Design pattern Library - Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design - page 333

Playing Style Reinforcement
n Type: Miscellaneous
n Intent: By applying slow, positive, constructive feedback on player actions, the
game encourages specialization and gradually adapts to the player's preferred play-
ing style.
n Also Known As: Role-playing game (RPG) elements.
n Motivation: Slow, positive, constructive feedback on player actions (actions that
have another effect on the game) causes the player's avatar or units to develop over
time. As the actions themselves feed back into this mechanism, the avatar or units
specialize over time, getting better at performing a particular task. As long as there
are multiple viable strategies and specializations, the avatar and the units will, in
time, reflect the player's preferences and style.
applicability
Use playing style reinforcement when:
n You want players to make a long-term investment in the game that spans mul-
tiple play sessions.
n You want to reward players for building, planning ahead, and developing per-
sonal strategies.
n You want players to grow into a specific role or strategy.
structure