Varied Gameplay

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Variation in gameplay for a game, either within a single play session or between different play sessions.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Torchlight

Nomic

GURPS

Using the pattern

There are two main categories of Varied Gameplay: that which is varied between game instances and that which is varied within game instances. A game can of course aspire to provide both.

Asymmetric Abilities, Asymmetric Goals, Asymmetric Resource Distribution, Asymmetric Starting Conditions, and Orthogonal Differentiation (between players' abilities) typically provide Varied Gameplay between game instances through giving players different Abilities or Resources each time they play (limited by the number of different Abilities and Resources). This can be packaged as Asymmetric Roles and in Multiplayer Games this can take the form of Functional Roles. Competence Areas in general can support Varied Gameplay but more likely between players than for individual players. Flanking Routes lets players have difference between game instances in that they can use different routes to achieve their goals between the instances. Back-to-Back Game Sessions can be used to any game design that has Varied Gameplay between game instances to further provide Varied Gameplay although this is most often used in games with Asymmetric Starting Conditions to create Player Balance over game instances.

During game instances Varied Gameplay can be forced on players through Ability Losses and Cooldown effects since these can make players have to handle challenges in different ways during a game instance. More positively from the players' perspective, Varied Gameplay can be achieved by presenting them with New Abilities (possibly through access to new Weapons), Sidegrades, Temporary Abilities, and new or improved Skills. Letting players meet or control different Units or Vehicles is another way to give Varied Gameplay to them; or in more general terms, having Orthogonal Differentiation among the various game elements encountered in a game.

Complex Gameplay on a more abstract level promotes Varied Gameplay since players may both need to handle more different types of challenges (and have more different actions available) and need to vary their style of playing overtime. Having different phases is another way of having Varied Gameplay in a game, for example through the use of patterns such as Construction/Scoring Phase Shift or games with Planning Phases or Execution Phases, or both. Focusing more specifically on games with Levels, these can offer variety in gameplay through introducing Environmental Effects. Backtracking Levels is a production efficient way of proving Varied Gameplay over a Level as long as it isn't symmetric.

One of the most general ways of ensuring Varied Gameplay within a game instance is to vary the rules that apply in that instance. This can either simply be by having Varying Rule Sets but an alternative is to have Evolving Rule Sets.

In general, Randomness is a way to promote Varied Gameplay. This can be done both within and between game instances, for example through applying Randomness on Enemies, Ephemeral Goals, Game Worlds, Levels, or Quests. For Game Worlds specifically, Procedurally Generated Game Worlds, Player Constructed Worlds, or Reconfigurable Game Worlds can be used to make these vary between game instances.

Can Be Instantiated By

AI Players, Alien Space Bats, Converters, Dynamic Alliances, Ephemeral Goals, Freedom of Choice, Incompatible Goals, Internal Conflicts, Internal Rivalry, Minigames, Levels, Polyathlons, Privileged Movement, Producer-Consumer, Replayability, Selectable Sets of Goals, Social Roles, Tile-Laying, Transfer of Control, Vision Modes, Vulnerabilities

Abstract Player Construct Development together with New Abilities or Privileged Abilities

Achilles' Heels together with Enemies

Boss Monsters together with Privileged Abilities

Character Development together with Improved Abilities or New Abilities

Geometric Progression together with Negative Feedback Loops

Open Destiny together with Limited Set of Actions

Persistent Game Worlds together with Construction or Creative Control

Strategic Planning together with Replayability

Potentially Conflicting With

Camping, Entrenching Gameplay, No-Ops, Quick Games, Sensory-Motoric Engrossment, Symmetric Resource Distribution

Can Be Modulated By

Diminishing Returns, Internal Rivalry, Supporting Goals, Testing Achievements


Diegetic Aspects

Narration Aspects

Consequences

Varied Gameplay can make games have Challenging Gameplay since players need to be able to handle shifting contexts (besides how challenging the actual activities are). This naturally affect how easy it is to haveGameplay Mastery of such a game.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Challenging Gameplay

Can Modulate

Gameplay Mastery

Can Be Instantiated By

Ability Losses, AI Players, Alien Space Bats, Asymmetric Abilities, Asymmetric Goals, Asymmetric Resource Distribution, Asymmetric Roles, Asymmetric Starting Conditions, Backtracking Levels, Back-to-Back Game Sessions, Competence Areas, Complex Gameplay, Construction/Scoring Phase Shift, Converters, Cooldown, Dynamic Alliances, Environmental Effects, Ephemeral Goals, Evolving Rule Sets, Execution Phases, Flanking Routes, Freedom of Choice, Incompatible Goals, Internal Conflicts, Internal Rivalry, Minigames, New Abilities, Levels, Orthogonal Differentiation, Planning Phases, Polyathlons, Privileged Movement, Procedurally Generated Game Worlds, Producer-Consumer, Reconfigurable Game Worlds, Replayability, Selectable Sets of Goals, Sidegrades, Skills, Social Roles, Temporary Abilities, Tile-Laying, Transfer of Control, Units, Varying Rule Sets, Vehicles, Vision Modes, Vulnerabilities

Abstract Player Construct Development together with New Abilities or Privileged Abilities

Achilles' Heels together with Enemies

Boss Monsters together with Privileged Abilities

Character Development together with Improved Abilities or New Abilities

Functional Roles together with Multiplayer Games

Game Worlds together with Player Constructed Worlds

Geometric Progression together with Negative Feedback Loops

Open Destiny together with Limited Set of Actions

Persistent Game Worlds together with Construction or Creative Control

Randomness together with Enemies, Ephemeral Goals, Game Worlds, Levels, or Quests

Strategic Planning together with Replayability

Weapons together with New Abilities

Can Be Modulated By

Diminishing Returns, Internal Rivalry, Supporting Goals, Testing Achievements

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Camping, Entrenching Gameplay, No-Ops, Quick Games, Sensory-Motoric Engrossment, Symmetric Resource Distribution

History

An updated version of the pattern Varied Gameplay that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design[1].

References

  1. Björk, S. & Holopainen, J. (2004) Patterns in Game Design. Charles River Media. ISBN1-58450-354-8.

Acknowledgements

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