patterns:soft_gate [2011/06/12 07:15] Gillian Smith created |
patterns:soft_gate [2011/06/12 08:53] (current) Gillian Smith [Acknowledgments] |
======Soft Gate====== | ======Soft Gate====== |
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{{:patterns:badass_corrosive_skag.png?300}} | {{:patterns:badass_corrosive_skag.png?direct&}} |
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[[org:citations|Borderlands]] | [[games:borderlands|Borderlands]] |
=====Description===== | =====Description===== |
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Soft gates are a method of directing the player's movement in a "soft" manner. Rather than relying on environmental walls, invisible barriers, or literal gates, a Soft Gate relies on the leveling system in the games, and estimated player times to reach that level. By placing difficult enemies in end of game areas, you can force the player to follow a somewhat linear path through the game, while also allowing for some agency and sense of freedom for the player. | Soft gates are a method of directing the player's movement in a "soft" manner. Rather than relying on physical [[patterns:blockade|blockade]]s or [[patterns:abstract_wall|abstract wall]]s such as the environment, invisible barriers, or literal gates, a soft gate exploits the player's expected statistics or abilities. Soft gates often take the form of areas guarded by impossibly difficult monsters for a low-level character. By placing such difficult enemies at end of game areas, the player can be forced to follow a more controlled path through the game. |
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Another purpose for a soft gate may be to slow down the pace of an RPG to flesh out the storyline. These types of blockades often occur within [[patterns:hub|hubs]] or [[patterns:city|cities]] where there are a lot of opportunities to find story-related quests, and even side quests to perhaps bring new allies into your party. | Another purpose for a soft gate may be to slow down the pace of an RPG to flesh out the storyline by requiring the player to complete [[patterns:sidequest|sidequests]]. These types of gates often occur within [[patterns:hub|hubs]] or [[patterns:city|cities]] where there are a lot of opportunities to find story-related quests. |
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=====Variables and Affordances===== | =====Variables and Affordances===== |
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* Forced Interaction - [Boolean] Can the player run away from the enemies, or is an encounter forced. | * **Forced vs. Non-forced Interaction**: can the player run away from the enemies, or is the encounter forced |
* Area - [Radius+point or List of locations] what area does the soft gate protect? | * **Protecting Area**: the area protected by the soft gate |
* Intended Level - [Integer] intended level for a player to journey into this area. | * **Criteria**: what ability or level the player must attain before defeating the soft gate |
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=====Examples===== | =====Examples===== |
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Fallout Series- In all games in the series, areas intended for the end of the game,(such as vault 112) are surrounded by difficult enemies, rather than physical walls. These encounters are not forced, you can run away from enemies in the area, but typically enemies are faster than you, or can shoot projectiles, so trying to force your way through a high level area is extremely difficult, while not impossible. | * [[games:fallout3|Fallout 3]]. Areas intended for the end of the game, such as vault 112 (//protecting area//), are surrounded by difficult enemies rather than physical walls. These encounters are //not forced// as the player can run away from enemies in the area, although running may be challenging. The player can come back and defeat these monsters at a high enough level (//criteria//). |
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=====Related Patterns===== | =====Related Patterns===== |
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[[patterns:unwinnable_fight|Unwinnable Fight]] - Instances where you are below the intended level of a soft gate can turn into unwinnable fights. | * [[patterns:unwinnable_fight|Unwinnable Fight]]. Instances where the player is below the intended level of soft gates can turn into unwinnable fights. |
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=====Quest-Level Relationship===== | =====Quest-Level Relationship===== |
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* [[patterns:linear_hub_pattern|Linear Hub Pattern]] - Soft gates can turn a diamond superstructure into a linear hub pattern, without ever having to hard code limits on which quests you can complete at any time. Soft gates instead persuade the player with threat of death to follow a linear path in an open world. | * [[patterns:linear_hub_pattern|Linear Hub Pattern]]. Soft gates can turn a diamond superstructure into a linear hub pattern while retaining some emergent qualities and without the designer needing to hard-code quest restrictions. Soft gates instead persuade the player with threat of death to follow a linear path in an open world. |
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{{tag>level:PhysicalElement}} | ===== Acknowledgments ===== |
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| The inspiration for identifying this pattern came from TV Tropes's [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BeefGate|Beef Gate]]. |
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| {{tag>level:PhysicalElement games:fallout3 games:borderlands}} |