Player-Artifact Proximity

The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.

Artifacts can either be physical ones or virtual ones that are somehow given a location in the physical space.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Geocaching Insectopia Mogi Mogi

Using the pattern

Design choices linked to Player-Artifact Proximity relate to what events are triggered by coming within the proximity and leaving it, and the distance for the proximity threshold. This can be modulated by having several different proximity thresholds for different events, making the triggering require Extended Actions, and making the events continuously trigger as long as players perform the Extended Actions of being in the proximity.

Beyond this, the artifacts used can be gameplay Tokens or gameplay Tools, so when using Player-Artifact Proximity one should take the design possibilities these have into consideration.

Consequences

Player-Artifact Proximity makes the physical position of Tokens or Tools into a gameplay feature, and thereby modify the Tokens and Tools. This also make games have Real World Gameplay Spaces since the gameplay area is linked to the real world, and if this area is not denied to other activities it can also create Pervasive Gameplay. Having to move to come close to artifacts (or achieve a certain from them) makes Physical Navigation a consequence of Player-Artifact Proximity.

If Game Element Trading is supported for the artifact and proximity is required to gain Ownership, Player-Artifact Proximity gives rise to Player-Player Proximity.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Game Element Trading Pervasive Gameplay, Physical Navigation

with Game Element Trading

Player-Player Proximity

Can Modulate

Real World Gameplay Spaces, Tokens, Tools

Can Be Instantiated By

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Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

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History

Updated version of the pattern Player-Artifact Proximity first described in the report Game Design Patterns for Mobile Games.

Acknowledgements

Johan Peitz