# Mechanics Exploration Document

## Game: [Game Title]
## Date: [Date]
## Explorer: Mira (Mechanics Explorer)

---

## Core Verb

### Primary Action
**The player primarily [VERB].**

Examples of this verb in action:
1. [Specific example]
2. [Specific example]
3. [Specific example]

### Supporting Verbs
| Verb | Frequency | Context |
|------|-----------|---------|
| [Verb 1] | Constant/Frequent/Occasional | [When used] |
| [Verb 2] | Constant/Frequent/Occasional | [When used] |
| [Verb 3] | Constant/Frequent/Occasional | [When used] |

---

## Core Loop

### Loop Diagram
```
┌─────────────────┐
│     ACTION      │
│  [Description]  │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌─────────────────┐
│    FEEDBACK     │
│  [Description]  │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌─────────────────┐
│     REWARD      │
│  [Description]  │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
         ▼
┌─────────────────┐
│   MOTIVATION    │
│  [Description]  │
└────────┬────────┘
         │
         └──────────────► (back to ACTION)
```

### Loop Details

**ACTION:** [What the player does]
- Input required: [Controls/decisions]
- Skill involved: [What player needs to do well]

**FEEDBACK:** [How game responds]
- Visual feedback: [What player sees]
- Audio feedback: [What player hears]
- Haptic feedback: [What player feels]

**REWARD:** [What player receives]
- Immediate rewards: [Instant gratification]
- Delayed rewards: [Long-term goals]

**MOTIVATION:** [Why player continues]
- Intrinsic motivation: [Fun, mastery, curiosity]
- Extrinsic motivation: [Unlocks, achievements, story]

### Loop Timing
- Single loop duration: [X seconds/minutes]
- Loops per session: [Approximately X]
- Session duration target: [X minutes]

---

## Secondary Loops

### Micro Loop (Moment-to-Moment)
```
[Action] → [Reaction] → [Result] → [Repeat]
```
Duration: [X seconds]
Example: [Concrete example]

### Session Loop (Per Play Session)
```
[Start] → [Build] → [Climax] → [Resolve] → [End]
```
Duration: [X minutes/hours]
Example: [What a typical session looks like]

### Meta Loop (Across Sessions)
```
[Progress] → [Unlock] → [New Content] → [Master] → [Progress]
```
Duration: [X sessions/days]
Example: [What keeps players coming back]

---

## Systems Inventory

### Core Systems (Must Have)

#### System 1: [Name]
- **Purpose:** [What it does]
- **Player Interaction:** [How player uses it]
- **Complexity:** Low / Medium / High
- **Priority:** Critical
- **Dependencies:** [Other systems it needs]

#### System 2: [Name]
- **Purpose:** [What it does]
- **Player Interaction:** [How player uses it]
- **Complexity:** Low / Medium / High
- **Priority:** Critical
- **Dependencies:** [Other systems it needs]

#### System 3: [Name]
- **Purpose:** [What it does]
- **Player Interaction:** [How player uses it]
- **Complexity:** Low / Medium / High
- **Priority:** Critical
- **Dependencies:** [Other systems it needs]

### Supporting Systems (Important)

#### System 4: [Name]
- **Purpose:** [What it does]
- **Complexity:** Low / Medium / High
- **Priority:** High
- **Can be simplified:** Yes / No

#### System 5: [Name]
- **Purpose:** [What it does]
- **Complexity:** Low / Medium / High
- **Priority:** High
- **Can be simplified:** Yes / No

### Nice-to-Have Systems

#### System 6: [Name]
- **Purpose:** [What it does]
- **Complexity:** Low / Medium / High
- **Priority:** Medium
- **MVP inclusion:** No

---

## Systems Interaction Map

```
┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐
│   System A   │────►│   System B   │
└──────────────┘     └──────┬───────┘
       │                    │
       │                    ▼
       │             ┌──────────────┐
       └────────────►│   System C   │
                     └──────────────┘
```

### Key Interactions
1. [System A] affects [System B] by [how]
2. [System B] affects [System C] by [how]
3. [System A] and [System C] interact through [mechanism]

---

## Feel & Juice

### Core Action Feel

**Target Feel:** [e.g., "Snappy and responsive" or "Weighty and impactful"]

**Reference Games:**
1. [Game] - [Specific feel to emulate]
2. [Game] - [Specific feel to emulate]

### Feedback Requirements

| Action | Visual | Audio | Timing |
|--------|--------|-------|--------|
| [Action 1] | [VFX] | [SFX] | [ms] |
| [Action 2] | [VFX] | [SFX] | [ms] |
| [Action 3] | [VFX] | [SFX] | [ms] |

### Polish Notes
- Screen shake: [When/intensity]
- Particles: [Key moments]
- Animation: [Priority animations]
- Sound: [Key sounds needed]

---

## Progression Systems

### Player Progression
- **Type:** [Level-based / Skill-based / Unlock-based / etc.]
- **Curve:** [Linear / Exponential / Plateaus]
- **Pacing:** [Fast start / Slow burn / Consistent]

### Content Progression
- **How content unlocks:** [Description]
- **Gating mechanisms:** [What blocks progress]
- **Content milestones:** [Key unlock points]

### Difficulty Progression
- **Scaling method:** [Enemy stats / New mechanics / Complexity]
- **Difficulty options:** [Yes/No, what kind]
- **Rubber-banding:** [Yes/No]

---

## Risk Analysis

### Technical Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | L/M/H | L/M/H | [Plan] |

### Design Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | L/M/H | L/M/H | [Plan] |

### Balance Risks
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|------------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | L/M/H | L/M/H | [Plan] |

---

## Prototype Priorities

### Priority 1: [Core Mechanic Name]
- **Goal:** [What to prove]
- **Scope:** [What to build]
- **Success Criteria:** [How to know it works]
- **Time Estimate:** [Hours/days]

### Priority 2: [Loop Validation]
- **Goal:** [What to prove]
- **Scope:** [What to build]
- **Success Criteria:** [How to know it works]
- **Time Estimate:** [Hours/days]

### Priority 3: [Systems Integration]
- **Goal:** [What to prove]
- **Scope:** [What to build]
- **Success Criteria:** [How to know it works]
- **Time Estimate:** [Hours/days]

---

## Reference Games

### Primary References
| Game | What to Learn | What to Avoid |
|------|---------------|---------------|
| [Game 1] | [Lesson] | [Warning] |
| [Game 2] | [Lesson] | [Warning] |
| [Game 3] | [Lesson] | [Warning] |

### Secondary References
| Game | Specific Element |
|------|------------------|
| [Game] | [Element] |
| [Game] | [Element] |

---

## Open Questions

1. [Question needing Design Team input]
2. [Question needing Design Team input]
3. [Question needing technical validation]

---

## Recommendations

### For Design Team
1. [Recommendation]
2. [Recommendation]

### For Engine Team
1. [Recommendation]
2. [Recommendation]

---

*Exploration by Mira, GD-KS Mechanics Explorer*
*Generated: [Date]*