patterns to avoid or at least use carefully. A prime example is Setback Penalties which quite clearly can remove player effort. Others, for example Luck and Randomness can put in question if making an effort is worthwhile.

Balancing Effects, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment, and Fudged Results can do this also to a lesser degree and may not disturb Value of Effort if done skillfully.

Potentially Conflicting With

Backtracking Levels, Drop-In/Drop-Out, Grinding, Interruptible Actions, Late Arriving Players, Multiplayer Games, Non-Player Help, Player Augmentations, Player/Character Skill Composites, Predictable Winner, Purchasable Game Advantages, Unwinnable Game States

Besides being a Subjective Pattern, Value of Effort is fickle since players may feel that a game rewards their efforts at one moment but the next feel they don't due to some event or action by another player sabotaging those efforts. Irreversible Events can avoid this by making players action cause such events, but this often needs to be balanced with letting players influence each others gameplay and providing Tension. Discontinuous Progression can be used as an alternative. By having efforts that can be interrupted or sabotaged be translated into safe effort at certain points, a game design can provide Tension and possibilities of players influencing each other until enough effort has been put into some action or goal and then translate that to something which players can safely feel a Value of Effort about.

Can Be Instantiated By

Abstract Player Construct Development, Achievements, Character Development, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Further Player Improvement Potential, Goal Achievements, Grind Achievements, Handicap Achievements, Massively Multiplayer Online Games, Persistent Game World Changes, Pottering, Public Player Statistics, Unlocking

Characters together with Player-Planned Development

Construction together with Extra-Game Broadcasting, Irreversible Events, or Persistent Game Worlds

Geometric Progression together with Extended Actions or Positive Feedback Loops

Persistent Game Worlds together with Character Development or Player-Planned Development

Speedruns together with Extra-Game Broadcasting

Can Be Modulated By

Arithmetic Progression, Player Elimination

Consequences

Can Instantiate

Tension

Relations

Can Instantiate

Tension

Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Abstract Player Construct Development, Achievements, Character Development, Discontinuous Progression, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Further Player Improvement Potential, Goal Achievements, Grind Achievements, Handicap Achievements, Irreversible Events, Massively Multiplayer Online Games, Persistent Game World Changes, Pottering, Public Player Statistics, Unlocking

Characters together with Player-Planned Development

Construction together with Extra-Game Broadcasting, Irreversible Events, or Persistent Game Worlds

Geometric Progression together with Extended Actions or Positive Feedback Loops

Persistent Game Worlds together with Character Development or Player-Planned Development

Speedruns together with Extra-Game Broadcasting

Can Be Modulated By

Arithmetic Progression, Player Elimination

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Backtracking Levels, Balancing Effects, Drop-In/Drop-Out, Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment, Fudged Results, Grinding, Interruptible Actions, Late Arriving Players, Luck, Multiplayer Games, Non-Player Help, Player Augmentations, Player/Character Skill Composites, Predictable Winner, Purchasable Game Advantages, Randomness, Setback Penalties, Unwinnable Game States

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgements

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