Repair Mechanic

About this model

This diagram represents a simplistic model of resource management and decision-making within the context of a combat encounter in a game. A "Combat Encounter" source node generates resources representing both gear damage taken and gold looted, using dice-based random flow rates (D5 for gear damage and D50 for gold looted). These resources flow into respective pools ("Gear Damage Taken" and "Gold Looted"), symbolizing the accumulation of effects from the encounter.

The resources from these pools are then potentially converted via a "Pay to Repair" converter, indicating a mechanic where players can spend accumulated gold to repair gear damage incurred during combat. This conversion process is linked to a "Repair Now?" gate, which automatically decides based on a pre-established probability (25% as indicated by the state connection to a drain node) whether the repairs are to proceed immediately. This gate's decision directly impacts resource depletion, representing the cost of immediate repairs. This setup creates a dynamic scenario where players must manage their resources carefully, deciding when and how much to invest in repairs based on the gold acquired and the severity of the damage taken during encounters.

“Repair Mechanic” is a diagram in the Machinations Community by Harry Ashton.

You can open the original diagram in the Machinations app, press Play to watch how resources move through it, and change its values to see how the system responds. Machinations is a visual tool for designing, simulating and balancing game economies and other systems, where resources flow through sources, pools, drains, converters and gates.