{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/point-and-click--family-19","type":"mechanic","id":"point-and-click--family-19","lang":"en","title":"Flows, networks and resource distribution","summary":"The player connects nodes and distributes flows while respecting network links and limits.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-19/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-19.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-19.md","aliases":["Flows and networks"],"tags":["Point-and-click adventures","Devices and spatial puzzles"],"sourceIds":["source-e6546791156b5e83"],"sources":[{"id":"source-e6546791156b5e83","title":"The Talos Principle","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/257510/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The player connects nodes and distributes flows while respecting network links and limits."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants\n\n<a id=\"family-19-branch-1\"></a>\n\n- Electrical circuits: close, break, redirect or assemble power paths. <a id=\"family-19-variant-1\"></a>\n- Pipes and fluids: route water, gas or substances. <a id=\"family-19-variant-2\"></a>\n- Light beams: direct, split, reflect, filter or interrupt. <a id=\"family-19-variant-3\"></a>\n- Signals: route messages and tune antennas, radio or alarms. <a id=\"family-19-variant-4\"></a>\n- Transport networks: manage switches, conveyors, deliveries and routes. <a id=\"family-19-variant-5\"></a>\n- Limited resources: choose nodes to power and systems to disconnect. <a id=\"family-19-variant-6\"></a>\n- Combined flows: coordinate meeting position, time and proportions. <a id=\"family-19-variant-7\"></a>\n- Whole systems: discover distant device relationships and change network state. <a id=\"family-19-variant-8\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A working classification with 44 families and 355 variants. Families overlap: one puzzle can combine items, dialogue, deduction and a character schedule. Core actions, progression architecture and assistance are separate layers. Sources identify examples from neighboring adventure genres."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"point-and-click","id":"family-19","title":"Point-and-click adventures","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/point-and-click/#family-19","categoryIds":["section-3"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Flows and networks","description":"The player connects nodes and distributes flows while respecting network links and limits.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/adventure-talos-principle-05.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"The Talos Principle","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/257510/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/257510/ss_b42acabe63d45a11580a2949e34f305e1bd10fc7.1920x1080.jpg?t=1744327639","credit":"Croteam / Devolver Digital","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"Connectors link beam sources and receivers","alt":"Connectors link beam sources and receivers","markers":[{"x":56,"y":30,"label":"A node connects several directions"},{"x":30,"y":35,"label":"A beam crosses the puzzle space"}]},"tips":["Show flow direction and the reason for a broken connection."],"examples":[{"title":"The Talos Principle","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/257510/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/point-and-click"}}