Abstract
Problem: Should game developers design system mechanics first and build the setting and story around them, or follow the reverse order?
Approach: Tim Cain responds to a viewer question about the "mechanics-first" approach used by directors like Miyazaki, explaining his own preferred order — setting, then story, then system mechanics — drawing on his experience with Fallout, Arcanum, and publisher interactions.
Findings: Starting with setting and story gives non-mechanics team members (artists, writers) creative freedom, naturally constrains mechanic selection to produce coherent systems, and aligns with how publishers actually evaluate and commission games. Mechanics-first can work, but risks constraining the larger team and producing systems that feel disconnected from the game world.
Key insight: Because there are always far more viable mechanic ideas than you can use, it's better to let setting and story act as a filter — the resulting mechanics feel coherent and purposeful rather than arbitrary.
References
- Tim Cain. YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCZwL5GJvww