Game State Overviews

Information provided to players that extends beyond the observational abilities provided by simply observing game elements.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Example: Most racing games, e. g., Mario Kart Double Dash!! and the Monkey Race party games in the Super Monkey Ball series, provide a small overhead map that shows the location of other players on the track.

Anti-Examples

optional

Using the pattern

Interface Aspects

Game State Overviews is an Interface Pattern.

Relations

cbmb Alarms Turn Taking

cbib

with Game Worlds

Alignment

with Multiplayer Games and Turn-Based Games

Analysis Paralysis

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Auxiliary Game Screens Picture-in-Picture Views Outcome Indicators

Instantiates: Cognitive Engrossment, Disruption of Focused Attention

Modulates: Attention Swapping, Perceivable Margins, Reconnaissance, Puzzle Solving, Negotiation, Player Defined Goals, Preventing Goals, Public Information, Identification, Narrative Structures

Instantiated by: Disruption of Focused Attention, Score

Modulated by: Spectators, Status Indicators, Fog of War, Perfect Information, Area Control, Extra-Game Actions

Potentially conflicting with: Attention Swapping, Surprises, Limited Foresight, Leaps of Faith, Reconnaissance

Can Instantiate

Progress Indicators, Speedending, Stimulated Planning, Strategic Knowledge, Races

with Multiplayer Games and either Player Decided Results or Player-Decided Distributions

Balancing Effects

Can Modulate

Camping, Collaborative Actions, Game World Exploration, Game World Navigation, Memorizing, Movement, Multiplayer Games, Near Miss Indicators, Levels, Races, Sniper Locations, Split-Screen Views, Tactical Planning, Traverse, Units

Can Be Instantiated By

Cameras, Cutscenes, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Game State Indicators, Goal Indicators, God Views, Mini-maps, Privileged Movement, Score Tracks, Third-Person Views

Bookkeeping Tokens together with Public Information

Game Worlds with God Views or Third-Person Views

Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Game World Navigation, Memorizing

History

An updated version of the pattern Game State Overview that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.

Acknowledgements

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