---
key: mechanic/activity-simulators--t134
type: mechanic
id: activity-simulators--t134
lang: en
title: Technical incident investigation
summary: >-
  Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to
  distinguish root causes from subsequent failures.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - Activity and profession simulators
  - Mechanics and variants
sourceIds:
  - source-3817d420df0baa92
  - source-3444527b51dd6ea2
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-3444527b51dd6ea2
    title: Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/'
    verifiedAt: null
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: activity-simulators
    id: t134
    title: Activity and profession simulators
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/activity-simulators/#t134'
    categoryIds:
      - mechanics
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Technical incident investigation
    description: >-
      Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to
      distinguish root causes from subsequent failures.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/strategy-car-mechanic2021-01.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1190000/ss_640ae3f1f1638aa40d95b561dd04d89366fa9ddd.1920x1080.jpg?t=1792592913
      credit: Red Dot Games / PlayWay S.A.
      rights: © Red Dot Games / PlayWay S.A.. All rights reserved.
      caption: Inspection highlights the condition of individual parts
      alt: Inspection highlights the condition of individual parts
      markers:
        - x: 52
          'y': 40
          label: The engine’s intake manifold is selected
        - x: 47
          'y': 26
          label: Nearby parts are highlighted with colors
    tips:
      - Let players test a fault hypothesis before replacing every component.
    examples:
      - title: Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/'
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/activity-simulators
---
# Technical incident investigation

id: activity-simulators--t134
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/activity-simulators--t134
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/activity-simulators--t134/

Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to distinguish root causes from subsequent failures.

## At a glance

![Inspection highlights the condition of individual parts](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/strategy-car-mechanic2021-01.webp)

[Car Mechanic Simulator 2021](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/) · © Red Dot Games / PlayWay S.A.. All rights reserved.

1. The engine’s intake manifold is selected
2. Nearby parts are highlighted with colors

- Let players test a fault hypothesis before replacing every component.

- [Car Mechanic Simulator 2021](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/)

## How it works

Technical investigation compares logs, symptoms and component states to distinguish root causes from subsequent failures.

## Variants

### Mechanic variants

<a id="t134-variants"></a>

- Logs constrain the possible event sequence. <a id="t134-v1"></a>
- Measurements test individual component states. <a id="t134-v2"></a>
- Isolation eliminates a competing cause. <a id="t134-v3"></a>
- Restarting tests whether a hypothesis reproduces. <a id="t134-v4"></a>

## Design example

A stopped pump proves to be a consequence of lost power rather than the cause of pressure loss.

Prototype check: Test alternative explanations for a symptom and confirmation through an independent observation.

## Context and limits

Activity simulators turn observation, operation sequences and limited tools into a testable work task. 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.

## Connected materials

- Sources in the selection: [State: Game Programming Patterns](https://gamemechanics.pro/en/resources/#resource-state-pattern) (key: resource/state-pattern)

## Sources and 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.

- [Robert Nystrom: State](https://github.com/munificent/game-programming-patterns/blob/master/book/state.markdown) (id: source-3817d420df0baa92)
- [Car Mechanic Simulator 2021](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/) (id: source-3444527b51dd6ea2)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors