Player Characters

Characters in games that are are under players' direct control or represent the players role in the gameplay.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Using the pattern

Can Be Instantiated By

Player Characters are created by either letting players be the Agents that control Characters - to a lesser extent it can be done through supporting players in Roleplaying them.

Can Be Modulated By

Character Defining Actions, Companions, Equipment, Game Element Insertion, Game Masters, Open Destiny, Player-Created Characters, Transferable Items

Player-Planned Development

Narrative Aspects

Thematic Consistency may be difficult to guarantee with this pattern since having Player Characters let players have significant control in how individual Characters behave in Game Worlds. This can however be controlled by having Limited Set of Actions or Game Masters, and then the added details players can provide can support Thematic Consistency.

Consequences

Player Characters provides players with a Focus Loci in which to interact with Game Worlds. Unlike other types of Focus Loci, e.g. Units, Player Characters form a natural starting point to begin Roleplaying and lets them have Creative Control in how to do this, including engaging in Gossip and Storytelling. While letting players control Characters can give them a focus to have Emotional Engrossment during gameplay, this attachment can be cut if the game provides Character Defining Actions whose effect on Player Characters were not wanted by the players and not perceivable beforehand.

Give that players often provide Player Characters with various peculiarity in their behaviors and expressions, it may be difficult to maintain a Possibility of Anonymity unless gameplay is mediated through restrictive Communication Channels.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Creative Control, Emotional Engrossment, Focus Loci, Gossip, Roleplaying, Storytelling

with Communication Channels

Possibility of Anonymity

with Game Masters or Limited Set of Actions

Thematic Consistency

Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Characters together with Agents or Roleplaying

Can Be Modulated By

Character Defining Actions, Companions, Equipment, Game Element Insertion, Game Masters, Open Destiny, Player-Created Characters, Player-Planned Development, Transferable Items

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Thematic Consistency unless supervised by Game Masters or players having a Limited Set of Actions

Emotional Engrossment when Player Characters are used together with Character Defining Actions in ways not wanted by the players

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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Acknowledgments

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