{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/point-and-click--family-43","type":"mechanic","id":"point-and-click--family-43","lang":"en","title":"Input and action selection","summary":"The input method determines how the player expresses an intention and selects an action.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-43/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-43.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-43.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Point-and-click adventures","Interface and assistance"],"sourceIds":["source-796ac91c3a695e59"],"sources":[{"id":"source-796ac91c3a695e59","title":"Day of the Tentacle Remastered","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/388210/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The input method determines how the player expresses an intention and selects an action."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants\n\n<a id=\"family-43-branch-1\"></a>\n\n- Verb panels: select an action before its target. <a id=\"family-43-variant-1\"></a>\n- Context cursors: choose actions according to object and situation. <a id=\"family-43-variant-2\"></a>\n- Pointer buttons: assign inspection, action, cancellation and commands to different buttons. <a id=\"family-43-variant-3\"></a>\n- Radial or context menus: choose around objects or from popup lists. <a id=\"family-43-variant-4\"></a>\n- Dragging: transfer items onto targets, align elements and position them. <a id=\"family-43-variant-5\"></a>\n- Holding and repetition: sustain presses, click repeatedly or vary duration. <a id=\"family-43-variant-6\"></a>\n- Text: enter commands, passwords, names, numbers or original answers. <a id=\"family-43-variant-7\"></a>\n- Device interfaces: manipulate handles, gauges, parts and panels directly. <a id=\"family-43-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":[{"type":"explains","direction":"incoming","label":"Understand the principle","key":"lesson/input-and-feedback","title":"Input and feedback","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/lessons/input-and-feedback/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/lesson/input-and-feedback.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/lesson/input-and-feedback.md"}],"placements":[{"catalogId":"point-and-click","id":"family-43","title":"Point-and-click adventures","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/point-and-click/#family-43","categoryIds":["section-7"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Input and action selection","description":"The input method determines how the player expresses an intention and selects an action.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/adventure-day-of-the-tentacle-07.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"crop":{"x":180,"y":0,"width":1080,"height":810},"game":"Day of the Tentacle Remastered","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/388210/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/388210/ss_9eefffbc6bf66978cb5b8570665b09774d4f604a.1920x1080.jpg?t=1731602439","credit":"Double Fine Productions / Shiny Shoe","rights":"Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.","caption":"The verb and target object are selected separately","alt":"The verb and target object are selected separately","markers":[{"x":28,"y":87,"label":"The verb panel expresses an intention"},{"x":68,"y":82,"label":"Inventory supplies an action object"}]},"tips":["Show the selected intention and valid target before execution."],"examples":[{"title":"Day of the Tentacle Remastered","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/388210/"}]}},"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"}}