{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/activity-simulators--t134","type":"mechanic","id":"activity-simulators--t134","lang":"en","title":"Technical incident investigation","summary":"Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to distinguish root causes from subsequent failures.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Activity and profession simulators","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-3817d420df0baa92","source-3444527b51dd6ea2"],"sources":[{"id":"source-3817d420df0baa92","title":"Robert Nystrom: State","url":"https://github.com/munificent/game-programming-patterns/blob/master/book/state.markdown","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-3444527b51dd6ea2","title":"Car Mechanic Simulator 2021","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to distinguish root causes from subsequent failures."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t134-variants\"></a>\n\n- Logs constrain the possible event sequence. <a id=\"t134-v1\"></a>\n- Measurements test individual component states. <a id=\"t134-v2\"></a>\n- Isolation eliminates a competing cause. <a id=\"t134-v3\"></a>\n- Restarting tests whether a hypothesis reproduces. <a id=\"t134-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"A stopped pump proves to be a consequence of lost power rather than the cause of pressure loss.\n\nPrototype check: Test alternative explanations for a symptom and confirmation through an independent observation."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Activity simulators turn observation, operation sequences and limited tools into a testable work task. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map."}],"relations":[{"type":"uses","direction":"outgoing","label":"Sources in the selection","key":"resource/state-pattern","title":"State: Game Programming Patterns","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-state-pattern","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/resource/state-pattern.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/resource/state-pattern.md"}],"placements":[{"catalogId":"activity-simulators","id":"t134","title":"Activity and profession simulators","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/activity-simulators/#t134","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Technical incident investigation","description":"Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to distinguish root causes from subsequent failures.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/strategy-car-mechanic2021-01.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Car Mechanic Simulator 2021","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1190000/ss_640ae3f1f1638aa40d95b561dd04d89366fa9ddd.1920x1080.jpg?t=1792592913","credit":"Red Dot Games / PlayWay S.A.","rights":"© Red Dot Games / PlayWay S.A.. All rights reserved.","caption":"Inspection highlights the condition of individual parts","alt":"Inspection highlights the condition of individual parts","markers":[{"x":52,"y":40,"label":"The engine’s intake manifold is selected"},{"x":47,"y":26,"label":"Nearby parts are highlighted with colors"}]},"tips":["Let players test a fault hypothesis before replacing every component."],"examples":[{"title":"Car Mechanic Simulator 2021","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/activity-simulators"}}