Jump to content

Timekeeping in games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Timekeeping is relevant to many types ofgames,includingvideo games,tabletop role-playing games,board games,andsports.The passage of time must be handled in a way that players find fair and easy to understand. In many games, this is done using real-time and/or turn-based timekeeping. In real-time games, time within the game passes continuously. However, in turn-based games, player turns represent a fixed duration within the game, regardless of how much time passes in the real world. Some games use combinations of real-time and turn-based timekeeping systems. Players debate the merits and flaws of these systems. There are also additional timekeeping methods, such astimelinesand progress clocks.

Real-time

[edit]
See also:Real-time strategyandReal-time tactics

Inreal-time games,time progresses continuously. This may occur at the same or different rates from the passage of time in the real world. For example, inTerraria,one day-night cycle of 24 hours in the game is equal to 24 minutes in the real world.[1]

In a multiplayer real-time game, players perform actions simultaneously as opposed to in sequential units or turns. In competitive games, players must consider that their opponents are working against them in real time and may act at any moment. This introduces additional challenges.

Many sports, such assoccerorbasketball,are almost entirely simultaneous in nature, retaining a limited notion of turns in specific instances, such as thefree kickin soccer and thefree throwandshot clockin basketball. In the card gamesNerts[2]andLigretto,[3]players must compete to discard their cards as quickly as possible and do not take turns.

Turn-based

[edit]
See also:Turn-based strategyandTurn-based tactics

Inturn-based games,game flow is partitioned into defined parts, calledturns,moves, or plays. Each player is allowed a period of analysis (sometimes bounded, sometimes unbounded) before committing to a game action.[4]

Turns may represent periods of time, such as hours, days, or years.[4][5]This is common in4Xvideo games like theCivilization series[6]and world-building tabletop role-playing games. For example, inDialect,sets of turns represent eras in a society's development;[7]similarly, inThe Quiet Year,each turn represents one week leading up to a community's destruction.[8]This is also common in both video games and tabletop games withdating simelements. For example, inPersona 5andMonster Prom,turns represent high school class periods,[9][10]and inVisigoths vs. Mall Goths,each team's turn represents a specific hour at the mall.[11]

Turn-based games come in two main forms:simultaneousorsequential(also calledplayer-alternated).Diplomacyis an example of a simultaneous turn-based game. There are three types of player-alternated games: ranked,round-robinstart, and random. The difference is the order in which players start a turn. In ranked player-alternated games, the first player is the same every time. In round-robin games, the first player selection policy is round-robin. Random player-alternated games randomly select the first player. Some games also decide the order of play using aninitiativescore based on players' attributes, positions within the game, or dice rolls.Dungeons & DragonsandWizard101are examples of this style.[12][13]

The termturn-based gamingis also used forplay-by-mail gamesandbrowser-basedgaming websites that allow long-term gameplay of board games such asGoandchess.

Sub-types and combinations

[edit]

Various adaptations of the real-time and turn-based systems have been implemented to address common or perceived shortcomings of these systems (though they often introduce new issues that did not exist before).[14]These include:

Timed turns and time compression

[edit]

Timed turnsare designed to prevent one player from using more time to complete turns than another. Inchess,for instance, a pair ofstop clocksmay be used in order to place an upper limit on turn length.

Inexchange chess,four players on two teams play on two boards with each team taking one white and one black side. A taken piece can be given to a teammate and placed on their board. A player can abuse thisgame mechanicby taking an opponent's piece, giving it to a teammate, then waiting unusually long to play a turn on their own board—thereby allowing the teammate to use the advantage for many future moves on their board. To avoid this, players are often limited to ten seconds per move—with their opponent being allowed to remove one of the player's pawns from the board for each additional ten seconds consumed.[15][16]

Theturn-based strategygameUtopia(1982) featured an early example of timed turns.[17]The earlyUltimarole-playing video gameswere strictly turn-based, but starting withUltima III: Exodus(1983), if the player waited too long to issue a command, the game would issue a "pass" command automatically, thereby allowing enemies to take their turns while theplayer characterdid nothing.

Time compressionis a feature commonly found in real-time games such asflight simulators.It allows the player to speed up the game time by some (usually adjustable) factor. This permits the player to shorten the subjective duration of long and relatively uneventful periods of gameplay.

Ticks

[edit]

Many browser-basedMMORPGsallocate a number of turns that can be played within a certain period of time, called atick.A tick can be any measurement of real time. Players are allocated a certain number of turns per tick, which are refreshed at the beginning of each new tick. Tick-based games differ from other turn-based games in that ticks always occur after the same amount of time has expired.

Rounds

[edit]

In some real-time games, game actions are timed according to a common interval that is longer than the duration of play in the real world. For instance,non-player charactersmight only begin actions at the beginning or end of around.Some video games such as theBaldur's Gateseries use a rounds system based on tabletop role-playing games such asDungeons & Dragons.

Active Time Battle

[edit]

The "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system was introduced byHiroyuki ItoinFinal Fantasy IV(1991).[18]ATB combines turn-based combat with a continuous flow of actions and variable wait times.[19]Enemies can attack or be attacked at any time.[20]The ATB system was further developed inFinal Fantasy V(1992), which introducing a time gauge showing which character's turn is next.[21]The ATB system has since been used inVI(1994),VII(1997),VIII(1999),IX(2000), andX-2(2003). BothFinal Fantasy XII(2006) andXIII(2009) used heavily modified versions of the system. The ATB system was also used inChrono Trigger(1995).

Simultaneously executed and clock-based turns

[edit]

Insimultaneously executedgames (also called "phase-based", "We-Go" or "Turn-based WeGo" ), turns are separated into two distinct phases:decisionandexecution.In the decision phase, each player simultaneously plans and determines their units' actions. In the execution phase, all players' chosen actions occur automatically and at the same time. One early example is the 1959 board gameDiplomacy.Video game examples includeLaser Squad Nemesis(2003), theCombat Missionseries,Master of Orionseries,Star Hammer: The Vanguard Prophecy(2015) andBattlestar Galactica Deadlock(2017).

Clock-basedgames tie all unit actions directly to the game clock. Turns begin and end depending on the duration specified for each action, resulting in a sequence of turns that is highly variable and has no set order. It is also possible for different players' actions to occur at the same time with respect to the game clock, as in real-time or simultaneously executed games. Examples of video games that use a clock-based system includeTyphoon of Steel(1988) andMechForce(1991), both originally for theAmiga.

Unit initiative

[edit]

In some games, the sequence of turns depends on theinitiativestatistic of each unit, no matter which side the unit belongs to. Games of this type are still technically sequential, as only one unit can perform an action at a time, and the duration of actions is not tied to the game clock. Examples include the video gamesThe Temple of Elemental Evil(2003) andFinal Fantasy Tactics(1997).

Interrupting a turn

[edit]

Some games allow players to act outside of their normal turn byinterruptingan opponent's turn and executing additional actions. The number and type of actions a player may take during aninterrupt sequenceis limited by the number of points remaining in the player'saction pointpool carried over from the previous turn. Examples include theX-COMseries of video games, the boardwargameAdvanced Squad Leader(1985), andattacks of opportunityinDungeons & Dragons.Newer editions ofDungeons & Dragonsalso allow aReady-action to prepare an action to be executed during the enemy's turn. This is also implemented in some video games, such asSolasta: Crown of the Magister(2020).

TheSilent Stormvideo game series includes an "Interrupt" statistic for each character, to determine the likelihood of out-of-turn action. In the video gameM.A.X.(1996), defensive units may be set to fire out of turn instead of on their own turn. In the board gameTide of Iron,a special card interrupts an opponent's turn to perform an action. In theMario & Luigiseries, the player often has the opportunity to "counterattack" on the enemy's turn, causing damage and often halting the attack.

Special turns and phases

[edit]

In some turn-based games, not all turns are alike. The board gameImperium Romanum II(1985), for instance, features a "Taxation and Mobilization" phase in every third turn (month), which does not occur in the other turns. In the video gameKing Arthur: The Role-Playing Wargame(2009), every fourth turn, the season turns to winter, the only time when buildings can be constructed. In the board gameNapoleon(1974), every third player turn is a "night turn" when combat is not allowed.

Other turn-based games feature several phases dedicated to different types of activities within each turn. In theBattle Isleseries of video games, players issue movement orders for all units in one phase, and attack orders in a later phase. In the board gameAgricola(2007), turns are divided into three phases: "Upkeep", "Replenishing" and "Work." A fourth "Harvest" phase occurs every few turns.

Partially or optionally turn-based and real-time

[edit]

Some games that are generally real-time use turn-based play during specific sequences. For example, therole-playing video gamesFallout(1997),Silent Storm(2003)[22]andBaldur's Gate 3(2023) are turn-based during the combat phase and real-time throughout the remainder of the game. This speeds up portions of the game where the careful timing of actions is not crucial to player success, such as exploration.[23][24]

Other video games, such as theTotal Warseries,X-COM(1994) andJagged Alliance 2(1999), combine aturn-based strategiclayer withreal-time tacticalcombat or vice versa.[25][26]

The video gamesX-COM: Apocalypse(1997),Fallout Tactics(2001)Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura(2001),Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire(2018),Pathfinder: Kingmaker(2018, added later per patch) andPathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous(2021) offer the option of turn-based or real-time mode via a configuration setting.[27][28]

Pausable real-time

[edit]

In real-time games with anactive pausesystem (also called "pausable real-time" or "real-time with pause" ), players can pause the game and issue orders. When the game is un-paused, the orders automatically execute. This offers additional tactical options, such as letting players issue orders to multiple units at the same time.[29][25]

TheBaldur's Gateseries popularized pausable real-time for mouse-drivenparty-basedcomputerrole-playing games,[30]although the mechanic was also present in earlier games such as inKnights of Xentar(1991),[31][32]Darklands(1992),[29]Tales of Phantasia(1995),[33]Total Annihilation(1997) andHomeworld(1999). InBaldur's Gate,players may also let theartificial intelligencetake control during combat and press the spacebar at any time to regain control of their characters.[29]Further, inBaldur's Gate,players are able to configure the game to automatically pause when certain conditions are met, such as at the end of a round or upon the death of anon-player character.A variation of active pause, called "Smart Pause Mode" or SPM, is a feature of Apeiron'sBrigade E5: New Jagged Union(2006) and7.62: High Calibre(2007).[34][35]

Thegrand strategy gamesdeveloped byParadox Interactiveexclusively use pausable real-time.[25]It was the originally intended mode of theCivilizationseries before the developers decided to switch to turn-based.[25]It has been present in the SimCityconstruction and management simulationseries sinceSimCity(1989) and is also used in theTransport TycoonandRollerCoaster Tycoonseries.

In the single-character console RPGsParasite Eve(1998) andVagrant Story(2000), the player can pause the game to take aim with a weapon.[36]InVagrant Story,this allows players to target specific body parts while the game is paused. A similar mechanic was later used in the real-time role-playing gameLast Rebellion(2010).[37]Jagged Alliance 2(1999) andFallout(1997) allow players to target individual body parts during turn-based combat. The latter led to the creation of the V.A.T.S system in the real-time RPGFallout 3,where players could pause the game to target individual body parts.[38]Final Fantasy XII(2006) expanded on active pause combat with its "gambits" system, which allows players to collect and apply preferences to the artificial intelligence routines of partner characters, who then perform certain actions in response to certain conditions. A similar "tactics" system later appeared inDragon Age: Origins(2009)[39]andDragon Age II(2011).[40]Knights of Xentar(1991)[32]andSecret of Mana(1993)[41]also allow an adjustable artificial intelligence to take control during combat.[32][41]

Timelines

[edit]

Some games use atimelineas part of agame mechanicthat lets players establish or alter the order of events within the game world. For example, in theindie role-playing gameMicroscope,players invent a timeline together, then select different segments of the timeline to embellish through roleplaying.[42]In the card gameChrononauts,everyone plays timeline cards to change the order of historical events, creating analternate history.[43]

Progress clocks

[edit]

A progress clock is a tabletop role-playinggamemaster(GM) tool for keeping track of ongoing events that cannot be handled within a single turn, such as theplayer characters'continuous headway toward defeating a challenge, the gradual approach of an enemy, or a time-limited window of opportunity. The GM draws a segmented circle to represent a clock face, then fills in a segment whenever progress develops toward the outcome. Progress clocks are important in theheist film-inspired gameBlades in the Darkand other games that adapt itsForged in the Darksystem.[44][45]

Reception and debate

[edit]

Debates occur between fans of real-time and turn-based video games based on the merits and flaws of each timekeeping style.[46][47][48][49][50]

Arguments made in favor of turn-based systems include:

  • The extra time available to players in turn-based systems allows them to plan their moves to a greater degree,[25][51][52]and permits game designers to offer additional tactical and gameplay options.[14][25][53]The same options when used in combination with the time-pressures of real-time games, on the other hand, can cause new players to feel overwhelmed.[25]
  • Games are fairer due to a lack of reliance upon player reflexes.[14]A player with slower reflexes is not at a disadvantage compared to faster players; rather, only the ability to think through and solve the current problem is important.
  • Games can have betterartificial intelligencedue to the greater amount of computer processing power available to them.[51][53]
  • It is more realistic to control multiple units intelligently using this system, as players do not have to divide their attention among multiple independent units all moving simultaneously.[46][51]Likewise, it is easier to keep track of what the enemy is doing at all times since the player is typically informed of every move in advance (not taking into accountfog of war).[14]

Arguments made in favor of real-time systems include:

  • Armies pausing mid-combat to take turns and act in a sequential manner is unrealistic. Real-life combat occurs simultaneously with no side pausing to let the other side move.[48][51]
  • Thinking and acting quickly are part of the strategy,[51]providing additional challenge.[14][51]
  • Real-time systems are viscerally exciting[47][26]and add to players' sense ofimmersion.[14][25]Players feel more like they are experiencing game events first-hand.
  • Turn-based games have too many rules and are difficult to master.[48][26]
  • Real-time games are more multiplayer-friendly,[25]since sitting around and waiting while other players take their turns can become tiresome.[25][48][51]
  • The added element of a shared clock prevents gameplay from becoming an easily repeatable series of steps. The reliance upon player timing makes outcomes highly variable.[25]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Meunier, Nathan (May 25, 2011)."Terraria Review".IGN.RetrievedOctober 30,2024.
  2. ^Parlett, David(2008).The Penguin book of card games.London: Penguin. p. 544.ISBN978-0-141-03787-5.
  3. ^"Ligretto (Playroom blue set edition) | Board Game Version | BoardGameGeek".boardgamegeek.com.RetrievedAugust 28,2023.
  4. ^ab"Game Theory (Ferguson)"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on May 16, 2018.RetrievedJanuary 8,2018.
  5. ^Brocas, Carrillo, Sachdeva (2016)."The Path to Equilibrium in Sequential and Simultaneous Games"(PDF).
  6. ^Axon, Samuel (August 20, 2024)."Civilization VII hands-on: This strategy sequel rethinks the long game".Ars Technica.RetrievedOctober 31,2024.
  7. ^"Dialect is an RPG that lets you create (and kill) your own language".Tabletop Gaming.October 28, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 1,2024.
  8. ^Alder, Avery (2019).The Quiet Year.Buried Without Ceremony.
  9. ^Phillips, Rebecca (June 20, 2020)."22 Best Turn-Based JRPGs Of All Time, Ranked".TheGamer.RetrievedOctober 31,2024.
  10. ^Jones, Jordan (April 28, 2018)."How the Competitive Dating Sim 'Monster Prom' Broke My Heart".Geeks Of Color.RetrievedOctober 31,2024.
  11. ^Kahn, Lucian (2023).Visigoths vs. Mall Goths(3rd ed.). Hit Point Press. pp. 5, 39.
  12. ^Cardosa, Rowan (March 20, 2024)."Dungeons & Dragons: 8 Best House Rules For Initiative".TheGamer.RetrievedOctober 30,2024.
  13. ^Neal, Chris (March 2, 2021)."Choose My Adventure: The combat is the sauce in Wizard101 | Massively Overpowered".RetrievedSeptember 8,2023.
  14. ^abcdefDavies, Gareth (December 10, 2002)."Treatise on Combat to Pink Floyd".RPG Codex.RetrievedApril 5,2007.
  15. ^Reglement Doorgeefschaak ( "Passing chess rules" )Archived2017-10-23 at theWayback Machine,retrieved February 7, 2022.
  16. ^Bodlaender, Hans;Scott, Jay; Junta, Cristobal Joseevich (March 18, 2002)."Bughouse and Tandem Chess".The Chess Variant Pages.RetrievedJuly 29,2007.
  17. ^"GameSpy: Utopia - Page 1".Uk.gamespy.com. August 3, 2004.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  18. ^"Final Fantasy Retrospective Part XIII".GameTrailers.November 2, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon March 6, 2009.RetrievedMarch 30,2009.
  19. ^US patent 5390937,Hironobu Sakaguchi and Hiroyuki Itou, "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same", issued 1995-02-21
  20. ^Andrew Vestal (November 2, 1998)."The History of Final Fantasy — Final Fantasy IV".Gamespot. Archived fromthe originalon November 5, 2012.RetrievedDecember 31,2008.
  21. ^Meyers, Andy (2006).Final Fantasy V Advance: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide.Nintendo.pp. 14–15.ISBN9781598120172.
  22. ^Butts, Steve (January 27, 2004)."Silent Storm Review".IGN. Archived fromthe originalon February 2, 2004.RetrievedDecember 12,2007.
  23. ^"Metalheart: Replicants Rampage — First Look Preview".Total Video Games. December 2, 2004. Archived fromthe originalon December 18, 2007.RetrievedDecember 12,2007.
  24. ^Ocampo, Jason (February 16, 2005)."Cops 2170: The Power of Law".GameSpot.Archived fromthe originalon November 2, 2012.RetrievedDecember 15,2007.
  25. ^abcdefghijkJohnson, Soren (November 6, 2009),Analysis: Turn-Based Versus Real-Time,Gamasutra,retrievedJuly 8,2011
  26. ^abcWojnarowicz, Jakub (February 22, 2001)."Editorial: What Happened to Turn-Based Games?".FiringSquad. Archived fromthe originalon April 21, 2013.RetrievedNovember 19,2007.
  27. ^"Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (PC) Reviews. PC Games Reviews by CNET".CNET.RetrievedOctober 5,2006.
  28. ^"Gamespot Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura".Gamespot.Archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2011.RetrievedMarch 11,2009.
  29. ^abcBarton, Matt (2008).Dungeons And Desktops: The History Of Computer Role-playing Games.Wellesley, Massachusetts:A K Peters.ISBN978-1568814117.RetrievedSeptember 8,2010.
  30. ^Babovic, Branislav (October 20, 2000)."Combat Systems in RPG Games".ActionTrip. Archived from the original on May 5, 2008.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  31. ^Knights of XentaratMobyGames
  32. ^abc"Dragon Knight III (Turbografx-CD) review by Sho".Honestgamers.com. August 3, 2007.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  33. ^den Ouden, Adriaan."Tales of Phantasia - Staff Retroview".rpgamer.com.RPGamer.RetrievedJanuary 27,2018.
  34. ^Tait, John (January 30, 2007)."Brigade E5: New Jagged Union — PC Game Reviews — The Armchair Empire".The Armchair Empire.RetrievedNovember 13,2008.
  35. ^"Strategy — Brigade E5: New Jagged Union".Strategy First.Archived fromthe originalon October 7, 2010.RetrievedJune 18,2008.
  36. ^Jeremy Parish (March 18, 2006)."Retronauts: Volume 4 - Yasumi Matsuno".1UP.com.Archived fromthe originalon February 23, 2013.RetrievedApril 9,2011.
  37. ^"Date européenne fixe pour l'action/RPG Last Rebellion".Jeuxvideo.fr. January 18, 2010.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  38. ^"Vaulting ambition: Fallout 3 and the Make of an RPG Classic".Samuel Horti. November 29, 2018.RetrievedSeptember 26,2019.
  39. ^Stephen Totilo (October 19, 2009)."You Can Play Dragon Age: Origins Sort Of Like Four Other Games".Kotaku.com.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  40. ^Stephen Totilo (February 18, 2011)."Dragon Age II Definitely Not As Dumbed Down As Mass Effect".Uk.kotaku.com.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  41. ^abAnthony Karge (May 27, 2005)."Secret of Mana - SNES review at Thunderbolt".Thunderboltgames.com. Archived fromthe originalon July 29, 2013.RetrievedJune 23,2016.
  42. ^Cross, Katherine (March 13, 2015)."Fantasy worlds that break history's back".Boing Boing.RetrievedOctober 31,2024.
  43. ^West, Susan."The Looney Labs Experiment".GAMES.October 2005.RetrievedJune 16,2015.
  44. ^"Progress Clocks | Blades in the Dark RPG".bladesinthedark.com.RetrievedOctober 31,2024.
  45. ^Sklar, Patrick (January 9, 2021)."Play Blades In The Dark If You Want Your Heists To Feel Cinematic".TheGamer.RetrievedOctober 31,2024.
  46. ^abSaltzman, Marc (July 1, 2003)."'Nations' offers 2 types of game play ".CNN.com.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  47. ^abBreeden, John."A Thinking Man's Wargame".Game Industry News. Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2007.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  48. ^abcd"A Hex on You".StrategyPlanet.December 4, 2000. Archived fromthe originalon December 31, 2007.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  49. ^Quick, Dan."Zeus: Master of Olympus".GameSpy.Archived fromthe originalon September 10, 2012.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  50. ^Maddox, John (April 26, 2001)."Interview: John Tiller on Game Design and His Perceptions of the Industry".Gamesquad.com.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  51. ^abcdefg"Point — CounterPoint: Turn Based vs. Real Time Strategy".StrategyPlanet.June 27, 2001. Archived fromthe originalon February 26, 2007.RetrievedApril 5,2007.
  52. ^"Icarus: Sanctuary of the Gods Review".Yahoo! Games.Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2011.RetrievedDecember 2,2007.
  53. ^abWalker, Mark."Strategy Gaming: Part V -- Real-Time vs. Turn-Based".GameSpy.Archived fromthe originalon September 11, 2009.RetrievedOctober 28,2007.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timekeeping_in_games&oldid=1256231020"