{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/progression-rewards--t240","type":"mechanic","id":"progression-rewards--t240","lang":"en","title":"Unlocking abilities and expanding available actions","summary":"Unlocking an ability expands legal actions and allows previously inaccessible challenges to be reconsidered.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/progression-rewards--t240/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/progression-rewards--t240.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/progression-rewards--t240.md","aliases":["Unlocking new possibilities"],"tags":["Progression, rewards and retention","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-3817d420df0baa92","source-7f09c8a736762f4f"],"sources":[{"id":"source-3817d420df0baa92","title":"Robert Nystrom: State","url":"https://github.com/munificent/game-programming-patterns/blob/master/book/state.markdown","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-7f09c8a736762f4f","title":"Slay the Spire","url":"https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Unlocking an ability expands legal actions and allows previously inaccessible challenges to be reconsidered."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t240-variants\"></a>\n\n- A new verb enables another type of interaction. <a id=\"t240-v1\"></a>\n- An upgrade removes an existing action constraint. <a id=\"t240-v2\"></a>\n- Knowledge reveals an already available capability. <a id=\"t240-v3\"></a>\n- Shared access transfers an unlock to other characters. <a id=\"t240-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"Carrying electrical charge opens a door and also enables rerouting a power network.\n\nPrototype check: Test whether an unlock enables at least two different applications understandable from the ability's rule."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Progression changes player options and goals; rewards should explain new decisions and preserve useful stopping points. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map."}],"relations":[{"type":"uses","direction":"outgoing","label":"Sources in the selection","key":"resource/state-pattern","title":"State: Game Programming Patterns","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-state-pattern","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/resource/state-pattern.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/resource/state-pattern.md"}],"placements":[{"catalogId":"progression-rewards","id":"t240","title":"Progression, rewards and retention","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/progression-rewards/#t240","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Unlocking new possibilities","description":"Unlocking an ability expands legal actions and allows previously inaccessible challenges to be reconsidered.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/slay-the-spire-unlocks.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Slay the Spire","sourceUrl":"https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/","originalUrl":"https://www.megacrit.com/images/ss20.jpg","credit":"Mega Crit","rights":"© Mega Crit. All rights reserved.","caption":"Permanent card unlocks for future runs","alt":"Permanent card unlocks for future runs","markers":[{"x":50,"y":45,"label":"New elements expand future action options"}]},"tips":["Revisit challenges that reveal the value of a newly unlocked action."],"examples":[{"title":"Slay the Spire","url":"https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/progression-rewards"}}