Controllers

Game elements fixed in particular locations in Game Worlds that allow actions or events not possible elsewhere.

Examples

First-person shooters, such as Quake, often have doors that have to be opened through activating Controllers.

The cannons in Super Mario 64 are Controllers that allow Mario to reach areas otherwise inaccessible by shooting himself from a cannon.

Abstract Controllers can be found in Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory as players can construct bridges, command centers, and towers in certain places.

Using the pattern

Controllers share many design possibilities with Tools. After choosing what Privileged Abilities the Controllers support, a game designer has to decide which Units or Avatars can use the Controller, any specific skills that are needed, and any Resources the Controller might consume. However, Controllers differ in some respects from Tools. First, they are public in the sense that they are stationary, and whoever is near it can activate it (unless specific skills or resources are needed). This means that any Gain Ownership goals related to the Controllers are linked to controlling the game area. Second, they may need Tools to be activated besides any requirements on skills and Resources. Third, as they often are presented as part of a large machine or system, they often can affect something outside the usual reach of Units' or Avatars' actions without breaking the Consistent Reality Logic of the game. The activation of Controllers can often be the completion of a goal or a Level. Further, the actions can be both Extended Actions (requiring the constant activation of a player) and Ultra-Powerful Events (for example when activating Moveable Tiles).

The archetypical type of Controller is a Button. However, Controllers do not have to be tangible game elements, but they can be areas where the construction or destruction of game elements is possible. Examples of this are boxes of construction material, which can be assembled to specific game elements, such as bridges or bases in Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory.

Switches and Installations are two specific types of Controllers.

Effects that are often binary may often only need Switches rather than more complex Controllers. Examples of such effects include modifying Inaccessible Areas, finishing Levels, or initiating Quick Travel. This may also include Environmental Effects but this depends of if their geographical spread are fixed or not.

Installations

Can Be Modulated By

Extended Actions, Tools

Narrative Aspects

Compared to Tools, Controllers (and especially Switches) let game designers structure where and when players can perform actions which functionally for them are New Abilities. This can be used to progress Predetermined Story Structures and when Controllers are used in this way their effects are typically both Irreversible Events and Ultra-Powerful Events.

Consequences

Controllers are natural Strategic Locations in Game Worlds and Levels since having access to them, which may require Area Control, gives players or Teams access to New Abilities. In Multiplayer Games this can become Privileged Abilities and spawn goals of Area Control. Controllers that are Resource Generators provide a way to have Renewable Resources in games and create Resource Locations.

As mentioned above, Controllers can depending on their design modulate Alarms, Environmental Effects, Inaccessible Areas, Levels, or Quick Travel.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Irreversible Events, New Abilities, Predetermined Story Structures, Strategic Locations, Ultra-Powerful Events

with Multiplayer Games

Area Control, Privileged Abilities

with Resource Generators

Renewable Resources, Resource Locations

Can Modulate

Area Control, Alarms, Environmental Effects, Game Worlds, Inaccessible Areas, Levels Quick Travel

Can Be Instantiated By

Installations, Switches

Can Be Modulated By

Extended Actions, Resource Generators, Tools

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

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

Acknowledgements

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