parents: Race Archetype
In Race Archetype, the design’s nature is defined by how player goals interact.
Convergent Goals
- Definition: Players race towards a single, shared, zero-sum victory condition. Multiple paths are simply different strategies to achieve the same end.
- Interaction: Competition is direct and inevitable. Advantages in the race (e.g., economy, tech) are converted into decisive, often destructive, actions against opponents.
- Example: In StarCraft, players might choose different build orders, but all paths converge on the single goal of destroying the opponent’s base.
Divergent Goals
- Definition: Players can pursue different, often non-exclusive, goals. One player’s success doesn’t necessarily mean another’s failure.
- Interaction: Competition is often indirect. This allows for greater freedom and focus on self-improvement.
- Example: In EFT-like games, the “main” goal is to survive and extract. This is layered with parallel goals like looting, completing quests, or controlling map areas, forcing interesting trade-offs.