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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 light and sightlines
02Choose cover
03Move or change lighting
04Check exposure

Stealth and scoutingOne rule

Light and concealment

Cross the short lit route or spend time darkening it first?

Reference gamesThief Gold (1999) · Mark of the Ninja

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Core loop

01Read patrol timing
02Neutralize or bypass
03Move to concealment
04Check the later route

Stealth and scoutingOne rule

Concealing action traces

Leave now or hide the evidence before the next patrol arrives?

Reference gamesHITMAN World of Assassination · Desperados III

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Core loop

01Choose a camera
02Read visible behavior
03Note blind-spot assumptions
04Switch or direct action

Stealth and scoutingOne rule

Remote surveillance views

Keep watching to confirm a pattern or inspect the exit before moving?

Reference gamesRepublique · Do Not Feed the Monkeys

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Core loop

01Hear the count-in
02Plan the next tile
03Input on beat
04Adjust from the new position

Rhythm and timingOne rule

Movement on the beat

Move to a safe tile next beat or wait one beat for a crossing patrol?

Reference gamesCrypt of the NecroDancer · A Dance of Fire and Ice

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Core loop

01Read threats and beats
02Choose attack timing
03Resolve base and beat effects
04Maintain rhythm from feedback

Rhythm and timingOne rule

Beat-rewarded attacks

Attack immediately to interrupt danger or wait for the next beat's reward?

Reference gamesMetal: Hellsinger · Hi-Fi RUSH

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Core loop

01Establish the pulse
02Read the change cue
03Adjust input spacing
04Confirm the new pulse

Rhythm and timingOne rule

Tempo changes and resynchronization

Keep the old pulse or use the transition cue to prepare for denser beats?

Reference gamesHi-Fi RUSH · Rhythm Doctor

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Core loop

01Read the landing
02Deform the launcher
03Release energy
04Adjust from the trajectory

Physics and contraptionsOne rule

Elastic deformation and launch

Pull farther for range or reduce energy to avoid overshooting?

Reference gamesAngry Birds Journey · Worms W.M.D Mobilize

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Core loop

01Identify the surface
02Predict stopping distance
03Time input changes
04Compare actual sliding

Physics and contraptionsOne rule

Surface friction differences

Brake on rough ground early or slide on ice and countersteer later?

Reference gamesSuperTux · Trackmania

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Core loop

01Read levels and paths
02Set valves
03Advance flow
04Check overflow and delivery

Physics and contraptionsLinked states

Valves and fluid levels

Fill the upper reservoir first or send limited water straight to the destination?

Reference gamesFactorio · Timberborn

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Core loop

01Stop and inspect
02Plan a segment
03Act to advance the world
04Stop and reassess

Time and echoesOne rule

Action-driven world time

Pause to read trajectories or move into position while enemies advance too?

Reference gamesSUPERHOT · SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE

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Core loop

01Assess threat density
02Activate slow motion
03Act within the reserve
04Exit and inspect remaining time

Time and echoesOne rule

Limited slow motion

Spend slow motion on an easy target or save it for overlapping threats?

Reference gamesMax Payne · Boomerang X

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Core loop

01Read timed connections
02Prepare the route
03Trigger in order
04Pass before expiry

Time and echoesOne rule

Timed switch chains

Prepare a shortcut before starting the timer or trigger now and arrange things on the run?

Reference gamesPortal 2 · Twelve Minutes

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Core loop

01Read clues
02Mark forced cells
03Propagate intersections
04Complete and verify

Observation and deductionOne rule

Nonogram run constraints

Use overlap in a long run or split a row around known empty cells?

Reference gamesPattern · Picross e

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Core loop

01Organize candidates
02Construct a probe
03Read both feedback counts
04Eliminate inconsistencies

Observation and deductionOne rule

Code-breaking feedback

Guess the likeliest answer or probe to eliminate more candidates?

Reference gamesGuess · Mastermind

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Core loop

01Read testimony
02Question or inspect
03Pair contradictory evidence
04Explain and update

Observation and deductionOne rule

Cross-examining contradictions

Is the evidence enough, or must you clarify the time or location first?

Reference gamesApollo Justice: Ace Attorney · Contradiction: Spot The Liar

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Core loop

01Inspect letters
02Trace neighbors
03Validate word and path
04Keep found words and search

Language and rule manipulationOne rule

Words through adjacent tiles

Submit a safe short word or extend through a rare letter with uncertain validity?

Reference gamesBoggle · Wordament

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Core loop

01Read a fragment
02Propose a term
03Inspect search results
04Update clues and hypotheses

Language and rule manipulationOne rule

Keyword-driven investigation

Keep searching a known name or follow an unusual object mentioned in a sentence?

Reference gamesHer Story · Telling Lies

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Core loop

01Read distance and word length
02Select a target
03Type or switch
04Resolve and reprioritize

Language and rule manipulationOne rule

Typing target priorities

Finish a half-typed long word or switch to the short-word threat about to reach you?

Reference gamesEpistory - Typing Chronicles · The Typing of The Dead: Overkill

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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.