one dataset · paper, tables, graph, wiki
simgrammar the grammar of simulation

parts

8 mechanics, as Teardown does them

core · 3

time & pacing

Crisis countdown

In most heists taking an alarmed target starts a 60-second timer to reach the getaway vehicle, so the route must be prepared during an unlimited setup phase.

physics & materials

Rigid-body physics

Voxel chunks cut loose become dynamic bodies with mass that fall, roll, and crush; vehicles and cranes push and lift them.

physics & materials

Voxel destruction

Levels are made of small voxels whose material sets which tools can break them; the sledgehammer breaks soft materials, the blowtorch cuts metal, and explosives remove volumes.

supporting · 5

environment & ecology

Fire spread

Fire spreads across wood and other flammables and can burn targets or open routes; burning structures weaken and fall.

physics & materials

Material interactions

Materials respond differently to each tool and to fire; a fire extinguisher puts fires out.

multiplayer & persistence

Modding API

Lua scripting, a level editor, and Steam Workshop support custom levels, tools, and modes.

progression & goals

Scenario objectives

40 campaign missions specify targets, optional targets, and conditions such as stealing, destroying, or collecting evidence.

space & construction

Structural integrity

Sections cut off from all supports fall, so removing pillars can drop a floor.

core loop

survey the level -> cut, blast, and ram a route through voxel structures -> stage vehicles and ramps -> trigger the alarm by taking a target -> grab the rest along the planned path before the timer ends

design notes

Every object is made of small voxels with material types (wood, plaster, brick, metal, glass), and disconnected chunks become rigid bodies that fall, roll, and burn, so geometry is a resource the player spends. The design separates an unlimited planning phase from a timed execution phase: picking up a connected target starts a 60-second alarm, so the player engineers shortcuts with tools, explosives, and vehicles before the first grab. Materials resist tools differently, and fire spreads through wood, which turns construction knowledge into route planning.

appears in

the paper, 2 sections · 1 chapter
paper

5. The structure of the design space

linked in this section of the paper

paper
paper

Appendix A. Game catalog

linked in this section of the paper

paper
catalog

The catalog

listed with its year, developer, subgenre, and number of mechanics

book
ch 6

Chapter 6. Five ceilings

linked from the text

book

sources

1
Wikipedia contributors (2026). Teardown (video game). Wikipedia

provenance

runs in log/runs
2026-10-24
created2026-10-24-catalog-ggcatalog