Machinations: Game Feedback Diagrams

Created by Joris Dormans (2009)

This is the old version of the machinations tool. The new version can be found here

Machinations Wiki (also explains the diagrammatic language)

Machinations Adobe Air Application (allows you to create and save diagram on your own computer).

Pre-created Diagrams

Basic Concepts: Drains | Sources | Pools | Inhibitors | Converters | Traders | Knots | Duplication | Connections | State Connections | Escalating Complications

Patterns: Multiple Feedback | Multiplayer Trade | Dynamic Engine | Unpredictable Static Engine | Playing Style Reinforcement with Experience Points | Playing Style Reinforcement without Experience Points | Stopping Mechanism | Converter Engine | Dynamic Friction | Static Friction | Static Engine | Escalating Complexity | Unpredictable Dynamic Engine | Engine Building | Escalating Complications | Multiplayer Destructive Feedback

Bad Smells:

Board Games: Monopoly | Risk2 | Power Grid | Risk

Computer Games: Pac-Man2 | Pac-Man | Tetris | Renegade | StarCraft

Submitted Diagrams: Drains | Go (5x4 board) | alfa0.1 | Game flow | Renegade | StarCraft | Settlers

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Stéphane Bura for feeding me the idea to create this tool and providing me with a lot of useful concepts which will soon be included in the tool.