{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/run-structures--t062","type":"mechanic","id":"run-structures--t062","lang":"en","title":"Survivor-likes and automatic attacks","summary":"Automatic attacks leave route selection and upgrades to the player, making movement through waves the central skill.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/run-structures--t062/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/run-structures--t062.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/run-structures--t062.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Roguelikes and run structure","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-3817d420df0baa92","source-43a59b91bdde2acb"],"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-43a59b91bdde2acb","title":"Vampire Survivors","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Automatic attacks leave route selection and upgrades to the player, making movement through waves the central skill."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t062-variants\"></a>\n\n- Auto-targeting selects targets by a stated rule. <a id=\"t062-v1\"></a>\n- Experience pickups require approaching danger. <a id=\"t062-v2\"></a>\n- Weapon evolution needs a combination of upgrades. <a id=\"t062-v3\"></a>\n- Waves change the shape of safe movement routes. <a id=\"t062-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"Circular fire permits movement through small enemies, but ranged opponents force a route change.\n\nPrototype check: Test whether movement remains a decision after strong upgrades rather than waiting for a timer."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Run structure connects limited resources, changing capabilities and failure consequences into a complete play cycle. 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":"run-structures","id":"t062","title":"Roguelikes and run structure","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/run-structures/#t062","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Survivor-likes and automatic attacks","description":"Automatic attacks leave route selection and upgrades to the player, making movement through waves the central skill.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/broad-vampire-survivors-00.webp","width":1280,"height":800,"game":"Vampire Survivors","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1794680/ss_6c55afe36be2a7784bf18cb9b3218321ae2d10e5.1920x1080.jpg?t=1787911678","credit":"poncle / poncle","rights":"© poncle / poncle. All rights reserved.","caption":"The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies","alt":"The character acts within a continuous flow of enemies","markers":[{"x":51,"y":52,"label":"The central choice concerns safe positioning among enemies"}]},"tips":["Preserve meaningful movement choices while attacks execute automatically."],"examples":[{"title":"Vampire Survivors","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1794680/"}]}},"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/run-structures"}}