History Main / Unwinnable

* UnintentionallyUnwinnable, where bad design oversights or [[GameBreakingBug bug-filled programming]] stop the player from progressing, prevent the player from accessing needed equipment, or otherwise make the game impossible to beat.

Unwinnable comes in four flavors:

* UnwinnableByInsanity, where the player looks at a few perfectly harmless game elements and says "Hey, if I did this mindnumbingly stupid thing, I'd break the game! Cool!" It's more of a novelty than anything.

* UnwinnableByMistake, where bad design oversights or [[GameBreakingBug bug-filled programming]] stop the player from progressing, prevent the player from accessing needed equipment, or otherwise make the game impossible to beat.

* UnwinnableByDesign, where [[{{Jerkass}} malicious]] programmers [[KaizoTrap deliberately create traps]] for people to stumble into. This type has been known to prompt a BigNo from frustrated gamers.

Compare [[LuckBasedMission Luck-Based Mission]], FissionMailed and ControllableHelplessness, as well as EndlessGame. See also [[WakeUpCallBoss Wake-Up Call Boss]].

'Unwinnable' is a gameplay state in which, while the game has not yet ended, it is completely impossible for the player to finish the game. Players who have reached this point have only two options: reload a previous save--in the fortunate situations where this is possible, or start the game anew--for the much more unfortunate situations where it is not. This is also known as a "walking dead" state. In {{Speedrunning}} circles, this is known as a softlock.

'Unwinnable' is a gameplay state in which, while the game has not yet ended, it is completely impossible for the player to finish the game. Players who have reached this point have only two options: reload a previous save--in the fortunate situations where this is possible, or start the game anew--for the much more unfortunate situations where it is not. This is also known as a "walking dead" state.

-->--'''Lucy''', ''Series/ILoveLucy''

Compare [[LuckBasedMission Luck-Based Mission]] and ControllableHelplessness, as well as EndlessGame. See also [[WakeUpCallBoss Wake-Up Call Boss]].

Compare [[LuckBasedMission Luck-Based Mission]] and ControllableHelplessness, as well as EndlessGame. See also [[WakeUpCallBoss Wake-Up Call Boss]]. Contrast the LordBritishPostulate, when a game that's UnwinnableByDesign may be ''winnable'' by mistake.

'Unwinnable' is a gameplay state in which, while the game has not yet ended, it is completely impossible for the player to finish the game. Players who have reached this point have only two options: reload a previous save--in the fortunate situations where this is possible, or start the game anew--for the much more unfortunate situations where it is not.

* UnwinnableByDesign, where [[{{Jerkass}} malicious]] programmers [[KaizoTrap deliberately create traps]] for people to stumble into. This type has been known to prompt a BigNo from frustrated gamers, and if the instance is the result of particularly {{egregious}}ly [[TheyJustDidntCare bad programming]], it may result in an InternetBacklash.

* UnwinnableByDesign, where [[{{Jerkass}} malicious]] programmers [[KaizoTrap deliberately create traps]] for people to stumble into. Either type has been known to prompt a BigNo from frustrated gamers, and if the instance is the result of particularly {{egregious}}ly [[TheyJustDidntCare bad programming]], it may result in an InternetBacklash.

Compare [[LuckBasedMission Luck-Based Mission]] and ControllableHelplessness, as well as EndlessGame. See also [[WakeUpCallBoss Wake-Up Call Boss]].

-->-- '''Lucy''', ''ILoveLucy''

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