State Connections

modify the State of elements in a diagram

The state of a Machinations diagram refers to the current distribution of Resources among its Nodes. When Resources get redistributed, the State changes.

You can change the State of diagram elements by using State Connections.

Use State changes to:

1. Modify the flow rates of Resource Connections.

2. Trigger Nodes to fire, activate or deactivate them, in response to changes in Resource distribution.

State Connections indicate how changes to the current state of a element affect something else in the diagram.

State Connections are shown as dotted arrows, leading from the controlling Node (called the origin) and going to a Target, which can be either a Node, a Resource Connection, or, rarely, another State Connection.

In the video below, we showcase how a State Connection may affect each one of the 3 Targets mentioned.

🔧 There are 2 controlling Nodes in this examples: Pool B and Pool F. Pool B controls Source C, and activates it as soon as the automatic Source A produces a Resource. When B hits a number of Resources that equals or is bigger than 6, it also activates the Resource Connection between Source B and Pool F. The latter, is in itself a controlling Node and it will affect the End Condition's parameter, by subtracting 2 Resources from the total number of Resources needed in B, to meet the End Condition.

Labels on State Connections indicate how or under which circumstances they change the Target.

There are four types of State Connections that are characterised by the type of elements they connect and their Labels. Check them out:

Label Modifiers

Node Modifiers

Triggers

Activators

Also, read about Labels, if you haven't already:

Labels