Game Experiences

Define Game Mechanics that provide for specific Game Experiences

(My personal favorite types of Game Experiences):
Ambush: COH setup ambush (the element of guile and surprise)
Overwhelm: Zerg Rush COH counterattack
Hijinks: Explody Pants (Fallout 3)
Triumph (overwhelming odds): Demons Souls
Exploration & discovery : Ultima 3, Oblivion
Wonder/Secrets: Ultima 3/5 Moongates
Secret Reveled: Ultima 3 Magic Carpet (play the song on the harpsicord), Ultima 3 triple crossbow
Teamwork/Coordination: Left 4 dead
Disguise: Hitman
Loot : Diablo 2 (LOD)
Commeraderie: Left 4 Dead
Rigged Traps: Rigged Health stations (bioshock)
Round up a Possee : Bioshock Turrets/ helibots, Life Force (option), Dungeon Seige Party
Chip to Peices (Soften em up): COH mortar teams
Beat Down: Double Dragon knee bash, Golden Axe hilt bash
CounterAttack: Demons Souls Reposte
Sniping : COH Sniper in Bell Tower, CTF 2 face Unreal tournament
Triumph over unbelieveable odds : Close Combat Choke point with Machine gun
Overkill/Gibfest: Doom BFG, Unreal Tournament Nuke, Dungeon Seige, COH flak cannon
Revenge: Burnout Revenge : Revenge Takedown

games where no enemies are always out to get you with a suicidal resolve


use the "power of loot" as an incentive to
Traps/Incentives : often optional spicy things to make the gameplay interesting


Spirit Form
if you die, or use certain artifacts/abilities you enter "spirit form"
in spirit form, you dont take damage however you can be "banished" or "trapped" by mystical creatures
(in which case, it's game over) your body becomes a zombie
In Spirit Form you can possess certain other creatures (if your Will attribute is higher than target)
When you Possess a creature - you have limited options for interacting with the environment,
you can attack other monsters, you can only pick up certain things. (based on the creatures ability)
If the possessed creature picks up a health or revive potion and returns to the players body, the creature can revive the corpse (at this point, the player may revive and have to fight the previously possessed creature)
If the possessed creature dies - you are returned to your body and have 0 will/stamina, also you wont be able to move for a few moments
If your body is attacked while you are possessed, you immediately return to your body and have to wait until you can fight back (you remain stunned for a few seconds while you are revived.)

Possess : You can use this ability to solve some puzzles, i.e.
cant cross chasm
1)go into spirit form
2) possess a creature that can fly (hawk)
3) fly across chasm
4) attack drawbridge rope
5) return to player (exit possessed creatures body back to players body)
6) cross on drawbridge

Possess Puzzle :small spaces
Possess a mouse
enter a hole
attack a rope to open door

Possess a mouse
scare an elephant

Possess an aligator
swim through swamp (dive) attack drawbridge

Possess stone elemental, (strength)push block to complete bridge so you can cross
...Destroy barricade
...cause avalanche

Fire elemental (ignite dynamite kills self)
Possess Spider (climb walls)
Ice Elemental Freeze water (make walkable)

Possess Puzzle: (use some characteristic of the possessed creature to solve a puzzle)
Possess a fire elemental, go through fire, hit switch

after you die, if you have a high "Will" attribute you may come back as a spectre.  spectres cannot interact with the environment, but they can pass through many solid objects and they dont take damage.  instead of "stamina" your Will attribute is depleted when you are a spectre (you can only exist as a spectre for so long)
where you can "possess" a monster. to revive your body, you must possess a creature

Spirit Recon - you can become a spirit where you can "scout ahead" to find out about enemy emplacements, and move through some solid objects your experience an "out of body" experience and you are able to move a spirit form around the world. in spirit form, you cannot take damage, however you are still vulnerable to magicians/wizards/mystic creatures who can soul trap you, or banish you

this depletes your will... your body is left immobile and it can take damage

DANGER - watch out, if wizards, mystics, or other characters

Spirit Posses Disguise - possess a creature, infiltrate a lair, steal items or execute enemy, return to body. (this is "timed" based on the amount of Will the player has)

The Possess mechanic allows for more optimal variation in gameplay
(You aren't always the same character where you have the same "abilities"/constraints/strengths/weaknesses)

Chase - robbers steal from you, chase them down to get your stuff back
Race - Challenge
Guide - (Spirit, etc.) may lead you through the level
Maze - (Labyrinth) spacial judgement skills
Puzzle - (Normally some type of pattern recognition)
Scavenger hunt (need these 3 things at shrine)
   clues
Riddle
Distract - draw monsters away from a treasure with a distraction
Self baiting trap -
1) monster guarding treasure
2) get his attention (aggro)
3) monster chases you
4) you trigger trap, monster dies
5) you get treasure

Room full of money, with tons of enemies

Baited Trap (treasure, locked in room, but gargoyles...tough)
The solitary chest - in a dark room, light shining on it (indiana jones)
    drop the curtain (lights go out)
    enemies spawn
Turncoat (think they are your friend turn out to be an enemy leading you to an ambush)
Corpse stealer - Hyenas attack in packs
Interesting Party - a party which may have a leader (i.e. a wizard with cultists and possessed, a necormancer with undead warriors)

Breaking and entering - (steal item without combat) -- pure stealth (invulnerable enemies)
Disguised Aggro robbery - you can walk past enemies in disguise, then you steal an item and immediately you get aggro and they all come after you.

Red Light/ Green light -  use torch to scare off tunnel creatures (frodo LOTR)

Treasure grab - timed grab of treasure before vault closes and you are flooded

Environment
    tightrope walk
    obstacle course
    avalanche
    crumbling ruins/bridge
    escape the spreading fire
   claustrophobic corridors
   open dessert
   mist/overcast (walk into trap)
 
Pit trap (you fall down and are immediately surrounded)
Hunting (follow tracks, stalk prey, kill)