Game Mechanics
How games actually work, dissected
01
Per-game deep dives
Each entry dissects one game's reward loops, world-building, and tensions, written from actually playing it.
02
Patterns across games
Concept pages compare how very different titles solve the same design problem, with contrast tables instead of opinions.
03
Lessons I can reuse
Every analysis ends with what it means for my own game design, the part a wiki would never give you.
Why it exists
Playing a great game and understanding why it works are different skills. This knowledge base is where I practice the second one: take a game apart, name the patterns, and pull out lessons I can reuse in my own designs.
About this project
A personal knowledge base where I take games apart to understand them: reward loops, world-building, ludonarrative tension, and the design patterns that show up across very different titles. Each entry pulls out lessons I can reuse in my own games. It is a designer's reference written from play, not a wiki.
Tech Stack