{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/metroidbrainia--family-12","type":"mechanic","id":"metroidbrainia--family-12","lang":"en","title":"Rethinking the interface and rules of the game itself","summary":"Players reinterpret an interface element or presentation rule as part of the gameplay problem.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/metroidbrainia--family-12/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/metroidbrainia--family-12.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/metroidbrainia--family-12.md","aliases":["Reinterpreting interfaces and rules"],"tags":["Metroidbrainia","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-af7928fd89126d4c","source-73d6fb8c09cf6ed8"],"sources":[{"id":"source-af7928fd89126d4c","title":"Article by Andrew Shouldice","url":"https://blog.playstation.com/2022/09/21/the-creation-of-tunics-invaluable-in-game-manual/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-73d6fb8c09cf6ed8","title":"There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1240210/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"These techniques are not suitable for every game. They must be distinguished from random errors and external interference in files. In TUNIC, the manual contains instructions, maps and secrets at the same time. The approach itself is important: the communication of the rules becomes a riddle that the player solves. The developer describes this principle in detail in the article on creating the guide. Article by Andrew Shouldice."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-12-variants\"></a>\n\n- Interface as a gaming space. The map, inventory, or menu allow interactions that change the state of the world <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-01\"></a>\n- Physical properties of the document. The fold, page turn, image overlay, or document scale are involved in the decision <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-02\"></a>\n- Metadata as information. Numbers, timestamps, signatures, or other service elements appear to be part of a pattern <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-03\"></a>\n- Progress through the provided save operations. Loading, selecting a state or working with slots participate in the author's puzzle <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-04\"></a>\n- World generation rule. The player masters the pattern of building changing levels, instead of memorizing a single layout <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-05\"></a>\n- Unlocking the real victory condition. Progress depends on understanding what exactly needs to be changed or completed <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-06\"></a>\n- Rethinking the object type. What was thought to be a picture, map, decoration or message turns out to be a working mechanism <a id=\"variant-metroidbrainia-12-07\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"In metroidbrainia, progression depends heavily on the player's knowledge: an open rule changes the available actions, routes, or decisions. 91 mechanics in 12 groups, progression techniques, training techniques and edge cases are stored here. For a project, check what knowledge is acquired, how it is derived, what it reveals, and where it is reused. Specific game solutions are not disclosed."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"metroidbrainia","id":"family-12","title":"Metroidbrainia","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/metroidbrainia/#family-12","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Reinterpreting interfaces and rules","description":"Players reinterpret an interface element or presentation rule as part of the gameplay problem.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/adventure-there-is-no-game-00.webp","width":1280,"height":720,"game":"There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1240210/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1240210/ss_8c20dd0ab3a824c27fae5b2c921a3984d1821a34.1920x1080.jpg?t=1728289933","credit":"Draw Me A Pixel","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Title letters become objects on the playing field","alt":"Title letters become objects on the playing field","markers":[{"x":47,"y":26,"label":"Interface letters participate in the puzzle"},{"x":47,"y":69,"label":"A detached element enters the playing area"}]},"tips":["Keep unusual solutions connected to observable game behaviour."],"examples":[{"title":"There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1240210/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/metroidbrainia"}}