---
key: mechanic/shared-family-46
type: mechanic
id: shared-family-46
lang: en
title: Cooperation and distributed tasks
summary: >-
  Participants combine different information, actions or resources to reach a
  shared goal.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-46/'
jsonUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-46.json'
markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/shared-family-46.md'
aliases: []
tags:
  - Children’s games
  - 'Story, communication and creativity'
  - Educational games
sourceIds:
  - source-909400af9fbfca32
sources:
  - id: source-909400af9fbfca32
    title: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: children
    id: family-46
    title: Children’s games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/children/#family-46'
    categoryIds:
      - social
  - catalogId: education
    id: family-46
    title: Educational games
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/education/#family-46'
    categoryIds:
      - social
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Cooperation and distributed tasks
    description: >-
      Participants combine different information, actions or resources to reach
      a shared goal.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/adventure-keep-talking-00.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/341800/ss_55f22f9996c327c281d241ed09d43c74337d7e30.1920x1080.jpg?t=1699020889
      credit: Steel Crate Games
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed
        Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: The defuser sees modules that must be described to an expert
      alt: The defuser sees modules that must be described to an expert
      markers:
        - x: 51
          'y': 50
          label: Modules require exchanging precise information
    tips:
      - Give each participant information needed by the shared task.
    examples:
      - title: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/'
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
---
# Cooperation and distributed tasks

id: shared-family-46
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/shared-family-46
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/shared-family-46/

Participants combine different information, actions or resources to reach a shared goal.

## At a glance

![The defuser sees modules that must be described to an expert](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/adventure-keep-talking-00.webp)

[Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes](https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Publisher-distributed Steam screenshot; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

1. Modules require exchanging precise information

- Give each participant information needed by the shared task.

- [Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes](https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/)

## How it works

Solve shared tasks

## Variants

### Variants

<a id="family-46-branch-1"></a>

- Solve shared tasks <a id="family-46-variant-1"></a>
- Divide roles <a id="family-46-variant-2"></a>
- Transfer items or information <a id="family-46-variant-3"></a>
- Hold complementary information <a id="family-46-variant-4"></a>
- Combine abilities <a id="family-46-variant-5"></a>
- Take turns <a id="family-46-variant-6"></a>
- Act synchronously <a id="family-46-variant-7"></a>
- Agree on plans <a id="family-46-variant-8"></a>
- Check a partner's solution <a id="family-46-variant-9"></a>
- Switch roles <a id="family-46-variant-10"></a>
- Build shared products <a id="family-46-variant-11"></a>
- Play with an adult <a id="family-46-variant-12"></a>

## Design example

One player has the plan and another the parts, requiring explanation to build.

## 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.

- [Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes](https://store.steampowered.com/app/341800/) (id: source-909400af9fbfca32)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors