---
key: mechanic/shared-family-13
type: mechanic
id: shared-family-13
lang: en
title: Spatial orientation and transformations
summary: >-
  Players determine position, direction and spatial relationships to choose a
  transformation or route.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-13/'
jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-13.json'
markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-13.md'
aliases:
  - Spatial orientation
tags:
  - Children’s games
  - 'Structures, logic and space'
  - Educational games
sourceIds:
  - source-a4c131ce094457fb
sources:
  - id: source-a4c131ce094457fb
    title: Paper Trail
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: children
    id: family-13
    title: Children’s games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/children/#family-13'
    categoryIds:
      - logic
  - catalogId: education
    id: family-13
    title: Educational games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/education/#family-13'
    categoryIds:
      - logic
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Spatial orientation
    description: >-
      Players determine position, direction and spatial relationships to choose
      a transformation or route.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/adventure-paper-trail-00.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Paper Trail
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1889740/ss_1469a801a268e771e65b1c58f2930a9b33614e5d.1920x1080.jpg?t=1750783735
      credit: Newfangled Games
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: Paths on the paper map connect reachable areas
      alt: Paths on the paper map connect reachable areas
      markers:
        - x: 50
          'y': 49
          label: The route follows connected areas
    tips:
      - Show the reference points that define a direction.
    examples:
      - title: Paper Trail
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy,
  with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support
  specific examples, not the entire classification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/children
---
# Spatial orientation and transformations

id: shared-family-13
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/shared-family-13
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-13/

Players determine position, direction and spatial relationships to choose a transformation or route.

## At a glance

![Paths on the paper map connect reachable areas](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/adventure-paper-trail-00.webp)

[Paper Trail](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. The route follows connected areas

- Show the reference points that define a direction.

- [Paper Trail](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/)

## How it works

Distinguish left and right

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-13-branch-1"></a>

- Distinguish left and right <a id="family-13-variant-1"></a>
- Distinguish above, below, between and behind <a id="family-13-variant-2"></a>
- Rotate shapes <a id="family-13-variant-3"></a>
- Reflect shapes <a id="family-13-variant-4"></a>
- Change scale <a id="family-13-variant-5"></a>
- Complete symmetry <a id="family-13-variant-6"></a>
- Relate top and side views <a id="family-13-variant-7"></a>
- Read coordinates <a id="family-13-variant-8"></a>
- Match nets to solids <a id="family-13-variant-9"></a>
- Mentally fold and unfold <a id="family-13-variant-10"></a>
- Use another character's viewpoint <a id="family-13-variant-11"></a>
- Translate between plans and spaces <a id="family-13-variant-12"></a>

## Design example

Choose how a tower looks from the other side.

## Context and limits

An action map for children’s digital, board, active and mixed games. An instructional goal is optional: children can invent stories, explore toys, compete or enjoy play itself. Select age suitability, reading demands, controls and pace separately; different implementations can suit different ages. Learning tasks and instructional support have their own reference.

## Context: Educational games

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

Play-focused selection adapted from the original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Developer sources support specific examples, not the entire classification.

- [Paper Trail](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1889740/) (id: source-a4c131ce094457fb)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors