Machinations

Sinks

2 min read

Tip

The Sink button in the toolbarThe Sink button in the toolbarSinks (K) consume Resources from Pools and other Nodes. They can take Resources from multiple Nodes at the same time and at various rates.

Earlier guides call this node a Drain. Resources that enter a Sink leave the modeled system. Use this to represent consumption, loss, spending or another outflow in any economy or process.

Like most other Nodes, a Sink has a Trigger, the row of five buttons Agentic, Auto, On enable, Passive and On click. Read Trigger Mode to see what each one does. Its only other setting is the checkbox Pull all or nothing; see Pulling & Pushing for what it changes.

Sink properties panel with the Behavior summary, the Trigger buttons and a checkbox to pull the specified amounts in full.Sink properties panel with the Behavior summary, the Trigger buttons and a checkbox to pull the specified amounts in full.
Sink settings: the Trigger is Auto by default, and the only other setting is Pull all or nothing.

The rate of a Sink is determined by the flow rate of its input Resource Connection. Some Sinks consume Resources at a steady rate, while others consume Resources at random rates or intervals.

Three Pools drain into Sinks: Ammo loses 1 each Step, Coins loses 1 every second Step, and Health loses a dice roll from 1 to 6 each Step.Three Pools drain into Sinks: Ammo loses 1 each Step, Coins loses 1 every second Step, and Health loses a dice roll from 1 to 6 each Step.

Three published examples show different ways to control outflow:

  1. Shooter: The Shoot Sink consumes 1 Ammo every time the player shoots.
  2. Brawler: An encounter removes between 1 and 6 Health points whenever the boss hits.
  3. Resource Management: A process consumes 1 coin every 2 weeks.

Learn how Labels, Formulas and Intervals control Resource flow:

You can also set a Sink to consume all Resources within a Pool by inputting all in the Resource Connection’s Formula.

Consume every Resource in a PoolThe connection formula from the original example, expressed as text.
SourcePool
Resource Connection formulaall
DestinationSink
A Pool named Stock holds 9 Crates. Its connection to the Clearance Sink has the formula all, so every Crate leaves in one Step.A Pool named Stock holds 9 Crates. Its connection to the Clearance Sink has the formula all, so every Crate leaves in one Step.

Selected models to Play and remix: Selected game economy models.