Elimination of the Safetynet

Summary: A type of vulnerability that affects the game's Save system, forcing the player to be careful with the decisions they make.

Pattern Description

This pattern targets the mechanisms intended to protect player progress. It introduces fragility into the save system, either by making the player character vulnerable during the act of saving or by putting the save file itself at risk of deletion. It requires players to heighten their caution, as failure to manage these vulnerabilities can lead to a significant loss of invested time.

Interaction Design Implications

• Vulnerability: Leaves the playable character exposed to surprise attacks, creating panic and negative effects if a defeat occurs during the save process.

• Risk of Loss: Forces the player to risk losing all time invested in the game session.

• Increased Difficulty: Significantly heightens the challenge by removing the safety net of progress recovery.

• Player Frustration: The manual requirement for saving or the deletion of files can lead to high frustration if the player is suddenly defeated.

Usage

To Be Determined

Examples

• 3 Seconds to Save: Five Nights at Freddy’s (2014); Security Breach (2021); Alien Isolation (2014)

• The Game Deletes the Save File: Banjo-Kazooie (1998); Batman: Arkham Origins (2013); Nier Replicant (2010); NieR: Automata (2017); ZeroRanger (2018)

• No Saving the Game: Amnesia: The Dark Descent - Justine (2011); Battletoads (1991); Five Nights At Freddy's Security Breach (2021); Hollow Knight (2017); ICO (2001); Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition (2015); System Shock 2 (1999); Witch's House MV (2018); Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus (2017)

• No Auto-Save: No specific digital game examples were found during the investigation.

Metadata & Relations

  PAGE STATUS: Needs Review