{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/puzzle--family-search","type":"mechanic","id":"puzzle--family-search","lang":"en","title":"Search and recognition","summary":"The player finds a required object, feature or pattern among distracting details.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/puzzle--family-search/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/puzzle--family-search.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/puzzle--family-search.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Puzzles","Mechanics catalog"],"sourceIds":["source-804a52d40e5a173b"],"sources":[{"id":"source-804a52d40e5a173b","title":"Hidden Folks","url":"https://hiddenfolks.com/press/hidden-folks-1","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Find the desired object, sign or pattern in the presented information."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-search-variants\"></a>\n\n- Search for an item. Definition: Find a given object among distracting details. Conditional example: Find a key in a workshop. Terms: hidden object; search for objects. <a id=\"variant-hidden-object\"></a>\n- Search by silhouette. Definition: Match a contour with an object, taking into account rotation and overlap. Conditional example: Find a detail by its shadow. <a id=\"variant-silhouette\"></a>\n- Finding differences. Definition: Compare states or images and note the changed elements. Conditional example: Find rearranged objects in a room. Terms: spot the difference. <a id=\"variant-difference\"></a>\n- Search for the superfluous. Definition: Derive a general property of a set and select an element that violates it. Conditional example: Eliminate a figure without an axis of symmetry. <a id=\"variant-odd-one-out\"></a>\n- Continuation of the pattern. Definition: Define a change rule and restore the next or missing element. Conditional example: Continue a series of rotating figures. Terms: visual matrices. <a id=\"variant-visual-sequence\"></a>\n- Recognition by fragment. Definition: Restore the whole from a limited part of the characteristics. Conditional example: Identify the mechanism from the cross-section. <a id=\"variant-fragment\"></a>\n- Combining layers. Definition: Combine transparent or partial images to reveal information. Conventional example: Overlay two halves of a card. <a id=\"variant-overlay\"></a>\n- Reading negative space. Definition: Find a figure or message in the spaces between objects. Conditional example: Read the number between the columns. <a id=\"variant-negative-space\"></a>\n- Counting hidden structures. Definition: List all shapes, intersections or combinations, including composite ones. Conditional example: Count triangles of different sizes. <a id=\"variant-visual-count\"></a>\n- Detecting change. Definition: Remember the state and determine what has changed after the break. Conditional example: Name the missing exhibit. <a id=\"variant-change-observation\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A wide catalog of mechanics for digital puzzles, paper logic problems and physical puzzles. Each position contains an action or rule and a conditional example of application."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"puzzle","id":"family-search","title":"Puzzles","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/puzzle/#family-search","categoryIds":["section-1"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Search and recognition","description":"The player finds a required object, feature or pattern among distracting details.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/hidden-folks-jungle.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"crop":{"x":422,"y":56,"width":759,"height":754},"game":"Hidden Folks","sourceUrl":"https://hiddenfolks.com/press/hidden-folks-1","originalUrl":"https://hiddenfolks.com/images/hf1/HiddenFolks-JungleTutorial.png","credit":"Adriaan de Jongh & Sylvain Tegroeg","rights":"© Adriaan de Jongh & Sylvain Tegroeg. All rights reserved.","alt":"A target and clue help locate an object in the scene","caption":"A target and clue help locate an object in the scene","markers":[{"x":53.5,"y":94,"label":"Target and clue"},{"x":64,"y":42,"label":"Discovered character"}]},"tips":["Distinguish search difficulty from poor object visibility."],"examples":[{"title":"Hidden Folks","url":"https://hiddenfolks.com/press/hidden-folks-1"}]}},"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/puzzle"}}