---
key: mechanic/point-and-click--family-04
type: mechanic
id: point-and-click--family-04
lang: en
title: 'Acquiring, transferring and losing items'
summary: >-
  The player acquires, transfers or loses an item, changing the available ways
  to solve a problem.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-04/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-04.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/point-and-click--family-04.md
aliases:
  - Acquiring and transferring items
tags:
  - Point-and-click adventures
  - Core actions and items
sourceIds:
  - source-c05aefd9077e183e
sources:
  - id: source-c05aefd9077e183e
    title: Thimbleweed Park™
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/569860/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: point-and-click
    id: family-04
    title: Point-and-click adventures
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/point-and-click/#family-04'
    categoryIds:
      - section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Acquiring and transferring items
    description: >-
      The player acquires, transfers or loses an item, changing the available
      ways to solve a problem.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/adventure-thimbleweed-park-01.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Thimbleweed Park™
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/569860/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/569860/ss_704c62153ab86d4739dcc46319c1c0b26c3b6d5e.1920x1080.jpg?t=1667234024
      credit: Terrible Toybox
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: Pick up and Give verbs beside the inventory
      alt: Pick up and Give verbs beside the inventory
      markers:
        - x: 33
          'y': 83
          label: Action for acquiring an item
        - x: 4
          'y': 96
          label: Action for giving an item
    tips:
      - Show where an item went and whether it can be recovered after transfer.
    examples:
      - title: Thimbleweed Park™
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/569860/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked
  sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/point-and-click
---
# Acquiring, transferring and losing items

id: point-and-click--family-04
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/point-and-click--family-04
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/point-and-click--family-04/

The player acquires, transfers or loses an item, changing the available ways to solve a problem.

## At a glance

![Pick up and Give verbs beside the inventory](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/adventure-thimbleweed-park-01.webp)

[Thimbleweed Park™](https://store.steampowered.com/app/569860/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. Action for acquiring an item
2. Action for giving an item

- Show where an item went and whether it can be recovered after transfer.

- [Thimbleweed Park™](https://store.steampowered.com/app/569860/)

## How it works

The player acquires, transfers or loses an item, changing the available ways to solve a problem.

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-04-branch-1"></a>

- Collect and extract: take an accessible item or retrieve it from a hiding place or container. <a id="family-04-variant-1"></a>
- Purchase and trade: pay, bargain or exchange items. <a id="family-04-variant-2"></a>
- Request and borrow: obtain permission, borrow or persuade an owner. <a id="family-04-variant-3"></a>
- Theft and substitution: steal, replace with a similar item or deceive an owner. <a id="family-04-variant-4"></a>
- Rewards and winnings: obtain an item through tasks, challenges or minigames. <a id="family-04-variant-5"></a>
- Gathering and production: collect, grow, craft or obtain system output. <a id="family-04-variant-6"></a>
- Transfer and delivery: give, send, return or leave at an agreed place. <a id="family-04-variant-7"></a>
- Disposal and concealment: discard, destroy, hide, plant or remove a dangerous item. <a id="family-04-variant-8"></a>

## Context and limits

A working classification with 44 families and 355 variants. Families overlap: one puzzle can combine items, dialogue, deduction and a character schedule. Core actions, progression architecture and assistance are separate layers. Sources identify examples from neighboring adventure genres.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original taxonomy adapted from user-selected design discussions; linked sources support specific examples, not the whole classification.

- [Thimbleweed Park™](https://store.steampowered.com/app/569860/) (id: source-c05aefd9077e183e)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors