The dependency graph of game mechanics as an analytical object
deadlock detection and prospects for formal analysis
Keywords:
game mechanics, dependency graph, deadlock, Tarjan's algorithm, strongly connected components, formal methods, game designAbstract
Modern video games are complex systems comprising dozens of interdependent mechanics, in which structural defects — deadlocks in particular — are notoriously resistant to manual detection. This paper proposes treating the dependency graph of game mechanics not as a visual aid, but as an analytical object admitting formal operations. We show that a deadlock is present in a system of mechanics if and only if the graph contains a strongly connected component of cardinality greater than one, which makes it possible to detect cyclic blockings in O(|V|+|E|) prior to the implementation stage. The method has been validated on a drone-racing simulator prototype: a structural deadlock in a system of three interdependent abilities was identified and eliminated at the design stage. We outline a research programme extending the approach: verification of temporal properties, detection of domi
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Copyright (c) 2026 Влада Кугуракова
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