Difference between revisions of "Cooperation"

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[[Category:Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Patterns]]
[[Category:Needs work]]
 
 
[[Category:Needs revision]]
 
[[Category:Needs revision]]
[[Category:Needs examples]]
 
 
[[Category:Needs references]]
 
[[Category:Needs references]]
[[Category:Staffan's current workpage]]
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''The performing of actions, and exchanging of information and resources, done by several agents in order to reach common goals or subgoals of the game.''
[[Category:Stub]]
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''Coordination between several agents of actions, information, and resources in order to reach goals or subgoals of the game.''
+
  
 
[[Cooperation]] is simply the intentional joint effort by several agents to try and reach a goal. In games, this allow players to divide tasks between them and rely upon each others' abilities and resources to work more efficiently together than would have been possible alone. It may enable players to perform otherwise impossible actions or may make players feel that they are part of a team.  
 
[[Cooperation]] is simply the intentional joint effort by several agents to try and reach a goal. In games, this allow players to divide tasks between them and rely upon each others' abilities and resources to work more efficiently together than would have been possible alone. It may enable players to perform otherwise impossible actions or may make players feel that they are part of a team.  
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
Very many sports, e.g. [[Soccer]], [[Basketball]], and [[Baseball]] are team based and require the players to cooperate well in order to have a chance of winning over the opposing team. Laying a [[Jigsaw Puzzle]] together with friends has [[Cooperation]] between the players, but one can still see the puzzle as containing Competition (or even Conflict) against the game system or designers of the puzzle.
+
Very many sports, e.g. [[Soccer]], [[Basketball]], and [[Baseball]] are team based and require the players to cooperate well in order to have a chance of winning over the opposing team. Laying [[Jigsaw Puzzles]] together with friends has [[Cooperation]] between the players, but one can still see the puzzle as containing Competition (or even Conflict) against the game system or designers of the puzzle.
  
In [[Lord of the Rings]], the board game, the players coordinate their actions in order to defeat Sauron. The gameplay her is fully cooperative since the main goal, defeating Sauron, is common to all players, that is, either the players win the game or they all lose. [[Space Alert]] has the same main design even if in a different setting. In contrast, [[Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game]] and [[Shadows over Camelot]] ensure that at least one player is a traitor but still requires all players to cooperate, at least until it has been revealed who the traitor is.
+
In [[Lord of the Rings]], the board game, the players have to work together in order to defeat Sauron. The gameplay her is fully cooperative since the main goal, defeating Sauron, is common to all players, that is, either the players win the game or they all lose. [[Space Alert]] has the same main design even if in a different setting. In contrast, [[Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game]] and [[Shadows over Camelot]] ensure that at least one player is a traitor but still requires all players to cooperate, at least until it has been revealed who the traitor is. Games do not have to have any concept of teams for [[Cooperation]] to be necessary; [[So Long Sucker]] and [[Diplomacy]] make players join up to beat other players only to later have to battle each other.
  
 
Although only one needs to make it to a safe room for a level to be completed in the [[Left 4 Dead series]], players can cooperate by healing each other, saving them from being incapacitated, or hand over healing equipment to each other.   
 
Although only one needs to make it to a safe room for a level to be completed in the [[Left 4 Dead series]], players can cooperate by healing each other, saving them from being incapacitated, or hand over healing equipment to each other.   
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== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
[[Drop-In/Drop-Out]]
+
[[Cooperation]] is typically achieved by creating [[Symbiotic Player Relations]] between those players that are supposed to cooperate. The most direct way of doing this is through [[Teams]], but equal levels of [[Cooperation]] can be achieved by introducing [[Mutual Goals]] combined with [[Shared Rewards]] to players. The [[Mutual Goals]], however, do not need to be the highest level goals in the game; that is, it is possible to have [[Competition]] and [[Conflicts]] between the players as a high level goal and use [[Mutual Goals]] as subgoals for reaching the high level goal. One way of doing this is to introduce [[Collaborative Actions]] as the only way of performing aggressive actions - this design solution can be found in [[So Long Sucker]] and in practice is required to win in [[Diplomacy]]. Another is to provide [[Game System Player]] that players need to cooperate against (e.g. [[Genesis]] or [[The Republic of Rome]]). [[Tied Results]] can be considered an alternative to [[Cooperation]] in some cases; it can be viewed as [[Cooperation]] that only results in equal consequences if players have performed equally according to some metrics.
  
[[Agents]]
+
[[Collaborative Actions]] in general make players cooperate, even if it is not clear who benefits the most, something often the case in [[Trading]]. [[Transferable Items]] is a prerequisite for [[Trading]] but can also in itself support [[Cooperation]] for [[Teams]]. [[Parties]] can also be used to foster [[Cooperation]] but do this more from a diegetic perspective than [[Teams]] and may not have explicitly described goals. [[Cooperation]] typically requires players to be able to coordinate and synchronize with each other (but see [[Asynchronous Collaborative Actions]] for an exception). This means that games that do not have [[Unmediated Social Interaction]] need [[Communication Channels]] of some sort, typically [[Chat Channels]] since these are most flexible.
[[Algorithmic Agents]]
+
[[Non-Player Characters]]
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[[AI Players]]
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[[Enemies]]
+
  
[[Internal Conflicts]]
+
Making players have to do actions that require [[Timing]] in relation to each other, e.g. most [[Team Combos]], is a more difficult type of [[Cooperation]] in that it requires [[Coordination]]. Games wanting to use this type of [[Cooperation]] can consider using [[Landmarks]] (including [[Geospatial Game Widgets]]) since these ease [[Coordination]]. [[Cooperation]] can also be made more challenging by requiring players to do things with limited [[Communication Channels]]: this can either be simply because they are at different places (e.g. to have [[Area Control]] over several places) or because disturbances are introduced that make communication difficult ([[Space Alert]] does the latter by at certain points forbidding player discussions and playing white noise).
[[Free Gift Inventories]]
+
[[Invites]]
+
[[Altruistic Actions]]
+
[[Delayed Reciprocity]]
+
  
The simplest way to achieve Cooperation is to use [[Teams]], but equal levels of [[Cooperation]] can be achieved by introducing [[Mutual Goals]] combined with [[Shared Rewards]] to players. This creates incentives for the players to strive towards the goals together, and it has been shown that cooperative groups with Shared Rewards perform better, are more strongly motivated, and more willingly engage in Social Interaction. The Mutual Goals, however, do not need to be the highest level goals in the game; that is, it is possible to have Competition and Conflict between the players as a high level goal and use Mutual Goals as subgoals for reaching the high level goal.
+
All [[Alliances]], even [[Uncommitted Alliances]] ones, are based on [[Cooperation]] between the players. Even the lowest level of [[Alliances|Alliance]], agreeing not to hinder or harm the other player, is a form of [[Cooperation]], as the players coordinate their actions, even though they might not be trying to achieve [[Mutual Goals]]. While [[Enemies]] in themselves do not support [[Cooperation]] they can do so by making the typically [[Dynamic Alliances|Dynamic Alliance]] of [[My Enemy’s Enemy is my Friend]]. [[PvE]] gameplay encourages these types of [[Alliances]] and thereby [[Cooperation]] if they do not also simultaneously have [[PvP]] gameplay since players have a common opposing force and no reason why not to help each other.
  
[[Betrayal]] can be added to games with [[Cooperation]] to create [[Inherent Mistrust]] and [[Tension]]. This can either be voluntary action by players for personal gains or be forced upon some players by designating them as [[Traitors]], as for example is done in [[Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game]] or [[Shadows over Camelot]]. [[Shared Resources]] gives players the opportunity for [[Cooperation]] in how to use the [[Resources]] but can have the same effects as [[Betrayal]] and both can easily introduce [[Conflict]] into the gameplay. [[Shared Resources]] also add the [[Social Dilemmas]] to the gameplay which [[Betrayal]] only does if not forced upon players (i.e. not instantiated through the use of [[Traitors]]).
+
Related to this is [[Cooperation]] where the benefits are unequal, even to be point where only one part is helped due to [[Individual Rewards]]. This can however be beneficial to all involved due to [[Delayed Reciprocity]], that is some players help other players under the belief that they may later be helped in return. [[Altruistic Actions]], such as [[Free Gift Inventories]], is one way of ensuring this type of inequality since the player performing the action does not get any direct benefit.
  
 +
One of the challenges with [[Cooperation]] is [[Player Unpredictability]]. [[Betrayal]] can be added to games with [[Cooperation]] to strengthen this unpredictability and create [[Inherent Mistrust]] and [[Tension]]. This can either be voluntary action by players for personal gains or be forced upon some players by designating them as [[Traitors]], as for example is done in [[Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game]] or [[Shadows over Camelot]]. [[Shared Resources]] gives players the opportunity for [[Cooperation]] in how to use the [[Resources]] but can have the same effects as [[Betrayal]] and both can easily introduce [[Conflicts]] into the gameplay. [[Shared Resources]] also add the [[Social Dilemmas]] to the gameplay which [[Betrayal]] only does if not forced upon players (i.e. not instantiated through the use of [[Traitors]]). However, [[Cooperation]] can also emerge from the [[Negotiation]] of handling [[Social Dilemmas]] concerning [[Continuous Goals]] (often [[Shared Resources]] but not necessarily so). Stronger than [[Betrayal]], [[Internal Conflicts]] can make [[Cooperation]] impossible.
  
All [[Alliances]], even [[Uncommitted Alliances]] ones, are based on [[Cooperation]] between the players. Even the lowest level of Alliance, agreeing not to hinder or harm the other player, is a form of Cooperation, as the players coordinate their actions, even though they might not be trying to achieve Mutual Goals.
+
Although [[Cooperation]] is most natural to consider for [[Multiplayer Games]], it does not need to be limited to these - [[Agents]] controlled by [[Dedicated Game Facilitators]] can better guarantee that [[Cooperation]] is always maintained than players can. Likewise, [[Companions]] based upon [[Algorithmic Agents]] or [[Non-Player Characters]] with [[Supporting Goals]] will not betray or trick unless designed to. If a player does not have enough players, or the right players, to have [[Cooperation]] with a solution can be to support [[Invites]], but this makes is necessary to also support [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]] or [[Late Arriving Players]].
  
Every mode of play where the players perform actions together for mutual benefit requires Cooperation from basic Collaborative Actions to Trading and even Bidding. The benefit does not have to be direct to all the cooperating players but there can be a time delay for the Individual Rewards as is described in Delayed Reciprocity.
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Even if a game is not a [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer Game]] other people can become involved in [[Cooperation]]. This either through [[Public Interfaces]] which makes it difficult to judge how many are actually providing input (an example of this can be found in the iPad version of [[Flight Control]]), or through [[Non-Player Help]] that allows people not playing a game to have [[Cooperation]] with those playing.
  
Although [[Cooperation]] is most natural to consider for [[Multiplayer Games]], it does not need to be limited to these - [[Public Interfaces]] makes it difficult to judge how many are actually providing input (an example of this can be found in the iPad version of [[Flight Control]]), and [[Non-Player Help]] allows people not playing a game to have [[Cooperation]] with those playing.
+
For [[Multiplayer Games|Multiplayer]] [[Roleplaying]] games players need to engage in [[Cooperation]] regardless of if their [[Characters]] do so to uphold an [[Alternate Reality]], so combining [[Roleplaying]] and [[Multiplayer Games]] is one way to require [[Cooperation]]. This can allow for [[Entitled Players]] which can modify the game itself to maximize the enjoyment of the [[Cooperation]]. Encouraging [[Playing to Lose]] may further increase the level of [[Cooperation]] in [[Roleplaying]] since then players are putting the development of a common story before the well-being of their [[Characters]].
 +
 
 +
=== Interface Aspects ===
 +
Any restriction in abilities to communicate with each other poses challenges to [[Cooperation]], and for this reason [[Mediated Gameplay]] can make [[Cooperation]] more difficult. Being aware of each others' identities and locations can mitigate this, and games with [[Avatars]] or [[Mediated Gameplay]] can support this through [[Handles]]. This is easier in games with [[Split-Screen Views]] since players can see the other players locations and actions from their perspective, but even so the other patterns can help.
  
 
== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
[[Cooperation]] increases [[Social Interaction]] between the players, as they have to coordinate their actions in order to reach the goals of the game. Having, or having the possibility, to cooperate allows players to make use of [[Competence Areas]] and provides a form of [[Constructive Play]] as the coordination in itself is a common accomplishment. [[Cooperation]] is also the basis for having [[Social Organizations]] in a game, and when [[Shared Resources]] are used or [[Betrayal]] is possible [[Social Dilemmas]] are likely to occur. Different levels of [[Game-Induced Player Social Status]] may lead to spontaneous chains of command in [[Cooperation]] situations.
+
[[Cooperation]] increases [[Social Interaction]] between the players, as they have to do [[Coordination]] of their actions in order to reach the goals of the game. This makes the differentiating of players into different [[Social Roles]] likely for games with [[Cooperation]] and also encourage players to display [[Social Skills]] to succeed better with the gameplay. Having, or having the possibility, to cooperate allows players to make use of [[Competence Areas]] to find [[Functional Roles]] and this provides a form of [[Constructive Gameplay]] as the [[Coordination]] necessary for this is in itself a common accomplishment. This may lessen focus of players on whom the other players are outside the game and thereby promote [[Actor Detachment]] in the game. If players are required to cooperate, the presence of [[Privileged Abilities]] can be used to enforce [[Competence Areas]] while providing [[New Abilities|New]] or [[Improved Abilities]] during gameplay can make [[Competence Areas]] emerge. [[Cooperation]] is a basis for having [[Social Organizations]] in a game, and when [[Shared Resources]] are used or [[Betrayal]] is possible [[Social Dilemmas]] are likely to occur. Different levels of [[Game-Based Social Statuses]] may lead to spontaneous chains of command in [[Cooperation]] situations.
 +
 
 +
Games with [[Cooperation]] typically makes for more [[Complex Gameplay]], but this becomes especially pronounced when [[Cooperation]] and [[Competition]]. While it may increase the amount of [[Social Interaction]] this can also introduce [[Tension]] between the players. When there is a possibility of [[Betrayal]] for the cooperating players, this also tends to raise the [[Tension]] and sometimes lowers the motivation for [[Cooperation]] due to the [[Inherent Mistrust]]. This is especially the case in games that include [[Asynchronous Gameplay]], since the two patterns together give rise to [[Asynchronous Collaborative Actions]] where players do not have to directly interact with each other.
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 +
Engaging in [[Cooperation]] is likely to require [[Stimulated Planning]], especially if [[Coordination]] is wanted, but also considering whether or not to cooperate causes [[Stimulated Planning]]. Failed [[Cooperation]] can lead to [[Ragequitting]].
 +
 
 +
While [[Preventing Goals]] and [[PvP]] gameplay is incompatible with [[Cooperation]] on a basic level, the two patterns can easily co-exist simultaneously by pitching [[Teams]] against each other.
  
Games where [[Cooperation]] and [[Competition]] coexist give rise to more [[Complex Gameplay]], and while it may increase the amount of [[Social Interaction]] it can also introduce [[Tension]] between the players. When there is a possibility of [[Betrayal]] for the cooperating players, this also tends to raise the [[Tension]] and sometimes lowers the motivation for [[Cooperation]] due to the [[Inherent Mistrust]].
+
[[Cooperation]] in combination with many other patterns, e.g. [[Asymmetric Abilities]], [[Asymmetric Information]], [[Perspective Taking]], [[Social Roles]], or [[Strategic Knowledge]], is likely to give rise to [[Reflective Communication]].
  
 
== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
[[Constructive Play]],  
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[[Actor Detachment]],
 +
[[Complex Gameplay]],
 +
[[Constructive Gameplay]],
 +
[[Delayed Reciprocity]],
 +
[[Ragequitting]],  
 
[[Social Interaction]],  
 
[[Social Interaction]],  
[[Social Organizations]]
+
[[Social Organizations]],
 +
[[Social Roles]],
 +
[[Social Skills]],
 +
[[Stimulated Planning]]
  
==== with [[Competition]] ====
+
==== with [[Asynchronous Gameplay]] ====
[[Complex Gameplay]], [[Tension]]  
+
[[Asynchronous Collaborative Actions]]
 +
 
 +
==== with [[Competence Areas]] ====
 +
[[Functional Roles]]
  
 
==== with [[Betrayal]] or [[Shared Resources]] ====
 
==== with [[Betrayal]] or [[Shared Resources]] ====
 
[[Inherent Mistrust]], [[Social Dilemmas]], [[Tension]]
 
[[Inherent Mistrust]], [[Social Dilemmas]], [[Tension]]
 +
 +
==== with [[Competition]] ====
 +
[[Complex Gameplay]], [[Tension]]
 +
 +
==== with [[Geospatial Game Widgets]], [[Landmarks]], or [[Transferable Items]] ====
 +
[[Coordination]]
 +
 +
==== with [[Improved Abilities|Improved]], [[New Abilities|New]], or [[Privileged Abilities]] ====
 +
[[Competence Areas]]
  
 
==== with [[Traitors]] ====
 
==== with [[Traitors]] ====
 
[[Inherent Mistrust]], [[Tension]]
 
[[Inherent Mistrust]], [[Tension]]
 +
 +
==== with [[Asymmetric Abilities]], [[Asymmetric Gameplay]], [[Asymmetric Goals]], [[Asymmetric Information]], [[Collaborative Actions]], [[Coordination]], [[Gameplay Mastery]], [[Perspective Taking]], [[Social Roles]], [[Strategic Knowledge]], [[Symbiotic Player Relations]], or [[Togetherness]] ====
 +
[[Reflective Communication]]
  
 
=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
[[Competence Areas]]  
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[[Competence Areas]], [[Multiplayer Games]]
  
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 +
[[Agents]],
 
[[Alliances]],  
 
[[Alliances]],  
 +
[[Altruistic Actions]],
 +
[[Collaborative Actions]],
 +
[[Coordination]],
 +
[[Entitled Players]],
 +
[[Free Gift Inventories]],
 +
[[Game System Player]],
 +
[[My Enemy’s Enemy is my Friend]],
 
[[Non-Player Help]],  
 
[[Non-Player Help]],  
 +
[[Parties]],
 +
[[Playing to Lose]],
 
[[Public Interfaces]],
 
[[Public Interfaces]],
 +
[[PvE]],
 +
[[Symbiotic Player Relations]],
 
[[Teams]],  
 
[[Teams]],  
 +
[[Team Combos]],
 +
[[Trading]],
 +
[[Transferable Items]],
 
[[Uncommitted Alliances]]
 
[[Uncommitted Alliances]]
 +
 +
[[Algorithmic Agents]] together with [[Companions]]
  
 
[[Mutual Goals]] together with [[Shared Rewards]]
 
[[Mutual Goals]] together with [[Shared Rewards]]
 +
 +
[[Non-Player Characters]] together with [[Supporting Goals]]
 +
 +
[[Continuous Goals]] together with [[Negotiation]] and [[Social Dilemmas]]
 +
 +
[[Multiplayer Games]] together with [[Roleplaying]]
  
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
[[Betrayal]], [[Game-Induced Player Social Status]], [[Traitors]]
+
 
 +
 
 +
[[Asymmetric Abilities]],
 +
[[Asymmetric Information]],
 +
[[Betrayal]],  
 +
[[Chat Channels]],
 +
[[Communication Channels]],
 +
[[Game-Based Social Statuses]],
 +
[[Handles]],
 +
[[Individual Rewards]],
 +
[[Invites]],
 +
[[Mediated Gameplay]],
 +
[[Perspective Taking]],
 +
[[Player Unpredictability]],
 +
[[Social Roles]],
 +
[[Split-Screen Views]],
 +
[[Strategic Knowledge]],
 +
[[Timing]],  
 +
[[Traitors]]
  
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
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=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
[[Betrayal]]
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[[Betrayal]],
 +
[[Internal Conflicts]],
 +
[[Preventing Goals]],
 +
[[PvP]]
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==

Latest revision as of 07:00, 8 April 2022

The performing of actions, and exchanging of information and resources, done by several agents in order to reach common goals or subgoals of the game.

Cooperation is simply the intentional joint effort by several agents to try and reach a goal. In games, this allow players to divide tasks between them and rely upon each others' abilities and resources to work more efficiently together than would have been possible alone. It may enable players to perform otherwise impossible actions or may make players feel that they are part of a team.

Examples

Very many sports, e.g. Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball are team based and require the players to cooperate well in order to have a chance of winning over the opposing team. Laying Jigsaw Puzzles together with friends has Cooperation between the players, but one can still see the puzzle as containing Competition (or even Conflict) against the game system or designers of the puzzle.

In Lord of the Rings, the board game, the players have to work together in order to defeat Sauron. The gameplay her is fully cooperative since the main goal, defeating Sauron, is common to all players, that is, either the players win the game or they all lose. Space Alert has the same main design even if in a different setting. In contrast, Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game and Shadows over Camelot ensure that at least one player is a traitor but still requires all players to cooperate, at least until it has been revealed who the traitor is. Games do not have to have any concept of teams for Cooperation to be necessary; So Long Sucker and Diplomacy make players join up to beat other players only to later have to battle each other.

Although only one needs to make it to a safe room for a level to be completed in the Left 4 Dead series, players can cooperate by healing each other, saving them from being incapacitated, or hand over healing equipment to each other.

See the category of Co-Op Games on this wiki for additional examples.

Using the pattern

Cooperation is typically achieved by creating Symbiotic Player Relations between those players that are supposed to cooperate. The most direct way of doing this is through Teams, but equal levels of Cooperation can be achieved by introducing Mutual Goals combined with Shared Rewards to players. The Mutual Goals, however, do not need to be the highest level goals in the game; that is, it is possible to have Competition and Conflicts between the players as a high level goal and use Mutual Goals as subgoals for reaching the high level goal. One way of doing this is to introduce Collaborative Actions as the only way of performing aggressive actions - this design solution can be found in So Long Sucker and in practice is required to win in Diplomacy. Another is to provide Game System Player that players need to cooperate against (e.g. Genesis or The Republic of Rome). Tied Results can be considered an alternative to Cooperation in some cases; it can be viewed as Cooperation that only results in equal consequences if players have performed equally according to some metrics.

Collaborative Actions in general make players cooperate, even if it is not clear who benefits the most, something often the case in Trading. Transferable Items is a prerequisite for Trading but can also in itself support Cooperation for Teams. Parties can also be used to foster Cooperation but do this more from a diegetic perspective than Teams and may not have explicitly described goals. Cooperation typically requires players to be able to coordinate and synchronize with each other (but see Asynchronous Collaborative Actions for an exception). This means that games that do not have Unmediated Social Interaction need Communication Channels of some sort, typically Chat Channels since these are most flexible.

Making players have to do actions that require Timing in relation to each other, e.g. most Team Combos, is a more difficult type of Cooperation in that it requires Coordination. Games wanting to use this type of Cooperation can consider using Landmarks (including Geospatial Game Widgets) since these ease Coordination. Cooperation can also be made more challenging by requiring players to do things with limited Communication Channels: this can either be simply because they are at different places (e.g. to have Area Control over several places) or because disturbances are introduced that make communication difficult (Space Alert does the latter by at certain points forbidding player discussions and playing white noise).

All Alliances, even Uncommitted Alliances ones, are based on Cooperation between the players. Even the lowest level of Alliance, agreeing not to hinder or harm the other player, is a form of Cooperation, as the players coordinate their actions, even though they might not be trying to achieve Mutual Goals. While Enemies in themselves do not support Cooperation they can do so by making the typically Dynamic Alliance of My Enemy’s Enemy is my Friend. PvE gameplay encourages these types of Alliances and thereby Cooperation if they do not also simultaneously have PvP gameplay since players have a common opposing force and no reason why not to help each other.

Related to this is Cooperation where the benefits are unequal, even to be point where only one part is helped due to Individual Rewards. This can however be beneficial to all involved due to Delayed Reciprocity, that is some players help other players under the belief that they may later be helped in return. Altruistic Actions, such as Free Gift Inventories, is one way of ensuring this type of inequality since the player performing the action does not get any direct benefit.

One of the challenges with Cooperation is Player Unpredictability. Betrayal can be added to games with Cooperation to strengthen this unpredictability and create Inherent Mistrust and Tension. This can either be voluntary action by players for personal gains or be forced upon some players by designating them as Traitors, as for example is done in Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game or Shadows over Camelot. Shared Resources gives players the opportunity for Cooperation in how to use the Resources but can have the same effects as Betrayal and both can easily introduce Conflicts into the gameplay. Shared Resources also add the Social Dilemmas to the gameplay which Betrayal only does if not forced upon players (i.e. not instantiated through the use of Traitors). However, Cooperation can also emerge from the Negotiation of handling Social Dilemmas concerning Continuous Goals (often Shared Resources but not necessarily so). Stronger than Betrayal, Internal Conflicts can make Cooperation impossible.

Although Cooperation is most natural to consider for Multiplayer Games, it does not need to be limited to these - Agents controlled by Dedicated Game Facilitators can better guarantee that Cooperation is always maintained than players can. Likewise, Companions based upon Algorithmic Agents or Non-Player Characters with Supporting Goals will not betray or trick unless designed to. If a player does not have enough players, or the right players, to have Cooperation with a solution can be to support Invites, but this makes is necessary to also support Drop-In/Drop-Out or Late Arriving Players.

Even if a game is not a Multiplayer Game other people can become involved in Cooperation. This either through Public Interfaces which makes it difficult to judge how many are actually providing input (an example of this can be found in the iPad version of Flight Control), or through Non-Player Help that allows people not playing a game to have Cooperation with those playing.

For Multiplayer Roleplaying games players need to engage in Cooperation regardless of if their Characters do so to uphold an Alternate Reality, so combining Roleplaying and Multiplayer Games is one way to require Cooperation. This can allow for Entitled Players which can modify the game itself to maximize the enjoyment of the Cooperation. Encouraging Playing to Lose may further increase the level of Cooperation in Roleplaying since then players are putting the development of a common story before the well-being of their Characters.

Interface Aspects

Any restriction in abilities to communicate with each other poses challenges to Cooperation, and for this reason Mediated Gameplay can make Cooperation more difficult. Being aware of each others' identities and locations can mitigate this, and games with Avatars or Mediated Gameplay can support this through Handles. This is easier in games with Split-Screen Views since players can see the other players locations and actions from their perspective, but even so the other patterns can help.

Consequences

Cooperation increases Social Interaction between the players, as they have to do Coordination of their actions in order to reach the goals of the game. This makes the differentiating of players into different Social Roles likely for games with Cooperation and also encourage players to display Social Skills to succeed better with the gameplay. Having, or having the possibility, to cooperate allows players to make use of Competence Areas to find Functional Roles and this provides a form of Constructive Gameplay as the Coordination necessary for this is in itself a common accomplishment. This may lessen focus of players on whom the other players are outside the game and thereby promote Actor Detachment in the game. If players are required to cooperate, the presence of Privileged Abilities can be used to enforce Competence Areas while providing New or Improved Abilities during gameplay can make Competence Areas emerge. Cooperation is a basis for having Social Organizations in a game, and when Shared Resources are used or Betrayal is possible Social Dilemmas are likely to occur. Different levels of Game-Based Social Statuses may lead to spontaneous chains of command in Cooperation situations.

Games with Cooperation typically makes for more Complex Gameplay, but this becomes especially pronounced when Cooperation and Competition. While it may increase the amount of Social Interaction this can also introduce Tension between the players. When there is a possibility of Betrayal for the cooperating players, this also tends to raise the Tension and sometimes lowers the motivation for Cooperation due to the Inherent Mistrust. This is especially the case in games that include Asynchronous Gameplay, since the two patterns together give rise to Asynchronous Collaborative Actions where players do not have to directly interact with each other.

Engaging in Cooperation is likely to require Stimulated Planning, especially if Coordination is wanted, but also considering whether or not to cooperate causes Stimulated Planning. Failed Cooperation can lead to Ragequitting.

While Preventing Goals and PvP gameplay is incompatible with Cooperation on a basic level, the two patterns can easily co-exist simultaneously by pitching Teams against each other.

Cooperation in combination with many other patterns, e.g. Asymmetric Abilities, Asymmetric Information, Perspective Taking, Social Roles, or Strategic Knowledge, is likely to give rise to Reflective Communication.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Actor Detachment, Complex Gameplay, Constructive Gameplay, Delayed Reciprocity, Ragequitting, Social Interaction, Social Organizations, Social Roles, Social Skills, Stimulated Planning

with Asynchronous Gameplay

Asynchronous Collaborative Actions

with Competence Areas

Functional Roles

with Betrayal or Shared Resources

Inherent Mistrust, Social Dilemmas, Tension

with Competition

Complex Gameplay, Tension

with Geospatial Game Widgets, Landmarks, or Transferable Items

Coordination

with Improved, New, or Privileged Abilities

Competence Areas

with Traitors

Inherent Mistrust, Tension

with Asymmetric Abilities, Asymmetric Gameplay, Asymmetric Goals, Asymmetric Information, Collaborative Actions, Coordination, Gameplay Mastery, Perspective Taking, Social Roles, Strategic Knowledge, Symbiotic Player Relations, or Togetherness

Reflective Communication

Can Modulate

Competence Areas, Multiplayer Games

Can Be Instantiated By

Agents, Alliances, Altruistic Actions, Collaborative Actions, Coordination, Entitled Players, Free Gift Inventories, Game System Player, My Enemy’s Enemy is my Friend, Non-Player Help, Parties, Playing to Lose, Public Interfaces, PvE, Symbiotic Player Relations, Teams, Team Combos, Trading, Transferable Items, Uncommitted Alliances

Algorithmic Agents together with Companions

Mutual Goals together with Shared Rewards

Non-Player Characters together with Supporting Goals

Continuous Goals together with Negotiation and Social Dilemmas

Multiplayer Games together with Roleplaying

Can Be Modulated By

Asymmetric Abilities, Asymmetric Information, Betrayal, Chat Channels, Communication Channels, Game-Based Social Statuses, Handles, Individual Rewards, Invites, Mediated Gameplay, Perspective Taking, Player Unpredictability, Social Roles, Split-Screen Views, Strategic Knowledge, Timing, Traitors

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Betrayal, Internal Conflicts, Preventing Goals, PvP

History

A revised version of the pattern Cooperation that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[1].

References

  1. Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.