Overview
Gather, combine, create. Crafting systems transform collected resources into useful items through recipes or freeform combination. Minecraft’s grid-based crafting spawned an entire genre; survival games made crafting essential to progression. The mechanic creates satisfying loops—exploration finds resources, crafting creates tools, better tools enable deeper exploration.
Fast facts
- Popularised by: Minecraft (2011).
- Core loop: Gather → Craft → Use.
- Appeal: Creative agency.
- Risk: Inventory management tedium.
Recipe types
| System | Approach |
|---|
| Grid placement | Minecraft’s spatial recipes |
| Menu selection | Traditional RPG |
| Workbench | Station-based |
| Freeform | Experimental combination |
Resource gathering
| Method | Example |
|---|
| Mining | Ore extraction |
| Foraging | Plant collection |
| Hunting | Animal materials |
| Salvaging | Breaking items |
Progression integration
| Stage | Access |
|---|
| Basic tools | Starting recipes |
| Intermediate | Unlocked through play |
| Advanced | Rare materials |
| Endgame | Complex chains |
Survival game loop
| Phase | Activity |
|---|
| Explore | Find resources |
| Gather | Collect materials |
| Craft | Create items |
| Survive | Use crafted tools |
Design considerations
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|
| Inventory bloat | Storage systems |
| Recipe discovery | Hinting, unlocks |
| Meaningful choices | Resource scarcity |
| Tedium | Bulk crafting |
Genre prevalence
| Genre | Integration |
|---|
| Survival | Core mechanic |
| Open world | Supporting system |
| RPG | Equipment creation |
| Base building | Construction focus |
See also