Game Mechanics
How games actually work, dissected
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.
Per-game deep dives
Each entry dissects one game's reward loops, world-building, and tensions, written from actually playing it.
Patterns across games
Concept pages compare how very different titles solve the same design problem, with contrast tables instead of opinions.
Lessons I can reuse
Every analysis ends with what it means for my own game design, the part a wiki would never give you.
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