---
key: mechanic/education--family-43
type: mechanic
id: education--family-43
lang: en
title: Subject knowledge and rule application
summary: >-
  The learner recognizes object features and applies a subject-specific rule to
  a concrete situation.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/education--family-43/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/education--family-43.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/education--family-43.md
aliases:
  - Subject knowledge and rules
tags:
  - Educational games
  - Language and subject applications
sourceIds:
  - source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce
sources:
  - id: source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce
    title: Subnautica
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: education
    id: family-43
    title: Educational games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/education/#family-43'
    categoryIds:
      - language
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Subject knowledge and rules
    description: >-
      The learner recognizes object features and applies a subject-specific rule
      to a concrete situation.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/subnautica-scanner.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Subnautica
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/264710/ss_e182b6b20bb797500f9f63c561586d920d44e37c.1920x1080.jpg?t=1777456112
      credit: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
      rights: © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. All rights reserved.
      caption: The scanner is ready to examine a target
      alt: >-
        Subnautica: the right hand holds a scanner displaying READY TO SCAN,
        facing a fish and the underwater environment.
      markers:
        - x: 68
          'y': 64
          label: READY TO SCAN status display
        - x: 49
          'y': 54
          label: An object in front of the instrument
    tips:
      - Do not replace subject understanding with memorizing a game label.
    examples:
      - title: Subnautica
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Educational reference expanded from all 64 families and 749 variants of the
  original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated
  2026-10-20. Sources support specific methods and examples, not the entire
  classification or its effectiveness.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/education
---
# Subject knowledge and rule application

id: education--family-43
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/education--family-43
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/education--family-43/

The learner recognizes object features and applies a subject-specific rule to a concrete situation.

## At a glance

![Subnautica: the right hand holds a scanner displaying READY TO SCAN, facing a fish and the underwater environment.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/subnautica-scanner.webp)

[Subnautica](https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/) · © Unknown Worlds Entertainment. All rights reserved.

1. READY TO SCAN status display
2. An object in front of the instrument

- Do not replace subject understanding with memorizing a game label.

- [Subnautica](https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/)

## How it works

Identify species and properties

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-43-branch-1"></a>

- Identify species and properties <a id="family-43-variant-1"></a>
- Relate organisms to environments <a id="family-43-variant-2"></a>
- Restore natural cycles <a id="family-43-variant-3"></a>
- Read geographic maps <a id="family-43-variant-4"></a>
- Connect places, cultures and events <a id="family-43-variant-5"></a>
- Order historical events <a id="family-43-variant-6"></a>
- Apply safety rules in scenarios <a id="family-43-variant-7"></a>
- Act under ecological conditions <a id="family-43-variant-8"></a>
- Identify material properties <a id="family-43-variant-9"></a>
- Match tools to tasks <a id="family-43-variant-10"></a>
- Distinguish artistic or musical properties <a id="family-43-variant-11"></a>
- Apply digital rules about permissions, sources and privacy <a id="family-43-variant-12"></a>

## Design example

Select a roofing material according to its properties.

## Context and limits

A mechanic map for games with explicit learning goals, from first encounters with a topic to professional practice. It covers children, teenagers and adults; choose subject, difficulty, context and controls for the learner. Player actions, subject content, instructional support and assessment are distinct layers. Scores and game completion alone do not establish mastery or skill transfer.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Educational reference expanded from all 64 families and 749 variants of the original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Sources support specific methods and examples, not the entire classification or its effectiveness.

- [Subnautica](https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/) (id: source-4e22a7f341a5d0ce)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors