{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/puzzle-transformations--t168","type":"mechanic","id":"puzzle-transformations--t168","lang":"en","title":"Merging, combining and growing objects","summary":"Compatible objects combine into a new state, requiring players to plan both chain growth and available space.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/puzzle-transformations--t168/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/puzzle-transformations--t168.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/puzzle-transformations--t168.md","aliases":["Merging and evolving objects"],"tags":["Puzzles and reasoning challenges","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-eceba0e40b661634","source-19446e425a9a00b3","source-5b737ba9e639da22"],"sources":[{"id":"source-eceba0e40b661634","title":"PuzzleScript: Rules","url":"https://www.puzzlescript.net/Documentation/rules.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-19446e425a9a00b3","title":"2048","url":"https://github.com/gabrielecirulli/2048","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-5b737ba9e639da22","title":"2048","url":"https://play2048.co/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Compatible objects combine into a new state, requiring players to plan both chain growth and available space."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t168-variants\"></a>\n\n- A matching pair produces the next object rank. <a id=\"t168-v1\"></a>\n- Triples improve yield but require preparation. <a id=\"t168-v2\"></a>\n- Chain reactions merge outputs without a pause. <a id=\"t168-v3\"></a>\n- Generators consume resources and occupy space. <a id=\"t168-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"Three saplings produce a tree, but neighboring cells must be cleared before it can yield fruit.\n\nPrototype check: Test a full board: players should see irreversible merges in advance and understand how to clear space."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Combining objects changes the puzzle board: one move’s output becomes the material for another decision. 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":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"puzzle-transformations","id":"t168","title":"Puzzles and reasoning challenges","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/puzzle-transformations/#t168","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Merging and evolving objects","description":"Compatible objects combine into a new state, requiring players to plan both chain growth and available space.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/systems-2048-original.webp","width":500,"height":694,"game":"2048","sourceUrl":"https://github.com/gabrielecirulli/2048","originalUrl":"https://github.com/gabrielecirulli/2048/blob/master/index.html","credit":"Gabriele Cirulli; screenshot of the unmodified original game, captured 2026-10-22","rights":"© 2014 Gabriele Cirulli, MIT License. Screenshot converted to WebP on 2026-10-22. License copy: images/mechanics/2048-license.txt.","caption":"The original 2048 after a sequence of normal moves","alt":"The original 2048 after a sequence of normal moves","markers":[{"x":86,"y":55,"label":"Adjacent twos can be merged into a four"}]},"tips":["Distinguish the matching condition from the rule for creating the new object."],"examples":[{"title":"2048","url":"https://play2048.co/"},{"title":"Original source","url":"https://github.com/gabrielecirulli/2048"}]}},"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/puzzle-transformations"}}