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Learning paths through this topic
Decide when a healing item is spent if a monster interrupts the use
Drinking a potion takes time, and in a frightening game something will hit the player in the middle of it. Was the potion used up, kept, or spilled without help? This entry gives one clear moment where the answer changes, so the result feels earned rather than random.
Warn before the player leaves a place where an item can still be missed for good
Story games with a point of no return make collectors anxious. A fair game tells them when something still lies behind, but does not blame them for things they could not have reached yet. This entry splits what is at risk from what is simply out of reach and warns once.
Make a heavy backpack slow you down instead of just blocking pickups
A hard weight limit feels like a wall; no limit makes the choice of what to carry meaningless. Tiers of slowdown let players decide to be greedy. This entry shows how to count weight without rounding trouble and where the hard stop belongs.
Make a workshop wait for room instead of losing a finished batch
A smelter takes ore, works for a while and then has nowhere to put the bar. Does it throw it away, take more ore anyway, or wait? This entry gives the building three clear conditions, shows when the inputs are taken and when the output is handed over, and what the idle light means.
Answer a wrong item on a puzzle spot with hints that get clearer
A player who tries everything on a locked door should first get a shrug, then a nudge, then a real hint. But trying the same wrong thing again and again must not count as progress. This entry shows what to count and how to cope with a nearly empty bag.