Sockets
Spaces for game item upgrades.
Games that allow players to upgrade their game items sometimes do this by having specific slots for these upgrades. The slots are called Sockets after one of the most common appearance of this - that the items have slots into which gems can be fitted to provide various bonuses.
Contents
Examples
The Diablo series, Torchlight, and World of Warcraft all have game items that players can put different types of gems into them while the the Dragon Age series provides the same functionality through runes. World of Warcraft has several types of Sockets, including those for cogs rather than gems, limiting which upgrades can be put in which game items.
Using the pattern
Sockets are locations for placing Upgrades in Game Items and this dictates the main design options available when introducing them into a game design. Primary is to decide how many Sockets the various types of Game Items should have, and if there are different types of Sockets into which only certain types of Upgrades can be placed.
Sockets are limited in number for any Game Items and this makes them into Limited Resources. However, this can be changed in some way. Increases in the number of Sockets can be the effect of Upgrades - for example providing the Companion Isabela in Dragon Age II with a "Supportive Corselet" or "Boiled Leather Plates" gives an extra rune slot each to her. In World of Warcraft, blacksmiths can add a gem socket to a bracer or glove at the cost of making them have Enforced Ownership if equipped (they can make a "Eternal Belt Buckle" which works as an Upgrade to belts with the same cost attached).
An option existing specifically for Sockets is if the Upgrades placed within them can be remove later. World of Warcraft and Dragon Age II hinders this (but not Dragon Age) making the Upgrading in these games into Irreversible Events; while other types of Upgrading may be irreversible because the Upgrades are consumed in these case the Upgrades remains to remind players of their choice. An additional option exists when Upgrades are permanently locked in Sockets - that new Upgrades may be placed in them but that the old ones are destroyed then.
Sockets have commonalities with Inventories as it may be worth considering looking at the options for Inventories when designing Sockets.
Interface Aspects
The management of Sockets may be part of the interfaces for Inventories or have their own Secondary Interface Screens as for example World of Warcraft provides.
Consequences
Sockets gives players the Freedom of Choice to choose when to engage in Upgrading through using Upgrades on Game Items.
When Upgrades can be removed from Sockets, players can make Tradeoffs between their different benefits that different Upgrades can provide. When they cannot be removed, players need to do Risk/Reward choices if they should place a particular Upgrade in a particular Socket or if they should hope for a better combination later.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Freedom of Choice, Limited Resources, Tradeoffs, Upgrading
with Irreversible Events
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
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Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
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Potentially Conflicting With
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History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
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Acknowledgements
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