Trickle Down Fail-onomics

Pattern 1:  Billionaires Shouldn't Exist

Design Problem:

Players that can get infinite amounts of a games currency can trivialize the difficulty of the game due to the resources the currency can acquire.

Pattern Description:

To resolve this difficulty trivialization, designers can ensure players don't get an excess amount of currency. This can be achieved by limiting either the currency resource itself or the supply of purchasable items in the game. By doing so, the currency is unable to saturate the gameplay.

Pattern 2: Is There a Shop in the Next Town?

Design Problem:

Designers want players gaining money to be an effective reward or incentive, without derailing the rest of gameplay.

Pattern Description:

One way to create this incentive is to use shops or other opportunities to spend money. Shops should be spaced at regular or known intervals. If players have no idea when or where a shop will occur, then at the moment they gain the money, it is a very abstract resource and thus not as impactful of a reward or incentive. On the other hand, a constantly available shop can derail gameplay, and if a player can convert money into other resources at any point, then they are not incentivized to think ahead about what they want, again making money a more abstract and less impactful reward. Thus, designers should implement clearly telegraphed shops in limited quantities.