The following is a list of noun names from the book Patterns in Game Design by Staffan Björk and Jussi Holopainen. These names have been picked for their application to a railroad simulation game. The purpose of this list is to suggest designs for the railroad simulator and provide a common language for the developers and designers of the OSRail project.

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Agents

Agents are stand-in for players. Sometimes agents are AI replacements for players not available. Most of the time an agent is a script that performs a limited task. For example, an agent could be a script running a figure, operating a switch, or signal. AI agents may run trains, or other vehicles. An agent could fill the locomotive tender. Agents run the signal system. An agent may or may not have a graphic/sound/animation representation in the simulation. An agent could be a process that generates traffic or charges for use of rail cars.

Alarms

Alarms are messages to players about some potential or future event. An alarm should usually point out something the player would detect in the real world. Other alarms should prevent the loss of the multi-player game by warning of an action or potential of an irreversible event. Alarms should have a method for players to set their level base on the level of play beginner, advance, expert, etc, so that the immersion into the game can be maintained for the players.

Alliances

Alliances are a group of players who have agreed to defer to a private set of rules. The railroad simulation should not discourage private rules. For example the way an automatic signal works is within the domain of the simulator, but whether a player must obey absolutely the signal is within the domain of the group's private rules. The simulation enforces its rules absolutely. The group enforces its rules through social interaction between the members of the group.

Analysis Paralysis

Analysis Paralysis is not permitted in the real world, and so it cannot be rewarded in the simulated world of OSRail. Options of pausing or saving the game must be a function of group play. A good fix for a player using the game mechanisms to allow himself to escape the consequences of Analysis Paralysis, is that a stop and save of the game state requires a majority vote of active players. If the requesting (I move to adjourn) player loses the vote and exits the game he is replaced by an AI.

Anticipation

This aspect of play requires a deterministic simulation; the use of random events outside of real life experience will destroy any hope that a player has that his decision-making will have a predictable effect on the game. Without the ability to predict an outcome, the player will not reach even moderate levels of anticipation.

Area Control

Single or group of players having control over what can move and operate in a given area. In OSRail Multiplayer this translates into a virtual railroad managing a set of railroad operations including developing a set of work orders for yards and divisions.

Arithmetic Rewards for Investments

Rewards for the OSRail simulator should be of two types: Simulated economic rewards related to the successful operation of the railroad. These rewards should only apply to players that have taken tasks in the management of their railroad. The other type of reward is in qualifying for position on the railroad. These rewards could be managed by the simulation program or may be the results of group rules created in network play. The better method is to use group socially applied rules, allowing the group or its leader to enforce the rules in network play with simulator interface operation rewarded to him as an aspect of his position in railroad management.

Asymmetric Abilities

Players and Resources that do not have all of the same actions or abilities available.

Asymmetric Goals

Goals that are structured different for the game players.

Asymmetric Information

Players may have different information from others in the game. For example some players may have higher skill levels, or have knowledge from performing different tasks.

Asymmetric Resource Distribution

Resources are distributed in an unequal fashion among players. This includes game play, and ownership rights.

Attention Swapping

Players requiring a change of attention to various components of the simulation. OSRail requires the player to focus to change from examining gauges, dials, and controls, to watching the scenery approaching and reacting to it.

Betrayal

One or several players that conspire to break an already established agreement. This may be a pre-determined action to internationally fail or otherwise hinder the completion of an agreement.

Bidding

Players request an assignment for a posted job or position. This usually occurs between players that are wanting to take a particular operations assignment or would like to perform a new job function within the simulation. Some positions may require certifications.

Buttons

These are simulator elements which are used to activate events and actions. OSRail uses buttons for its interactive cab controls and also manipulation of track switches.

Cameras

Viewpoints that can be selected by a player in the simulation for a given location.

Capture

This pattern is used to describe the action of switching the usage of a locomotive either individual or consist game element(s) between engineers.

Characters

Representation of people and or roles with OSRail, for example an Engineer or Dispatcher.

Chargers

Elements in the game world that are used to affect other game resources. OSRail uses chargers to load and unload freight and passenger cars, fuel and service locomotives.

Closed Economies -

Closure Points -

Cognitive Immersion

Players have to use problem solving skills to complete a task or set of tasks. OSRail uses this pattern to allow the player to make up their train in order to set out, pickup, or delivery train cars.

Collaborative Actions

Multiple actions where several players are performing tasks simultaneously. In OSRail these actions is the interaction of trains over a subdivision, or even in a train yard.

Collecting

This is the action of accumulating games resources such as a payment for completed work order within the OSRail simulation.

Combos -

Committed Goals -

Communication Channels -

Competence Areas -

Competition

The struggle between players and companies within the simulation to achieve a certain goal. In OSRail players collect hours and money based on time within the simulator. Companies in the simulator compete to have the resources to operate in a given area.

Configuration -

Connection -

Consistent Reality Logic -

Construction -

Consumers -

Contact -

Continuous Goals -

Controllers -

Cooperation

Players working together to attain common goals by sharing their resources and coordinating actions. OSRail uses cooperation in moving freight and passenger cars over a subdivision, making up trains in a yard, or switching industries. Player's goals are to keep the flow of rolling stock moving.

Damage -

Delayed Effects -

Delayed Reciprocity -

Delivery

Moving certain game elements to another location within the game world. OSRail uses delivery to specify the action of moving rolling stock to a station or industry location.

Diminishing Returns -

Direct Information -

Disruption of Focused Attention -

Dynamic Alliances -

Early Elimination -

Emotional Immersion -

Empowerment -

Ephemeral Goals -

Extended Actions -

First -

Person Views -

Focus Loci -

Gain Competence -

Gain Information -

Gain Ownership -

Game Pauses -

Overview -

Game World -

Ghosts -

Goal Indicators -

God Views -

God's Finger -

Handicaps -

Handles -

Helpers -

Herd -

Hierarchy of Goals -

Higher -

Level Closures as Gameplay Progresses -

Hovering Closures -

Identification -

Immersion

Immersion is capturing the player's attention to the game. Immersion is maintained by requiring the player's attention in operating the game objects. Things outside of the game (network, chats etc.) will reduce the player's immersion in the game world. Some objects are not under the developer's control (bad keyboards, joysticks etc.), but under the developers control, is an absolutely consistent and simple user interface design required to maintain immersion.

Incompatible Goals -

Indirect Control -

Indirect Information -

Individual Penalties -

Individual Rewards -

Interruptible Actions -

Investments -

Invisible Walls -

Irreversible Actions -

King of the Hill -

Last Man Standing -

Levels -

Limited Resources -

Maneuvering -

Movement -

Movement Limitations -

Mule -

Multiplayer Games -

Mutual Goals -

Near Miss Indicators -

Negotiation -

No-Ops -

Non-Renewable Resources -

Obstacles -

Optional Goals -

Outcome Indicators -

Outstanding Features -

Ownership -

Paper-Rock-Scissors -

Parallel Lives -

Penalties -

Perceivable Margins -

Perfect Information -

Persistent Game Worlds -

Planned Character Development -

Player Constructed Worlds -

Player Decided Results -

Player-Decided Distribution of Rewards & Penalties -

Predefined Goals -

Predictable Consequences -

Privileged Abilities -

Privileged Movement -

Producer-Consumer -

Producers -

Progress Indicators -

Puzzle Solving -

Quick Games -

Randomness -

Real -

Time Games -

Red Queen Dilemmas -

Renewable Resources -

Resource Generators -

Resource Locations -

Resource Management -

Resources -

Reversability -

Rewards -

Right Level of Complexity -

Save Points -

Save-Load Cycles -

Selectable Sets of Goals -

Self-Facilitated Games -

Shared Penalties -

Shared Resources -

Single-Player Games -

Smooth Learning Curves -

Social Interaction -

Social Organizations -

Spatial Immersion -

Spectators -

Status Indicators -

Stimulated Planning -

Strategic Locations -

Synchronous Games -

The Show Must Go On -

Third-Person Views -

Time Limits -

Timing -

Trading -

Trans-Game Information -

Transfer of Control -

Traverse -

Uncertainty of Information -

Units -

Varied Gameplay -