Difference between revisions of "Mini-maps"

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''Maps that provide overviews of the game world.''
 
''Maps that provide overviews of the game world.''
  
 
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Many games provide game worlds that are so large that players cannot see all of them at once. When this makes it difficult for players to know where they or other friendly players are, or where they should be going games can alleviate this through the use of [[Mini-maps]]. These are interface components that provide an overview of the game world independent of the main presentation and can thereby show both a larger area and one that is not necessary the one where players are.
This pattern is a still a stub.
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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[[Focus Loci]]
 
[[Focus Loci]]
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=== Interface Aspects ===
 
=== Interface Aspects ===
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== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
[[Mini-maps]] are [[Game State Indicators]] about the relation between players' [[Focus Loci]] and the [[Game Worlds]]. By doing so [[Mini-maps]] can either make [[Game World Navigation]] easier or make it so trivial that it ceases to be a challenge.  
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[[Mini-maps]] provide [[Game State Overview|Game State Overviews]] about the relation between players' [[Focus Loci]] and the [[Game Worlds]], and often also [[Game State Indicators]] about other information besides that of where the [[Focus Loci]] is. By doing so [[Mini-maps]] can either make [[Game World Navigation]] easier or make it so trivial that it ceases to be a challenge.  
  
 
For [[Multiplayer Games]] with [[Teams]], [[Mini-Maps]] can be instrumental in achieving [[Coordination]] and through that [[Team Combos]] and [[Team Strategy Identification]],
 
For [[Multiplayer Games]] with [[Teams]], [[Mini-Maps]] can be instrumental in achieving [[Coordination]] and through that [[Team Combos]] and [[Team Strategy Identification]],
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[[Mini-maps]] may disrupt [[Spatial Engrossment]] if they are consulted since they present a different perspective of [[Game Worlds]] than the main interface.
  
 
== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
[[Game State Indicators]]
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[[Game State Indicators]],
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[[Game State Overview]]
  
 
==== with [[Teams]] ====
 
==== with [[Teams]] ====
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=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
[[Game World Navigation]]
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[[Game World Navigation]],
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[[Spatial Engrossment]]
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==

Revision as of 19:00, 13 March 2011

Maps that provide overviews of the game world.

Many games provide game worlds that are so large that players cannot see all of them at once. When this makes it difficult for players to know where they or other friendly players are, or where they should be going games can alleviate this through the use of Mini-maps. These are interface components that provide an overview of the game world independent of the main presentation and can thereby show both a larger area and one that is not necessary the one where players are.

Examples

In the Civilization series, players can use Mini-maps to quickly move between different parts of the game world, seeing the contours landmasses as well as civilizations and individual cities.

The Mini-maps in World of Warcraft does not only show players where their characters are, but also their objectives, party members, raid members, and possibly their corpses from the previous time they died.

Using the pattern

Fog of War

Goal Points

Game State Overview


Game Worlds

Focus Loci


Interface Aspects

As an Interface Pattern, all aspects of Mini-maps are related to a game's interface.

Consequences

Mini-maps provide Game State Overviews about the relation between players' Focus Loci and the Game Worlds, and often also Game State Indicators about other information besides that of where the Focus Loci is. By doing so Mini-maps can either make Game World Navigation easier or make it so trivial that it ceases to be a challenge.

For Multiplayer Games with Teams, Mini-Maps can be instrumental in achieving Coordination and through that Team Combos and Team Strategy Identification,

Mini-maps may disrupt Spatial Engrossment if they are consulted since they present a different perspective of Game Worlds than the main interface.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Game State Indicators, Game State Overview

with Teams

Coordination, Team Combos, Team Strategy Identification

Can Modulate

Focus Loci, Game World Navigation, Game Worlds, Multiplayer Games, Teams

Can Be Instantiated By

-

Can Be Modulated By

-

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Game World Navigation, Spatial Engrossment

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

-

Acknowledgements

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