--- key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface type: mechanic id: game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface lang: en title: Diegetic interface summary: >- Information appears on objects within the game world, such as screens, instruments and tools, so players read it in context. updatedAt: '2026-10-21' status: active url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface.md aliases: [] tags: - Game design techniques - Visual indicators - Diegetic sourceIds: - source-d0b8d3be9567bebb - source-c808000618b1ffdf - source-b1a537eccc7fb6da - source-49b2c42e983f3056 - source-108ed1975a6ce730 - source-ff8b2bd7ba82672c - source-e51abcbcb478a6ac - source-cba1710ecfeb5ee2 - source-19a4b25bfdd12073 - source-0a031a39aeeef0d8 sources: - id: source-d0b8d3be9567bebb title: 'Game Mechanics: Diegetic interface' url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface' verifiedAt: null - id: source-c808000618b1ffdf title: Far Cry 2 (2008) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/far-cry-2' verifiedAt: null - id: source-b1a537eccc7fb6da title: Fallout 3 (2008) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/fallout-3' verifiedAt: null - id: source-49b2c42e983f3056 title: Metro 2033 (2010) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/metro-2033' verifiedAt: null - id: source-108ed1975a6ce730 title: L.A. Noire (2011) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/l-a-noire' verifiedAt: null - id: source-ff8b2bd7ba82672c title: Metro 2033 Redux (2014) url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/metro-2033-redux verifiedAt: null - id: source-e51abcbcb478a6ac title: Blair Witch (2019) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/blair-witch' verifiedAt: null - id: source-cba1710ecfeb5ee2 title: Sons of the Forest (2023) url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/sons-of-the-forest verifiedAt: null - id: source-19a4b25bfdd12073 title: Pacific Drive (2024) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/pacific-drive' verifiedAt: null - id: source-0a031a39aeeef0d8 title: Deep Rock Galactic url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: game-mechanics id: gm-diegetic-interface title: Game design techniques url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-diegetic-interface categoryIds: - gm-category-diegetic - gm-category-visual-indicators supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-21' title: Diegetic interface description: >- Information appears on objects within the game world, such as screens, instruments and tools, so players read it in context. image: src: images/mechanics/drg-autocannon.webp width: 1440 height: 810 game: Deep Rock Galactic sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/' originalUrl: >- https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/548430/ss_e6e1d97ee0a5fc8b82c5a9a1aacba178206e3522.1920x1080.jpg?t=1792497307 credit: Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing rights: © Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing. All rights reserved. caption: An instrument attached to the weapon alt: >- Deep Rock Galactic: an ammunition counter is attached to the autocannon and faces the player along with the weapon. markers: - x: 84 'y': 70 label: Information attached to a world object tips: - Ensure readability before styling the instrument. - Check the information against different backgrounds and object poses. examples: - title: Deep Rock Galactic url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/' endsAt: null provenance: >- Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics --- # Diegetic interface id: game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface type: mechanic key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-interface/ Information appears on objects within the game world, such as screens, instruments and tools, so players read it in context. ## At a glance ![Deep Rock Galactic: an ammunition counter is attached to the autocannon and faces the player along with the weapon.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/drg-autocannon.webp) [Deep Rock Galactic](https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/) · © Ghost Ship Games / Coffee Stain Publishing. All rights reserved. 1. Information attached to a world object - Ensure readability before styling the instrument. - Check the information against different backgrounds and object poses. - [Deep Rock Galactic](https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/) ## How it works Interface information is attached to objects within the game space. ## Variants ### How the technique works - Interface information is attached to objects within the game space. ## Context and limits All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. - [Game Mechanics: Diegetic interface](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface) (id: source-d0b8d3be9567bebb) - [Far Cry 2 (2008)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/far-cry-2) (id: source-c808000618b1ffdf) - [Fallout 3 (2008)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/fallout-3) (id: source-b1a537eccc7fb6da) - [Metro 2033 (2010)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/metro-2033) (id: source-49b2c42e983f3056) - [L.A. Noire (2011)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/l-a-noire) (id: source-108ed1975a6ce730) - [Metro 2033 Redux (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/metro-2033-redux) (id: source-ff8b2bd7ba82672c) - [Blair Witch (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/blair-witch) (id: source-e51abcbcb478a6ac) - [Sons of the Forest (2023)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/sons-of-the-forest) (id: source-cba1710ecfeb5ee2) - [Pacific Drive (2024)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-interface/game/pacific-drive) (id: source-19a4b25bfdd12073) - [Deep Rock Galactic](https://store.steampowered.com/app/548430/) (id: source-0a031a39aeeef0d8) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors