{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-hints","type":"mechanic","id":"game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-hints","lang":"en","title":"Diegetic (in world) hints","summary":"A message, sign or line of dialogue within the world explains an action. The player learns a rule while continuing to explore the scene.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-hints/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-hints.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-hints.md","aliases":["In-world hints"],"tags":["Game design techniques","Navigation & guidance","Diegetic"],"sourceIds":["source-a18326c390f43d68","source-7d38513d19b56097"],"sources":[{"id":"source-a18326c390f43d68","title":"Game Mechanics: Diegetic (in world) hints","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-hints","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-7d38513d19b56097","title":"Dead Space (2023)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-hints/game/dead-space-2023","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"World objects and messages guide player actions."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### How the technique works\n\n<a id=\"gm-diegetic-hints-rule\"></a>\n\n- World objects and messages guide player actions. <a id=\"gm-diegetic-hints-definition\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"game-mechanics","id":"gm-diegetic-hints","title":"Game design techniques","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-diegetic-hints","categoryIds":["gm-category-diegetic","gm-category-navigation-guidance"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"In-world hints","description":"A message, sign or line of dialogue within the world explains an action. The player learns a rule while continuing to explore the scene.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/combat-diegetic-hints.webp","width":738,"height":410,"game":"Dead Space (2023)","sourceUrl":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-hints","originalUrl":"https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/dead_space_tip.jpg","credit":"Motive Studio / Electronic Arts; image via GameMechanics.org","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host: GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved; excluded from the portal’s MIT and CC BY 4.0 licenses.","caption":"A combat rule written on the wall","alt":"In Dead Space, “Cut off their limbs” is written above a workbench beside armed Isaac.","markers":[{"x":50,"y":24,"label":"The writing hints at cutting off limbs"},{"x":33,"y":58,"label":"The hint is part of the room being explored"}]},"tips":["Place the hint in the natural field of attention before it is needed.","Check localization and text readability on small screens."],"examples":[{"title":"Dead Space (2023)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-hints"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/game-mechanics"}}