Difference between revisions of "Diegetically Outstanding Features"

Revision as of 19:24, 28 March 2011

Parts of a Game World that by their shape, color, or texture convey to players specific information or interaction possibilities.

Many games make use of distinguishing features to let players more easily themselves in the game environments. When this is done not through simply the positioning of game elements but through their presentation differing from those around them, they are Diegetically Outstanding Features.

Examples

The rivers in the Civilization series indicate that cities that are located near them will have better production rates.

In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion the White Gold Tower of the Imperial City of Cyrodiil is a unique feature that can be seen from many parts of the game world. On a much more mundane level, bird droppings convey to players of Assassin's Creed 2 where one can fall from buildings and safely land in piles of leafs or carts filled with hay. The Assassin's Creed series however also let players use the supernatural eagle vision ability to have certain aspects of the game world be highlighted.

Using the pattern

Dedicated Game Facilitators (← links) Units (← links) Non-Player Characters (← links) Characters (← links) Game State Indicators (← links) Enemies (← links) Freedom of Choice (← links) Multiplayer Games (← links) Detective Structure (← links) Gossip (← links) Single-Player Games (← links) Game Masters (← links)

(← links)

Avatars

Identification

Some Diegetically Outstanding Features can only be seen by those with Privileged Abilities; For example, in the Assassin's Creed series players can activate an eagle vision to see glyphs, memory-encoded messages, as well as more clearly see important features of the environment.

Relate to affordance

Diegetically Outstanding Features can be achieved in many forms, from those barely noticeable to those blatantly breaking a game's Diegetic Consistency. When not using Diegetically Outstanding Features that are from a function or narrative part self-obvious, there exists two main design choices. First, whether the features should lure or dissuade, and second if the feature should be understandable before any consequences of them or nearby game elements are noticeable. Regarding the options, the former may make Surprises more difficult, while the latter allows for Strategic Knowledge if the same Diegetically Outstanding Features are used again in the game.

A typical use of Diegetically Outstanding Features is to provide information where functional game elements or environments are located within Game Worlds, e.g. Alarms, Chargers, Environmental Effects, Safe Havens, Resource Locations, and Resource Generators. Less common is to lure players towards places where there are no such elements, e.g. to create Red Herrings, but this may be motivated by making players move into the proximity of Traps or to provide Environmental Storytelling. They may also be used to modify game elements more related to Narration Structures, e.g. MacGuffins, but by simply positioning them in certain ways they can in addition create Clues and Traces. Big Dumb Objects should be mentioned in this context, since they are diegetic elements that inherently stand out diegetically. Naturally, the ones related to narrative aspects may be used to create Environmental Storytelling but this can also be the sole purpose of a specific Diegetically Outstanding Feature.

Strategic Locations that do not depend on physical game elements are usually also marked by Diegetically Outstanding Features in the immediate environment, e.g. Goal Points in Races. In a similar fashion, Diegetically Outstanding Features can be used to let players know or guess the presence of Traps but might then limit the chances of Surprises working.

The actual design of Diegetically Outstanding Features can range from simple variations in the appearance of the Game Worlds or Levels to Obstacles that give players' Movement Limitations due to their placement. An easy way to create Diegetically Outstanding Features is to introduce local Symmetry in an otherwise unsymmetrical environment or vice versa. Any type of feature intended to draw attention to it can do so more by having a dynamic appearance.

Diegetic Aspects

Diegetically Outstanding Features is a diegetic pattern but those that stick out too much break Diegetic Consistency.

Interface Aspects

The main use of Diegetically Outstanding Features is to make it easier to players to identify interesting parts of Game Worlds, and this is related to interface as it gives information to them. However, this can have the adverse effect if it is overused since they may then instead begin to suffer from information overload.

Narrative Aspects

Consequences

By definition, Diegetically Outstanding Features are Attention Demanding but unless they follow a game's theme they break the Diegetic Consistency of it. In addition to this, they give players landmarks to support Game World Navigation in Game Worlds or Levels, thereby making Exploration (and possibly Traverse) goals easier to complete. Since the Diegetically Outstanding Features can provide the imperative for players to plan how to get to them or avoid them, they can encourage Stimulated Planning.

When marking Chargers, Resource Locations, Resource Generators, and Traps, Diegetically Outstanding Features work as Clues and noticing them is usually Illusionary Rewards, since they may not necessarily aid the players.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Attention Demanding, Clues, Illusionary Rewards, Movement Limitations, Red Herrings, Stimulated Planning, Strategic Knowledge, Traces

Can Modulate

Alarms, Chargers, Environmental Effects, Exploration, Game World Navigation, Game Worlds, Goal Points, Levels, MacGuffins, Resource Generators, Resource Locations, Safe Havens, Strategic Locations, Traps, Traverse

Can Be Instantiated By

Big Dumb Objects, Obstacles

Can Be Modulated By

Possible Closure Effects

Potentially Conflicting With

Diegetic Consistency, Surprises

History

An updated version of the pattern Outstanding Features 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.