Ludemes are the atomic, formal elements of rules - they’re the smallest meaningful units of game rules that can be identified and combined. For example: “Move one space orthogonally” or “Push a block”.
Rules are combinations of ludemes that create complete game instructions. A rule might combine several ludemes, like “On your turn (1. ludeme), move one piece orthogonally (2. ludeme), and if you land on an opponent’s piece, capture it by replacement (3. ludeme).”
Mechanics, by contrast, are the emergent systems that arise from rules being put into practice - they’re about how the game actually plays and feels when humans interact with it. For example:
- Control of an area emerging from movement and capture rules
- Access to the next room after successfully solving a spatial riddle by pushing different blocks and finding the hidden door-switch
Verbs represent the core actions players can take within a game’s rule and mechanics framework.
Ludemes are more like the vocabulary or building blocks of rules, while mechanics are the behavioral patterns that emerge when players interact with those rules.
- ludemes (atomic rule elements)
- Rules (combinations of ludemes)
- Mechanics (emergent patterns from rules in practice)