A game can be a solution to a problem in a context. Just one course of action among many. So a pattern language for running workshops would have patterns about playing games. My intuition is to have patterns about games, and to have them referring to categorised ListsOfGames.
Getting an idea of the forces would be good learning for the pattern-writers, and pattern-users.
For one workshop I made a grid of games under intimacy (low/high) and energy (low/high) and found it useful. At one time during the session I asked the participants to choose the quadrant themselves, and went along with their choice. They wanted quiet and close, whereas I wanted running about and distance - probably my own distress. Plenty of patterns here.
(In response to a question via JimCoplien 18vi96)