{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-inventory","type":"mechanic","id":"game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-inventory","lang":"en","title":"Diegetic inventory","summary":"The hero lays items out in a physical container or on a surface. Choosing an item remains part of the scene and the character’s actions.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-inventory/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-inventory.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-inventory.md","aliases":["In-world inventory"],"tags":["Game design techniques","Resources","Diegetic"],"sourceIds":["source-f3c3c0c50c9ad20b","source-3cf66d591c4fde4e","source-15e313cb43886018","source-557590f4082fd602"],"sources":[{"id":"source-f3c3c0c50c9ad20b","title":"Game Mechanics: Diegetic inventory","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-inventory","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-3cf66d591c4fde4e","title":"The Forest (2013)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-inventory/game/the-forest","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-15e313cb43886018","title":"Sons of the Forest (2023)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-inventory/game/sons-of-the-forest","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-557590f4082fd602","title":"Industria 2 (2026)","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-inventory/game/industria-2","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Items are accessed through a container represented within the world."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### How the technique works\n\n<a id=\"gm-diegetic-inventory-rule\"></a>\n\n- Items are accessed through a container represented within the world. <a id=\"gm-diegetic-inventory-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-inventory","title":"Game design techniques","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-diegetic-inventory","categoryIds":["gm-category-resources","gm-category-diegetic"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"In-world inventory","description":"The hero lays items out in a physical container or on a surface. Choosing an item remains part of the scene and the character’s actions.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/interaction-diegetic-inventory.webp","width":1200,"height":675,"game":"Sons of the Forest","sourceUrl":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-inventory","originalUrl":"https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/sons_of_the_forest_inventory.jpg","credit":"Endnight Games; image via GameMechanics.org","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host: GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Supplies laid out on a folding mat","alt":"Supplies and tools lie on a mat in Sons of the Forest, with sticks and tape placed in the central work area.","markers":[{"x":53,"y":58,"label":"Items lie on a physical work surface"},{"x":70,"y":54,"label":"Interaction prompt beside the laid-out items"}]},"tips":["Keep frequently used items in recognizable positions.","Communicate whether threats remain active while choosing an item."],"examples":[{"title":"Sons of the Forest","url":"https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-inventory"}]}},"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"}}