Blog · Annias · Earthside Collective
Spawn systems: 20 infographics for creators
A practical map of Spawn mental models. Skim by category, open any card full-size,
use ← → in the viewer. Built for people shipping games, not for slide decks.
Tip: if the text still looks small, scroll the big viewer. We made it huge on purpose.
pro tip: parenting is not optional, the duck is
Core mental model
How Spawn thinks: ownership, time, state, input.
01 · Core mental model
Spec vs Runtime
What you write vs what actually runs.
02 · Core mental model
Who Owns What
Authority, ownership, and handoff in Spawn.
03 · Core mental model
The Behavior Clock
When behaviors tick and why order matters.
04 · Core mental model
Where State Lives
Local, shared, and sticky state homes.
05 · Core mental model
Inputs & the Control Target
Who is listening to the player right now.
Building blocks
Shapes, physics, UI, cameras, conjuring.
06 · Building blocks
The Four Ways to Make a Shape
Primitives, meshes, and generation paths.
07 · Building blocks
Conjuring
Spawning things into the live world.
08 · Building blocks
Physics Bodies
Colliders, rigid bodies, and feel of mass.
09 · Building blocks
The UI Stack
HUD, menus, and screen layers.
10 · Building blocks
Cameras Are Scripts
Framing is behavior, not just a lens.
World craft
Ground, attach, light, materials, animation.
11 · World craft
Choosing Your Ground
Floors, nav, and where play happens.
12 · World craft
Parenting & Attachment
Hierarchies, carry, stick, and follow.
13 · World craft
Light & Atmosphere
Mood, fog, and readable space.
14 · World craft
What Things Are Made Of
Materials, surfaces, and visual identity.
15 · World craft
Animation
Motion that sells life and intent.
Polish & ship
Sound, feel, phones, frames, build vs live.
16 · Polish & ship
Sound
Audio as feedback and world glue.
17 · Polish & ship
Game Feel
Juice, punch, and player trust.
18 · Polish & ship
Phones
Touch, safe areas, and mobile realities.
19 · Polish & ship
What Actually Costs Frames
Performance budget without superstition.
20 · Polish & ship
The Build Room vs The Live Game
Studio tools vs player-facing reality.
