Machinations

Balancing software for economies and systems

Tune connected rules toward a goal while watching for unintended effects, with a visible model for the discussion and tools to explore candidate changes.

The Scenarios stage of a Machinations model of a fantasy RPG economy comparing two scenarios, the first with the Tax Lever at 2 and a second with Tax raised to 7: the Levers beside the Hero Level median line, and the table of medians at step 20 Player Wallet 22 against 19, XP Bar 11.5 against 10 and Hero Level 120 in both.The Scenarios stage of a Machinations model of a fantasy RPG economy comparing two scenarios, the first with the Tax Lever at 2 and a second with Tax raised to 7: the Levers beside the Hero Level median line, and the table of medians at step 20 Player Wallet 22 against 19, XP Bar 11.5 against 10 and Hero Level 120 in both.

Move the Levers of a model, Forecast what each change does and compare the Outcomes of every Scenario, so a system is balanced on evidence rather than trial and error.

  • Levers to move

    Mark the values worth moving as Levers. Each one gets its own control in the Scenarios tab.

  • Outcomes to watch

    Choose the results that matter, such as a resource level, and read each one as a chart.

  • Scenarios to compare

    Keep each Forecast as a Scenario and compare two versions side by side.

What you can do with it

  • Iterate on one model

    Change a lever, start a forecast and read the outcomes in one place, with earlier forecasts kept to compare against.

  • Judge a change by its range

    Each outcome shows its mean, minimum and maximum, so a change is judged against the spread of results and not one lucky Play.

  • Agents and the AI agent

    Agents act as players or other actors in a diagram, and the AI agent builds and edits diagrams from plain language.

How it works

  • Diagram

    Start with your model

    Open any diagram you have already built, or describe an economy to the AI agent and let it build the first version.

  • Levers

    Choose what to move

    Mark the values worth moving with the Mark as lever switch on a component. Each one appears in the Scenarios tab.

  • Outcomes

    Choose what to watch

    Add the results that matter as Outcomes and read each one as a chart with its mean, minimum and maximum.

  • Forecast

    See the range

    A Forecast Plays the model many times, randomness included, and shows the range of Outcomes. It runs on Machinations’ cloud servers.

  • Scenarios

    Compare versions

    Keep each Forecast as a Scenario and compare two side by side, then decide which change to make in the model.

Frequently asked questions

How does Machinations help balance a system?

Balancing is the work of tuning connected rules toward a goal. In Machinations you mark the values worth moving as Levers, start a Forecast and compare the Outcomes of each Scenario side by side. The diagram stays visible, so the reason a change had its effect can be inspected.

What are Levers, Scenarios and Outcomes?

Levers are the values worth moving, set with the Mark as lever switch on a component. A Scenario is a Forecast together with the Lever values it used, kept in a list so it can be compared with another. Outcomes are the results you choose to watch, shown as charts with their mean, minimum and maximum.

What is a Forecast?

A Forecast Plays a model many times, with its randomness included, and shows the range of outcomes instead of one result. Machinations’ Monte Carlo Forecasts run on its cloud servers.

What are Agents?

An Agent is a persona with weighted personality traits and the assets it wants. It fires the nodes you choose, so you can Play the model and watch how that kind of player or actor behaves.

What can the AI agent do?

The AI agent builds and edits diagrams from plain language: describe the change you want and review it in the diagram. Working with the AI agent spends Credits, as Plays and Forecasts do.

Does Machinations decide the best values for me?

No. Machinations shows what each change does to the Outcomes you chose, and the team decides what to adopt. Treat a result as a scenario to test against real evidence, and update the model when live behavior differs from its assumptions.

What does balancing use up in my plan?

Plays, Forecasts and the AI agent use Credits. A Forecast Plays a model repeatedly, so a long Forecast can spend more Credits than a single Play. The Pricing page shows the Credits each plan includes.

How does Machinations keep data secure?

Machinations is ISO 27001 certified, which sets stringent data security measures to protect valuable data assets. Machinations maintains the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information, along with proactive risk management and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Start balancing your systems

Mark a few Levers, Forecast a change and compare the Outcomes before you make it.

  • ISO 27001 certified
  • SSO & SAML
  • GDPR compliant
  • Trustpilot verified
  • Red Herring Top 100
  • Dealroom Rising Star