Difference between revisions of "New Abilities"

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[[Category:Patterns]]
 
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[[Category:Needs revision]]
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[[Category:Event Patterns]]
 
[[Category:Action Patterns]]
 
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''Abilities gained during gameplay that allows for new actions to be performed.''
''The event of gaining new abilities during gameplay that allows for new actions to be performed.''
+
  
Many games provide players with additional actions that they can perform after they have started playing. These New Abilities give players more freedom in the game and allow them to be more empowered as gameplay continues.
+
Many games provide players with additional actions that they can perform after they have started playing. These [[New Abilities]] often give players more freedom in the games and allow them to be more empowered as gameplay continues.
 
+
This pattern is a still a stub.
+
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
Example: Roleplaying games that use character levels often, especially to wizard or cleric character classes, award players with new spell-casting abilities. Other examples of new abilities include new forms of attack for fighters and new stealth possibilities for thieves.
+
[[:Category:Tabletop Roleplaying Games|Tabletop Roleplaying Games]] such as [[Dungeons & Dragons]] make use of character levels and when players reach new levels, players are awarded with [[New Abilities]].  
 
+
This has been carried over to [[:Category:Computer-based Roleplaying Games|Computer-based Roleplaying Games]] such as the [[Neverwinter Nights series|Neverwinter Nights]] and [[Dragon Age series]], and the [[Fallout series]] where players get ''perks'' at every other character level gained. [[The Legend of Zelda series]] does likewise but ties [[New Abilities]] more to the possession of new tools.
Example: Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory allows players to gain experience in several different skills during game play. When players "level up" in a skill, they gain new abilities connected to that skill, e. g., being able to call air strikes based on observation with binoculars, fully reviving team mates with health injections, or having more ammunition in supply packs.
+
 
+
Example: Becoming a zombie in Zombiepox does not automatically mean game over, since players can cure their Avatars by finding brains. However, the players' Avatars have the ability to spread the zombie disease just like other zombies, which does not aid in player success.
+
 
+
[[Dragon Age series]]
+
  
[[Dungeon & Dragons]]
+
The [[:Category:FPS Games|FPS Game]] [[Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory]] allows players to gain experience in several different skills during game play. When players "level up" in a skill, they gain [[New Abilities]] connected to that skill, e. g., being able to call air strikes based on observation with binoculars, fully reviving team mates with health injections, or having more ammunition in supply packs.
  
 +
Becoming a zombie in [[Zombiepox]] does not automatically mean game over, since players can cure themselves by finding brains. However, when being zombies the players' avatars gain the ability to spread the zombie disease just like other zombies, which does not aid in their long-term success in the game.
  
 +
Picking up power-ups in the [[Mario Kart series]] gives players [[New Abilities]] for a certain limit time or limited number of uses.
  
 
== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
Besides what abilities should be given, the primary design choices for New Ability are if the ability gains are temporary, if the ability is linked to a certain Focus Loci or to the player, and if players can affect what ability is gained. Further, the New Ability may be the cause of a Reward or the result of an Investment.
+
[[New Abilities]] in games are most often given to provide [[Varied Gameplay]] (e.g. by giving players access to new [[Weapons]]), but can also be added because they are needed to overcome particular challenges already decided upon. Besides what [[Abilities]] should be given, the primary design choices for [[New Abilities]] lies in if the [[Abilities]] are linked to specific [[Focus Loci]] or more generally to players, if players can affect what [[Abilities]] is gained, and if the [[Abilities]] gained are [[Temporary Abilities]] due to having [[Time Limits]]. Although any [[Abilities]] may be [[New Abilities]], [[Privileged Movement]] and [[Quick Returns]] can be mentioned since they are [[New Abilities]] but may be mistaken for [[Improved Abilities]]. The difference between [[New Abilities]] and [[Improved Abilities]] can be defined in several different ways: if the new actions are activated in the same way as the old, if the consequences of the actions affect different parts of the game state, or if the explanation given by the [[Alternative Realities]] differentiates them. However, the distinction between them may be blurry for players and it may be prudent to consider both patterns when designing one or the other.
  
When New Abilities are linked to Units or Characters, they may be in the form of Chargers or Power-Ups that give temporary effects with Time Limits, or they may be in the more permanent form of Tools. Tools may allow a Transfer of Control of the New Ability and may have limited numbers of uses due to Limited Resources.
+
[[New Abilities]] given to specific [[Focus Loci]] such as [[Avatars]] and [[Characters]] can be tied to acquiring specific game elements such as [[Controllers]], [[Equipment]], [[Tools]], [[Weapons]], new types of [[Ammunition]], and [[Vehicles]]. All of these can thereby be used to instantiate [[New Abilities]] with the exception of [[Ammunition]] which due to being a [[Resources|Resource]] instead can given variants through [[New Abilities]]. The [[New Abilities]] can also be motivated as personal development in the form of new [[Powers]] or [[Skills]], possibly as the effects of gaining [[Character Levels]]. When the use of [[Abilities]] is tied to the use of [[Resources]], simply gaining access to a [[Resources|Resource]] one didn't have before makes one have a [[New Abilities|New Ability]]. Gaining [[Companions]] and becoming members of [[Factions]] can also do this in a roundabout way since this may let players have access to new services from [[Non-Player Characters]] that are members in the [[Factions]]. All these ways but the last can be used to make the [[New Abilities]] a form of [[Limited Resources]] and allow [[Transfer of Control]] of the [[New Abilities]] through for example [[Trading]] or [[Stealing]]. Other ways of introducing [[New Abilities]] depend more on tying them directly to the [[Game Worlds]], for example through introducing [[Controllers]] or by creating [[Environmental Effects]] that are defined by the [[New Abilities]] they provide. This makes the [[New Abilities]] into [[Location-Fixed Abilities]] in the [[Game Worlds]] and makes players have to move the [[Avatars]] or [[Characters]] there to get the [[Abilities]]. The placement of [[Power-Ups]] in [[Game Worlds]] provide similar options but here getting to particular places (at the right time) becomes important and one then gets the [[New Abilities]] with a [[Time Limits|Time Limit]]. These approaches can be used for [[Units]] as well. When done so, they increase the value of individual [[Units]], but unless the [[New Abilities]] are also [[Temporary Abilities]] due to [[Time Limits]], this may make them more into [[Characters]] than [[Units]]. Games which allow the [[Capture]] of enemy [[Units]] through [[Transfer of Control]] can give players [[New Abilities]] through these "converted" [[Units]]. Non-localized ways of giving [[New Abilities]] are through [[Crafting]], [[Character Levels]], [[Evolving Rule Sets]], or results of [[Investments]] such as advances in [[Technology Trees]], and these options can be applied to [[Abstract Player Constructs]], [[Characters]], or classes of [[Units]]. [[Varying Rule Sets]] can also do this on a temporary basis.
  
Linking New Abilities to Characters is not much different that linking them to players, unless the ability can be lost with the loss of Lives. Giving the New Abilities to Units increases the value of individual Units of the type that received the ability and can create Orthogonal Unit Differentiation.
+
While the above shows how [[New Abilities]] can be given to several types of [[Focus Loci]], [[Cards]] and [[Bookkeeping Tokens]] can be [[Focus Loci]] that ''give'' players [[New Abilities]] by being put into play (and thereby affect how player can interact with [[Game Worlds]]). For [[Cards]], players can be ''given'' these [[New Abilities]] through performing [[Card Building|Card]] or [[Deck Building]].
  
When players can influence what New Abilities they gain, this gives Freedom of Choice to the players and makes Planned Character Development possible. In games with Team Play, this also allows Team Development and player-directed Orthogonal Unit Differentiation.
+
[[New Abilities]] may be preordained by [[Predetermined Story Structures]], forced upon players due to [[Role Reversal]] events, or they may be given the [[Freedom of Choice]] to select which to get from a set of [[Abilities]]. Giving players a control over what [[New Abilities]] they gain and letting the information about the possible [[New Abilities]] be made available in advance allows for [[Player-Planned Development]]. In games with [[Team Play]], this also allows [[Team Development]]. While any [[New Abilities]] can be [[Privileged Abilities]] until other acquire them as well, [[New Abilities]] can be designed to be [[Privileged Abilities]] by only letting one or a few players get the [[Abilities]]. This may be done through the game elements providing the [[New Abilities]] being limited in number.
  
Like Privileged Abilities, any New Ability can affect Player Balance negatively. This may be countered by the Balancing Effect of linking the New Ability to an Ability Loss of another type, forcing players to perform Risk/Reward choices. Another way to provide a Balancing Effect is to have the New Ability as part of a set of Budgeted Action Points, which means that use of the New Ability is done instead of using an existing one.
+
Like [[Privileged Abilities]], [[New Abilities]] can affect [[Player Balance]] negatively. This may be countered by the [[Balancing Effects]] of linking the [[New Abilities]] to [[Ability Losses]] of another type, forcing players to perform [[Risk/Reward]] and [[Trade-Offs|Trade-Off]] choices. Another way to provide [[Balancing Effects]] is to have the actions provided by the [[New Abilities]] extend a set action that need to be paid for by [[Budgeted Action Points]] - so using the [[New Abilities]] means not using old ones. Putting [[Time Limits]] on how long players have the [[New Abilities]] - as is often done with [[Power-Ups]] - is a third way of balancing [[New Abilities]].
  
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
+
While [[New Abilities]] are often given as [[Rewards]] (or more precisely [[Facilitating Rewards]]), having diseases and the ability to spread them is an example of how [[New Abilities]] can be [[Penalties]]; this can be found in [[Zombiepox]], [[Team Fortress Classic]] and caused the ''Corrupted Blood incident''<ref name="Corrupted Blood"/> in [[World of Warcraft]].
[[Companions]],
+
[[Controllers]],
+
[[Equipment]],  
+
[[Evolving Rule Sets]],
+
[[Privileged Movement]],
+
[[Quick Returns]],  
+
[[Time Limits]],
+
[[Tools]],
+
[[Varying Rule Sets]],
+
[[Weapons]]
+
 
+
[[Capture]] together with [[Transfer of Control]]
+
 
+
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
+
[[Budgeted Action Points]],
+
[[Factions]],
+
[[Privileged Abilities]],
+
[[Time Limits]]
+
  
 
=== Diegetic Aspects ===
 
=== Diegetic Aspects ===
 +
To let other players know what [[New Abilities]] players have acquired one can change the representation of [[Avatars]] and [[Units]] accordingly. Generally, [[New Abilities]] fits less well with a game's [[Thematic Consistency]] than [[Improved Abilities]] unless they are presented through game elements, [[Abstract Player Construct Development|Abstract Player Construct]] or [[Character Development]], or have been part of [[Predefined Goals]].
  
 
=== Interface Aspects ===
 
=== Interface Aspects ===
 +
In computer-based games where players have a [[Freedom of Choice]] in what [[New Abilities]] to get from raises in [[Character Levels]], this is typically done in [[Secondary Interface Screens]].
 +
 +
From a pure interface perspective, placing [[Bookkeeping Tokens]] can instantiate [[New Abilities]].
  
 
=== Narrative Aspects ===
 
=== Narrative Aspects ===
 +
As stated above, [[New Abilities]] may be part of [[Predetermined Story Structures]] but can also create narratives through the [[Character Development]] they embody, especially when they can be seen as the effects of [[Character Defining Actions]] for [[Characters]].
  
 
== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
[[New Abilities]] are the objectives for [[Gain Ability]] goals, [[Gain Ownership]] goals of [[Tools]], and give new possibilities for new [[Competence Areas]]. As they give players increased Freedom of Choice and the New Abilities often are Privileged Abilities, receiving them is almost always considered a Reward. This may affect players' Perceived Chance to Succeed and creates Illusion of Influence even if no actual influence needs to exist. The ability to have more influence over the game state makes goals of acquiring New Abilities into implicit if not explicit Supporting Goals and give players Empowerment. Having diseases and the ability to spread them is an example of how a New Ability can be a Penalty. Role Reversal events often give players New Abilities while at the same time imposing Ability Losses of existing ones.
+
[[New Abilities]] - quite obviously - give players new [[Abilities]] in games. They do this through changing what action the players' [[Focus Loci]], e.g. [[Avatars]], [[Characters]], and [[Units]], can do. The ability to have more influence over the game state makes goals of acquiring [[New Abilities]] into implicit if not explicit [[Supporting Goals]] of [[Gain Competence]], [[Gain Ownership]] of [[Tools]], or acquiring new [[Competence Areas]]  - [[Power-Ups]] are examples of game elements that make these goals explicit especially since the [[New Abilities]] also typically are [[Privileged Abilities]]. As they give players increased [[Freedom of Choice]] and the [[New Abilities]] may be [[Privileged Abilities]], receiving them is almost always considered a [[Rewards|Reward]] and can give players the feeling of [[Empowerment]]. This may give players an [[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]] even if no actual influence exists, as for example in the cases where [[Red Queen Dilemmas]] exist due to the [[New Abilities]] are matched by [[New Abilities]] of [[Enemies]].  
  
New Abilities given to Characters are a form of Character Development and as such can move the development of the Narrative Structure forward. In games with Team Play,New Abilities also foster Team Development. Giving New Abilities as the gameplay unfolds lets players have Smooth Learning Curves and provides a means to support Varied Gameplay over a game session. New Abilities give rise to Red Queen Dilemmas when a game allows a series of New Abilities to be acquired by competing players.
+
The timing of when [[New Abilities]] are made available to players are often critical to when and if phases of [[Expansion]], [[Exploitation]], or
 +
[[Game World Exploration]] occur (it does not affect [[Extermination]] to the same degree since players typically have those abilities at hand already).
  
The difference between New Abilities and Improved Abilities can be defined in several different ways: if the new action is activated in the same way as the old, if the consequences of the action affect different parts of the game state, or if the explanation given by the Alternative Reality differentiates them. New Abilities, unless present in other game elements or part of Predefined Goals, fits less well with a Consistent Reality Logic than Improved Abilities.
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Giving [[New Abilities]] as the gameplay unfolds can help players have [[Smooth Learning Curves]] and provides a means to support [[Increasing Rewards]] and [[Varied Gameplay]] over a game session. They can temporarily lower players ability to have a [[Determinable Chance to Succeed]]. [[New Abilities]] given to [[Characters]] are a form of [[Character Development]] (and if the [[Abilities]] are chosen these choices can be seen as [[Character Defining Actions]]) and likewise a form of [[Abstract Player Construct Development]] when given to [[Abstract Player Constructs]]. In games with [[Teams]], [[New Abilities]] also creates [[Team Development]] and possibly [[Functional Roles]] through [[Competence Areas]]. This [[Abstract Player Construct Development|Abstract Player Construct]] or [[Character Development]] can in turn provide the development of [[Paper-Rock-Scissors]] and [[Red Queen Dilemmas]] structures but also problems with [[Player Balance]] in [[Multiplayer games]]] (and [[Team Balance]] in games with [[Teams]]).
 
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[[Gain Ownership]] goals of [[Tools]],
+
  
 +
[[New Abilities]] can provide [[Balancing Effects]] when whom they are given to and what actions are given is based upon players' current gameplay ranking.
  
 +
== Relations ==
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
 
=== Can Instantiate ===
[[Abstract Player Construct Development]],
 
[[Ammunition]],
 
 
[[Balancing Effects]],  
 
[[Balancing Effects]],  
[[Character Defining Actions]],  
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[[Card Building]],  
[[Character Development]],  
+
[[Competence Areas]],
 +
[[Deck Building]],
 +
[[Determinable Chance to Succeed]],
 +
[[Empowerment]],  
 
[[Environmental Effects]],  
 
[[Environmental Effects]],  
 
[[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]],  
 
[[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]],  
 +
[[Gain Competence]],
 +
[[Increasing Rewards]],
 +
[[Penalties]],
 +
[[Powers]],
 +
[[Privileged Abilities]],
 +
[[Predetermined Story Structures]],
 +
[[Red Queen Dilemmas]],
 +
[[Rewards]],
 +
[[Supporting Goals]],
 +
[[Varied Gameplay]]
  
==== with [[Power-Ups]] ====
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==== with [[Abstract Player Constructs]] ====  
[[Gain Ability]],
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[[Abstract Player Construct Development]]  
[[Privileged Abilities]]
+
  
==== with [[Time Limits]] ====
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==== with [[Ability Losses]] ====
[[Temporary Abilities]]
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[[Risk/Reward]],
 +
[[Trade-Offs]]
  
=== Can Modulate ===
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==== with [[Bookkeeping Tokens]] or [[Cards]] ====
[[Avatars]],
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[[Focus Loci]]
[[Characters]],
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[[Freedom of Choice]],
+
[[Power-Ups]],
+
[[Units]]
+
  
==== with [[Abstract Player Construct Development]] or [[Character Development]] ====
+
==== with [[Characters]] ====
[[Paper-Rock-Scissors]],  
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[[Character Defining Actions]],  
[[Varied Gameplay]]
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[[Character Development]]  
  
== Relations ==
+
==== with [[Freedom of Choice]] ====
=== Can Instantiate ===
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[[Player-Planned Development]]
[[Abstract Player Construct Development]],
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[[Ammunition]],
+
[[Balancing Effects]],
+
[[Character Defining Actions]],
+
[[Character Development]],
+
[[Competence Areas]],
+
[[Environmental Effects]],
+
[[Exaggerated Perception of Influence]]
+
  
==== with [[Power-Ups]] ====
+
==== with [[Teams]] ====
[[Gain Ability]],
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[[Team Development]]
[[Privileged Abilities]]
+
  
 
==== with [[Time Limits]] ====
 
==== with [[Time Limits]] ====
 
[[Temporary Abilities]]
 
[[Temporary Abilities]]
 +
 +
==== with [[Tools]] ====
 +
[[Gain Ownership]]
 +
 +
==== with [[Units]] ====
 +
[[Characters]]
  
 
=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
 +
[[Abilities]],
 +
[[Abstract Player Constructs]],
 +
[[Ammunition]],
 
[[Avatars]],  
 
[[Avatars]],  
 +
[[Character Levels]],
 
[[Characters]],  
 
[[Characters]],  
 +
[[Expansion]],
 +
[[Exploitation]],
 +
[[Game World Exploration]],
 +
[[Focus Loci]],
 
[[Freedom of Choice]],  
 
[[Freedom of Choice]],  
 +
[[Investments]],
 
[[Power-Ups]],  
 
[[Power-Ups]],  
 +
[[Role Reversal]],
 +
[[Skills]],
 +
[[Technology Trees]],
 
[[Units]]
 
[[Units]]
  
 
==== with [[Abstract Player Construct Development]] or [[Character Development]] ====
 
==== with [[Abstract Player Construct Development]] or [[Character Development]] ====
 
[[Paper-Rock-Scissors]],  
 
[[Paper-Rock-Scissors]],  
[[Varied Gameplay]]
 
  
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 
=== Can Be Instantiated By ===
 +
[[Bookkeeping Tokens]],
 +
[[Cards]],
 
[[Companions]],  
 
[[Companions]],  
 
[[Controllers]],  
 
[[Controllers]],  
 +
[[Crafting]],
 
[[Equipment]],  
 
[[Equipment]],  
 
[[Evolving Rule Sets]],  
 
[[Evolving Rule Sets]],  
[[Gain Ability]],  
+
[[Factions]],
 +
[[Gain Competence]],  
 
[[Privileged Movement]],  
 
[[Privileged Movement]],  
 
[[Quick Returns]],  
 
[[Quick Returns]],  
[[Time Limits]],  
+
[[Resources]],  
 
[[Tools]],  
 
[[Tools]],  
 
[[Varying Rule Sets]],  
 
[[Varying Rule Sets]],  
 +
[[Vehicles]],
 
[[Weapons]]
 
[[Weapons]]
  
Line 146: Line 146:
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
[[Budgeted Action Points]],  
 
[[Budgeted Action Points]],  
[[Factions]],  
+
[[Balancing Effects]],
 +
[[Freedom of Choice]],
 +
[[Location-Fixed Abilities]],  
 
[[Privileged Abilities]],  
 
[[Privileged Abilities]],  
[[Time Limits]]
+
[[Secondary Interface Screens]],
 +
[[Time Limits]],
 +
[[Transfer of Control]]
  
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
Line 154: Line 158:
  
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
-
+
[[Player Balance]],
 +
[[Team Balance]]
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 162: Line 167:
 
<references>
 
<references>
 
<ref name="Bjork & Holopainen 2004">Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) ''Patterns in Game Design''. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.</ref>
 
<ref name="Bjork & Holopainen 2004">Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) ''Patterns in Game Design''. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.</ref>
 +
<ref name="Corrupted Blood">Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrupted_Blood_incident Entry] for the ''Corrupted Blood incident''.</ref>
 
</references>
 
</references>
  
 
== Acknowledgements ==
 
== Acknowledgements ==
 
-
 
-

Latest revision as of 11:51, 21 March 2018

Abilities gained during gameplay that allows for new actions to be performed.

Many games provide players with additional actions that they can perform after they have started playing. These New Abilities often give players more freedom in the games and allow them to be more empowered as gameplay continues.

Examples

Tabletop Roleplaying Games such as Dungeons & Dragons make use of character levels and when players reach new levels, players are awarded with New Abilities. This has been carried over to Computer-based Roleplaying Games such as the Neverwinter Nights and Dragon Age series, and the Fallout series where players get perks at every other character level gained. The Legend of Zelda series does likewise but ties New Abilities more to the possession of new tools.

The FPS Game Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory allows players to gain experience in several different skills during game play. When players "level up" in a skill, they gain New Abilities connected to that skill, e. g., being able to call air strikes based on observation with binoculars, fully reviving team mates with health injections, or having more ammunition in supply packs.

Becoming a zombie in Zombiepox does not automatically mean game over, since players can cure themselves by finding brains. However, when being zombies the players' avatars gain the ability to spread the zombie disease just like other zombies, which does not aid in their long-term success in the game.

Picking up power-ups in the Mario Kart series gives players New Abilities for a certain limit time or limited number of uses.

Using the pattern

New Abilities in games are most often given to provide Varied Gameplay (e.g. by giving players access to new Weapons), but can also be added because they are needed to overcome particular challenges already decided upon. Besides what Abilities should be given, the primary design choices for New Abilities lies in if the Abilities are linked to specific Focus Loci or more generally to players, if players can affect what Abilities is gained, and if the Abilities gained are Temporary Abilities due to having Time Limits. Although any Abilities may be New Abilities, Privileged Movement and Quick Returns can be mentioned since they are New Abilities but may be mistaken for Improved Abilities. The difference between New Abilities and Improved Abilities can be defined in several different ways: if the new actions are activated in the same way as the old, if the consequences of the actions affect different parts of the game state, or if the explanation given by the Alternative Realities differentiates them. However, the distinction between them may be blurry for players and it may be prudent to consider both patterns when designing one or the other.

New Abilities given to specific Focus Loci such as Avatars and Characters can be tied to acquiring specific game elements such as Controllers, Equipment, Tools, Weapons, new types of Ammunition, and Vehicles. All of these can thereby be used to instantiate New Abilities with the exception of Ammunition which due to being a Resource instead can given variants through New Abilities. The New Abilities can also be motivated as personal development in the form of new Powers or Skills, possibly as the effects of gaining Character Levels. When the use of Abilities is tied to the use of Resources, simply gaining access to a Resource one didn't have before makes one have a New Ability. Gaining Companions and becoming members of Factions can also do this in a roundabout way since this may let players have access to new services from Non-Player Characters that are members in the Factions. All these ways but the last can be used to make the New Abilities a form of Limited Resources and allow Transfer of Control of the New Abilities through for example Trading or Stealing. Other ways of introducing New Abilities depend more on tying them directly to the Game Worlds, for example through introducing Controllers or by creating Environmental Effects that are defined by the New Abilities they provide. This makes the New Abilities into Location-Fixed Abilities in the Game Worlds and makes players have to move the Avatars or Characters there to get the Abilities. The placement of Power-Ups in Game Worlds provide similar options but here getting to particular places (at the right time) becomes important and one then gets the New Abilities with a Time Limit. These approaches can be used for Units as well. When done so, they increase the value of individual Units, but unless the New Abilities are also Temporary Abilities due to Time Limits, this may make them more into Characters than Units. Games which allow the Capture of enemy Units through Transfer of Control can give players New Abilities through these "converted" Units. Non-localized ways of giving New Abilities are through Crafting, Character Levels, Evolving Rule Sets, or results of Investments such as advances in Technology Trees, and these options can be applied to Abstract Player Constructs, Characters, or classes of Units. Varying Rule Sets can also do this on a temporary basis.

While the above shows how New Abilities can be given to several types of Focus Loci, Cards and Bookkeeping Tokens can be Focus Loci that give players New Abilities by being put into play (and thereby affect how player can interact with Game Worlds). For Cards, players can be given these New Abilities through performing Card or Deck Building.

New Abilities may be preordained by Predetermined Story Structures, forced upon players due to Role Reversal events, or they may be given the Freedom of Choice to select which to get from a set of Abilities. Giving players a control over what New Abilities they gain and letting the information about the possible New Abilities be made available in advance allows for Player-Planned Development. In games with Team Play, this also allows Team Development. While any New Abilities can be Privileged Abilities until other acquire them as well, New Abilities can be designed to be Privileged Abilities by only letting one or a few players get the Abilities. This may be done through the game elements providing the New Abilities being limited in number.

Like Privileged Abilities, New Abilities can affect Player Balance negatively. This may be countered by the Balancing Effects of linking the New Abilities to Ability Losses of another type, forcing players to perform Risk/Reward and Trade-Off choices. Another way to provide Balancing Effects is to have the actions provided by the New Abilities extend a set action that need to be paid for by Budgeted Action Points - so using the New Abilities means not using old ones. Putting Time Limits on how long players have the New Abilities - as is often done with Power-Ups - is a third way of balancing New Abilities.

While New Abilities are often given as Rewards (or more precisely Facilitating Rewards), having diseases and the ability to spread them is an example of how New Abilities can be Penalties; this can be found in Zombiepox, Team Fortress Classic and caused the Corrupted Blood incident[1] in World of Warcraft.

Diegetic Aspects

To let other players know what New Abilities players have acquired one can change the representation of Avatars and Units accordingly. Generally, New Abilities fits less well with a game's Thematic Consistency than Improved Abilities unless they are presented through game elements, Abstract Player Construct or Character Development, or have been part of Predefined Goals.

Interface Aspects

In computer-based games where players have a Freedom of Choice in what New Abilities to get from raises in Character Levels, this is typically done in Secondary Interface Screens.

From a pure interface perspective, placing Bookkeeping Tokens can instantiate New Abilities.

Narrative Aspects

As stated above, New Abilities may be part of Predetermined Story Structures but can also create narratives through the Character Development they embody, especially when they can be seen as the effects of Character Defining Actions for Characters.

Consequences

New Abilities - quite obviously - give players new Abilities in games. They do this through changing what action the players' Focus Loci, e.g. Avatars, Characters, and Units, can do. The ability to have more influence over the game state makes goals of acquiring New Abilities into implicit if not explicit Supporting Goals of Gain Competence, Gain Ownership of Tools, or acquiring new Competence Areas - Power-Ups are examples of game elements that make these goals explicit especially since the New Abilities also typically are Privileged Abilities. As they give players increased Freedom of Choice and the New Abilities may be Privileged Abilities, receiving them is almost always considered a Reward and can give players the feeling of Empowerment. This may give players an Exaggerated Perception of Influence even if no actual influence exists, as for example in the cases where Red Queen Dilemmas exist due to the New Abilities are matched by New Abilities of Enemies.

The timing of when New Abilities are made available to players are often critical to when and if phases of Expansion, Exploitation, or Game World Exploration occur (it does not affect Extermination to the same degree since players typically have those abilities at hand already).

Giving New Abilities as the gameplay unfolds can help players have Smooth Learning Curves and provides a means to support Increasing Rewards and Varied Gameplay over a game session. They can temporarily lower players ability to have a Determinable Chance to Succeed. New Abilities given to Characters are a form of Character Development (and if the Abilities are chosen these choices can be seen as Character Defining Actions) and likewise a form of Abstract Player Construct Development when given to Abstract Player Constructs. In games with Teams, New Abilities also creates Team Development and possibly Functional Roles through Competence Areas. This Abstract Player Construct or Character Development can in turn provide the development of Paper-Rock-Scissors and Red Queen Dilemmas structures but also problems with Player Balance in Multiplayer games] (and Team Balance in games with Teams).

New Abilities can provide Balancing Effects when whom they are given to and what actions are given is based upon players' current gameplay ranking.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Balancing Effects, Card Building, Competence Areas, Deck Building, Determinable Chance to Succeed, Empowerment, Environmental Effects, Exaggerated Perception of Influence, Gain Competence, Increasing Rewards, Penalties, Powers, Privileged Abilities, Predetermined Story Structures, Red Queen Dilemmas, Rewards, Supporting Goals, Varied Gameplay

with Abstract Player Constructs

Abstract Player Construct Development

with Ability Losses

Risk/Reward, Trade-Offs

with Bookkeeping Tokens or Cards

Focus Loci

with Characters

Character Defining Actions, Character Development

with Freedom of Choice

Player-Planned Development

with Teams

Team Development

with Time Limits

Temporary Abilities

with Tools

Gain Ownership

with Units

Characters

Can Modulate

Abilities, Abstract Player Constructs, Ammunition, Avatars, Character Levels, Characters, Expansion, Exploitation, Game World Exploration, Focus Loci, Freedom of Choice, Investments, Power-Ups, Role Reversal, Skills, Technology Trees, Units

with Abstract Player Construct Development or Character Development

Paper-Rock-Scissors,

Can Be Instantiated By

Bookkeeping Tokens, Cards, Companions, Controllers, Crafting, Equipment, Evolving Rule Sets, Factions, Gain Competence, Privileged Movement, Quick Returns, Resources, Tools, Varying Rule Sets, Vehicles, Weapons

Capture together with Transfer of Control

Can Be Modulated By

Budgeted Action Points, Balancing Effects, Freedom of Choice, Location-Fixed Abilities, Privileged Abilities, Secondary Interface Screens, Time Limits, Transfer of Control

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Player Balance, Team Balance

History

An updated version of the pattern New Abilities that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[2].

References

  1. Wikipedia Entry for the Corrupted Blood incident.
  2. Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.

Acknowledgements

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