Enforced Player Anonymity
Games where the players identities are kept secret from each other by the system.
Some games are constructed so they do not work or may have unwanted consequences if players can identify each other. To avoid this they can be designed to have Enforced Player Anonymity so that interaction beyond that available through gameplay actions is either impossible or only possible after some screening process.
Contents
Examples
The ESP Game uses players' input to tag picture with descriptive words. In order for players not to be able to game the system by communicating through other channels and simply coordinating their input, the game matches players so they are unlikely to be in the same larger geographical areas - or through letting players to together with replays of other players' actions.
Aiming at a young audience, Disney's ToonTown Online has restrictions on what names can be chosen and what words can be used in the in-game chat system.
Using the pattern
The design of Enforced Player Anonymity is mainly about restricting information flow between players through the use of Dedicated Game Facilitators. This means avoiding Unmediated Social Interaction, restricting how Handles and other game elements that can identify players, and if Communication Channels such as Chat Forums are to be allowed at all they need to be restricted in some way, for example through Canned Text Responses.
When Enforced Player Anonymity is used to avoid unwanted Extra-Game Consequences (as in Disney's ToonTown Online)
Interface Aspects
Given that Enforced Player Anonymity is about keeping information about players from other players, the pattern is intrinsically about interfaces and all comments about using the pattern is about this.
Consequences
Enforced Player Anonymity is either used to add Uncertainty of Information to Collaborative Actions or to avoid that Extra-Game Consequences can occur.
Relations
Handles Communication Channels Chat Forums
Can Instantiate
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
Extra-Game Consequences, Unmediated Social Interaction
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
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Acknowledgements
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