This post was originally written in Italian by Paolo Gambardella. It has been translated by an AI agent and may contain inaccuracies.
When we’re designing a new game, we very often look for verbs that describe what players can do. One way to stress-test those actions is to use a framework that forces us to think through every possible consequence.
- Action: describe an action in three words or fewer
- Response: the immediate feedback the system gives the player to confirm their action has been registered
- Reaction: other entities in the system need to react to the action in order to give it meaning
- Consequence: the game’s economy must be affected by the action, even if only slightly
- Implication: wherever possible, the game’s narrative should also be something the action can influence
Players are the ones who make the story — we simply give them the tools to do it. That’s the best way to think about narrative, in my opinion.
Let’s look at a concrete example:
- Action: throw a rock
- Response: sounds, particles, objects hit and broken
- Reaction: one NPC runs away in fear, another starts attacking us…
- Consequence: there’s now a rock on the ground, plus scattered debris that could be picked up and used by the player or by NPCs
- Implication: if you break something that belongs to someone, your reputation might take a hit until you’ve paid for the damage
Not every action needs to be put through this lens, but I do think games today should be thinking about these things — it’s what allows a system to respond meaningfully to whatever a player decides to do.
A useful cut rule: when you can’t afford to implement all five layers for an action, ask which layer is load-bearing for that specific action. Response and Reaction are almost always required — without them the action feels dead. Consequence is required if the action involves a resource. Implication is a bonus unless narrative is your core loop. Stripping a layer intentionally is fine; stripping it because you forgot to design it is where games start feeling hollow.