Difference between revisions of "Persistent Game Worlds"
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[[Evolving Rule Sets]] | [[Evolving Rule Sets]] | ||
| + | [[Team Play]] | ||
| + | [[Social Interaction]] | ||
| + | The games usually have loose Narrative Structures with no definite ends, making the tales told by the players and to the players Never Ending Stories. | ||
| − | + | This kind of Storytelling is usually based on the players doing Roleplaying with their Characters. As much of the Storytelling does not have an immediate effect on the state of the Game Worlds, these worlds typically generate significant Extra-Game Actions and Extra-Game Consequences. | |
| + | [[Spawning]] | ||
| + | [[Resources]] | ||
| − | + | [[Resource Generators]] | |
| + | [[Crafting]] | ||
| − | + | [[Closed Economies]] | |
| + | [[Non-Renewable Resources]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Producer-Consumer]] | ||
| + | [[Producers]] | ||
| + | Consumers]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Renewable Resources]] | ||
=== Diegetic Aspects === | === Diegetic Aspects === | ||
| Line 49: | Line 62: | ||
=== Narrative Aspects === | === Narrative Aspects === | ||
| + | Games with [[Persistent Game Worlds]] cannot have fully [[Predetermined Story Structures]] but must instead rely on [[Never Ending Stories]], or accept to break the [[Diegetic Consistency]] by [[Spawning]] [[Quests]] and [[Instances]] that contain small [[Predetermined Story Structures]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Narration Structures]] | ||
== Consequences == | == Consequences == | ||
[[Persistent Game Worlds]] can encourage players to view [[Character Development]], and especially [[Player-Planned Character Development]], as [[Investments]] having a [[Value of Effort]] that they feel [[Ownership]] of, this since these can be developed over a long period of time and there is no predetermined point in time when they will stop being valuable. Examples of these kinds of attachments are common in games such as [[Ultima Online]] or [[World of Warcraft]] that have strong foci on [[Characters]], but do often spill over to [[Factions]] or what is created through [[Construction]] (examples of that latter can be found in [[FarmVille]] and multiplayer servers for [[Mindcraft]]). In general, these effects are strengthen the more [[Creative Control]] players are given up to the level where the worlds are [[Player Constructed Worlds]]. | [[Persistent Game Worlds]] can encourage players to view [[Character Development]], and especially [[Player-Planned Character Development]], as [[Investments]] having a [[Value of Effort]] that they feel [[Ownership]] of, this since these can be developed over a long period of time and there is no predetermined point in time when they will stop being valuable. Examples of these kinds of attachments are common in games such as [[Ultima Online]] or [[World of Warcraft]] that have strong foci on [[Characters]], but do often spill over to [[Factions]] or what is created through [[Construction]] (examples of that latter can be found in [[FarmVille]] and multiplayer servers for [[Mindcraft]]). In general, these effects are strengthen the more [[Creative Control]] players are given up to the level where the worlds are [[Player Constructed Worlds]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Since [[Persistent Game Worlds]] need to either maintain the effects on [[Game Elements]] or the [[Character Development|Developmet]] that [[Characters]] have had, it is impossible to have full [[Reversability]] in [[Persistent Game Worlds]]. | ||
== Relations == | == Relations == | ||
| Line 84: | Line 102: | ||
[[Creative Control]], | [[Creative Control]], | ||
[[Drop-In/Drop-Out]], | [[Drop-In/Drop-Out]], | ||
| + | [[Instances]], | ||
| + | [[Never Ending Stories]], | ||
[[Late Arriving Players]], | [[Late Arriving Players]], | ||
| − | [[Player Constructed Worlds]] | + | [[Player Constructed Worlds]], |
| + | [[Predetermined Story Structures]] | ||
| + | [[Quests]], | ||
| + | [[Spawning]] | ||
=== Possible Closure Effects === | === Possible Closure Effects === | ||
=== Potentially Conflicting With === | === Potentially Conflicting With === | ||
| − | + | [[Diegetic Consistency]], | |
| + | [[Predetermined Story Structures]], | ||
| + | [[Reversability]] | ||
| + | |||
== History == | == History == | ||
Revision as of 14:38, 17 January 2011
Game worlds that exist independently of players' game and play sessions.
Through having people or servers dedicated to them, some games can have game worlds that are always available for players to enter them. This means that these Persistent Game Worlds exist independently from players' game and play sessions. This does not necessarily mean that everything that happens in them affect its future, parts of the entirety of them can be reset but this does not change that they are available continuously (with the exception for temporary server restarts).
Contents
Examples
Each Tabletop Roleplaying Game (e.g. Call of Cthulhu and Hârnmaster) spawn many different Persistent Game Worlds as game masters start campaigns. These game world can easily survive changes in player composition and even changes in whom does that game mastering.
MUDs (e.g. Kingdoms and DragonMud) and Massively Multiplayer Online Games (e.g. Ultima Online, World of Warcraft, and Entropia Universe) have complex and dynamic Persistent Game Worlds where players' game sessions with a single character can last for years. Mindcraft servers supporting several players can be created with similar properties. Similarly, Massively Single-Player Online Games such as FarmVille continue updating for all players regardless of which players are playing. The life time of game instances for these kinds of games are mainly determined by how popular or commercially successful the games are, and these Persistent Game Worlds can even survive software generations.
Alternate Reality Games such as Prosopopeia and Conspiracy for Good hide in the real world and thus makes it part of them. This of course means that these parts continue to exist independent of game and play sessions.
Using the pattern
Persistent Game Worlds are basically Game Worlds that have Dedicated Game Facilitators maintaining them so they are available when players wish to enter them. This is most easily done by computer programs but human Game Masters can also provide this service, although the accessibility may be more restricted, The latter is the norm in tabletop Roleplaying games such as Call of Cthulhu and Hârnmaster although players often help with some of the task involved. Persistent Game Worlds make most sense for Multiplayer Games, especially Massively Multiplayer ones, but are also needed for Massively Single-Player Online Games that are Tick-Based or support Visits.
One typical requirement of Persistent Game Worlds is to keep track of Characters and Game Elements, but not all Game Elements need to be persistent (e.g. Power-Ups). For Tick-Based Games this means updating them whether or not players interact with the game system between ticks. This may include activating Resource Generators and Spawning Points but this may require other functions to avoid creating to many instances or to Encourage Return Visits more frequently.
Existing independently of players' play sessions is rather pointless if players need to synchronize when they should all interact with the Persistent Game Worlds. For this reason, use of the pattern implies supporting Late Arriving Players and Drop-In/Drop-Out gameplay and making an Asynchronous Game. While these may lessen the feeling of having to play the game, Construction and other forms of Creative Control (up to making the worlds Player Constructed Worlds) can increase the wish to play them since the creations continue to exist after the players' play sessions end.
Private Game Spaces Freedom of Choice
Extra-Game Consequences Internal Rivalry Evolving Rule Sets
The games usually have loose Narrative Structures with no definite ends, making the tales told by the players and to the players Never Ending Stories.
This kind of Storytelling is usually based on the players doing Roleplaying with their Characters. As much of the Storytelling does not have an immediate effect on the state of the Game Worlds, these worlds typically generate significant Extra-Game Actions and Extra-Game Consequences.
Producer-Consumer Producers Consumers]]
Diegetic Aspects
Interface Aspects
Narrative Aspects
Games with Persistent Game Worlds cannot have fully Predetermined Story Structures but must instead rely on Never Ending Stories, or accept to break the Diegetic Consistency by Spawning Quests and Instances that contain small Predetermined Story Structures.
Consequences
Persistent Game Worlds can encourage players to view Character Development, and especially Player-Planned Character Development, as Investments having a Value of Effort that they feel Ownership of, this since these can be developed over a long period of time and there is no predetermined point in time when they will stop being valuable. Examples of these kinds of attachments are common in games such as Ultima Online or World of Warcraft that have strong foci on Characters, but do often spill over to Factions or what is created through Construction (examples of that latter can be found in FarmVille and multiplayer servers for Mindcraft). In general, these effects are strengthen the more Creative Control players are given up to the level where the worlds are Player Constructed Worlds.
Since Persistent Game Worlds need to either maintain the effects on Game Elements or the Developmet that Characters have had, it is impossible to have full Reversability in Persistent Game Worlds.
Relations
Can Instantiate
with Character Development or Player-Planned Character Development
Can Modulate
Characters, Character Development, Factions, Game Elements, Game Worlds, Massively Multiplayer Online Games, Multiplayer Games, Player-Planned Character Development, Resource Generators, Roleplaying, Spawning Points, Tick-Based Games
Massively Single-Player Online Games that are also Tick-Based Games or support Visits
Can Be Instantiated By
Dedicated Game Facilitators, Game Masters
Can Be Modulated By
Creative Control, Drop-In/Drop-Out, Instances, Never Ending Stories, Late Arriving Players, Player Constructed Worlds, Predetermined Story Structures Quests, Spawning
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
Diegetic Consistency, Predetermined Story Structures, Reversability
History
An updated version of the pattern Persistent Game Worlds that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[1].
References
- ↑ Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.
Acknowledgements
-
