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ATLAS / IDEAS

Game design atlas

Find a mechanism, understand its tradeoffs and smallest useful scope, then build your game with a design card and sample project.

192 Mechanisms32 Mechanism domain48 Art styles12 Genre guides

Art styles My research shelf Rain Canopy Workshop · Try the complete prototype Pixel toolkit

Core loop

01Read enemy differences
02Set priority
03Observe selected targets
04Adjust from leaks

Defense and wavesOne rule

Target priorities

Stop the small enemy near the exit or focus on the tougher threat behind it?

Reference gamesBloons TD 6 · GemCraft Labyrinth

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Core loop

01Read entry and exit
02Place walls and towers
03Verify reachability
04Run a wave and inspect exposure

Defense and wavesLinked states

Maze-building defense

Spend on a longer route or more damage along a shorter one?

Reference gamesDefense Grid: The Awakening · Sanctum 2

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Core loop

01Read remaining threats
02Compare bonus and pressure
03Call early or wait
04Observe base health under overlap

Defense and wavesOne rule

Calling a wave early

Take the bonus now or clear part of the current wave before accepting overlap?

Reference gamesKingdom Rush: Vengeance · GemCraft: Frostborn Wrath

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Core loop

01Read resistances
02Choose damage types
03Inspect effective damage
04Fill a matchup gap

Defense and wavesOne rule

Armor and damage counters

Upgrade raw damage or add a tower that counters the next wave?

Reference gamesKingdom Rush Battles · Dungeon Defenders

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Core loop

01Inspect damage
02Compare costs
03Allocate repair/building
04Observe next-wave attrition

Defense and wavesOne rule

Repair or expand the defense

Restore a weak barrier or trust a new turret to clear enemies before it breaks?

Reference gamesDungeon Defenders: Awakened · Mindustry

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Core loop

01Read spacing
02Choose impact or placement
03Resolve targets in radius
04Compare damage and leaks

Defense and wavesOne rule

Splash damage and crowd density

Hit the dangerous leader or center the blast on more targets?

Reference gamesMindustry · Dungeon Defenders

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Covers are original AI-generated style illustrations. Game names reference publicly visible design choices and remain the property of their owners. This atlas does not supply screenshots or assets from those games. Prompts and combinations are original drafts for new games.