Avatar

Entity avatar

A directly controlled Entity that represents an agent 1:1. If the avatar is lost, the agent loses. The identification with the agent is what distinguishes it from the Pawn.

Design question – How strongly should your agents identify with their figure? How heavily should its loss weigh?

Reference example – Pac-Man: Pac-Man is you – if he is caught, a life is gone. HeroQuest: each person controls exactly one hero; if it falls, they are out. Animal Crossing: your own character is your self on the island – with a look you chose.

Dimension profile

• mutability – variable (often progression (grows))
• persistence – persistent (preserved over the course)
• control – direct_agent_controlled (like the DCU)
• visibility – open (visible)
• ownership – personal (defining – belongs to/represents the agent)
• mobility – mobile (like the DCU)
• interactivity – variable (usually an action means)
• value – variable (type-open)

Compatible with

• Direct Controllable Unit (ENT-01) – The avatar is a specialization of the DCU (shared dimension profile); the precise is-a relation is not yet modelled in the vocabulary.
• Pawn (ENT-03) – A parallel direct-control specialization; distinguished via the agent relation (represents only for the avatar).