Difference between revisions of "Non-Player Help"

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[[Dedicated Game Facilitators]]
 
[[Dedicated Game Facilitators]]
  
[[Excise]]
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=== Diegetic Aspects ===
 
=== Diegetic Aspects ===
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Unless a game design has a solution for explaining the appearances of events of non-players, and quite possibly also the non-player themselves, in the [[Game Worlds|Game World]] this is likely to break its [[Diegetic Consistency]].
  
 
=== Interface Aspects ===
 
=== Interface Aspects ===
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== Consequences ==
 
== Consequences ==
When the [[Non-Player Help]] either come unsuspectingly or at an unsuspected time they may be pleasant [[Surprises]]. [[Non-Player Help]] also create [[Social Interaction]] between people, independent of if it is just a particular game event or a long more open-ended encounter.
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[[Non-Player Help]] may counter the need of players to engage in [[Excise]] or [[Grinding]]. When the [[Non-Player Help]] either come unsuspectingly or at an unsuspected time they may be pleasant [[Surprises]]. [[Non-Player Help]] also create [[Social Interaction]] between people, independent of if it is just a particular game event or a long more open-ended encounter.
  
 
== Relations ==
 
== Relations ==
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[[Social Interaction]],  
 
[[Social Interaction]],  
 
[[Surprises]]
 
[[Surprises]]
 
==== with ... ====
 
  
 
=== Can Modulate ===
 
=== Can Modulate ===
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=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
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-
  
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
 
=== Possible Closure Effects ===
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[[Late Arriving Players]]
  
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
 
=== Potentially Conflicting With ===
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[[Diegetic Consistency]], [[Excise]], [[Grinding]]
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==

Revision as of 13:45, 27 January 2011

The designed possibility for people not playing the game to help players.

Some games allow people not playing the game to provide information or perform actions that can support players pursuits in them. When this is intentional planned for by the game design, this Non-Player Help can provide unexpected support and open up for social interaction beyond that contained in the gameplay itself.

Examples

Contestants in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? have several lifelines to help them during the game, one such is Phone-A-Friend which allows a non-player to suggest an answer. Players of FarmVille and Mafia Wars can broadcast requests for help to players and non-player alike, and by thus support a form of Non-Player Help in that new people can start playing the game with the initial goal of aiding the inviting player.

People meeting those participating in a Scavenger Hunt game can help by giving items to them. Related, Alternate Reality games[1] such as Prosopopeia can put players in situations where they interact with other people without being sure if they are performing roles in the games or are simply random people caught up in the gameplay. Although difficult to know in advance, the interaction they provide can be interesting experience, red herrings, or Non-Player Help.

Using the pattern

Excise


Non-Player Help that are Altruistic Actions provides a way to affect players' Private Game Spaces, and where the action can be its own Reward requiring no further gameplay. This is one way players intentionally can affect each other in Massively Single-Player Online Games.

Game Masters

Dedicated Game Facilitators



Invites support a type of one-time Non-Player Help in that they can make people start playing a game as Late Arriving Players for the reason of helping the people already playing.

Diegetic Aspects

Unless a game design has a solution for explaining the appearances of events of non-players, and quite possibly also the non-player themselves, in the Game World this is likely to break its Diegetic Consistency.

Interface Aspects

Narrative Aspects

Consequences

Non-Player Help may counter the need of players to engage in Excise or Grinding. When the Non-Player Help either come unsuspectingly or at an unsuspected time they may be pleasant Surprises. Non-Player Help also create Social Interaction between people, independent of if it is just a particular game event or a long more open-ended encounter.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Social Interaction, Surprises

Can Modulate

Massively Single-Player Online Games

Non-Player Help with Altruistic Actions

Can Be Instantiated By

Invites, Late Arriving Players

Can Be Modulated By

-

Possible Closure Effects

Late Arriving Players

Potentially Conflicting With

Diegetic Consistency, Excise, Grinding

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

  1. Wikipedia entry for Alternate Reality Games.

Acknowledgements

Erik Fagerholt, Martin Hjulström, Sus Lundgren