SCAmehhanisme

SCAmehhanisme refers to a specific type of gaming mechanic often found in role-playing games and simulation games. It describes a system where a player's actions or decisions have a disproportionately large or unfair impact on the game's outcome, often in a way that feels predetermined or heavily weighted against the player. This term is usually used colloquially among gamers to express frustration with mechanics perceived as unbalanced or designed to create artificial difficulty.

The core of SCAmehhanisme lies in the feeling that the game's underlying algorithms are not truly random or fair. For instance, in a combat scenario, a player might experience a string of critical failures or enemy critical successes that defy statistical probability. Similarly, in a resource management game, a player might consistently face negative random events that deplete their resources faster than positive ones, regardless of their strategic choices. This can lead to a sense of inevitability and diminish the player's agency.

The term is not a formally recognized game design term but rather a community-generated descriptor. It is often employed when discussing games that appear to have a hidden "rubber banding" effect, where the game actively works to keep players at a certain level of challenge or to steer them towards a specific narrative path, even if it sacrifices a sense of authentic player skill or luck. While some game designers might intentionally implement systems that create tension or challenge, the "SCAmehhanisme" label is typically reserved for instances where these systems are perceived as opaque, frustrating, and ultimately unfair to the player.