Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
In this chapter, we described the Machinations framework in some detail.
Machinations diagrams consist of nodes that perform functions on resources. The
most basic type of node is the pool, which stores resources. Nodes are joined to each
other by arrows called resource connections, which govern where, when, and how
many resources travel from one node to another. State connections, shown as a dot-
ted arrow, permit the operation of the mechanics to change the behavior of resource
connections and the number of items in a pool and to trigger (or inhibit) events.
A number of specialized nodes perform common functions within an internal
economy: Sources create new resources, while drains destroy them again, and con-
verters turn one kind of resource into another. Gates distribute the flow of resources
through them and can also be used to produce triggers.
At the end of the chapter, we built a Machinations model of
Pac-Man,
adding sys-
tems one at a time to show you how they work. As we have shown, you can use
Machinations to simulate many, many kinds of game mechanics and economies,
even those of action games.
In the next chapter, we'll introduce a few more specialized nodes and then show
you how to use Machinations to model feedback and randomness. We also discuss
how you can apply Machinations to several different game genres, with numerous
examples.
The following exercises are designed to test your familiarity with the Machinations
framework and your understanding of how the tool operates. For clarity, we have
drawn the diagrams so that all pools show how many resources they contain in
digits, rather than in stacks.
