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Master Game Systems & Economy Design

Crafted for game designers who want to develop a highly in-demand specialization

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Two decades of experience, compressed into 10 hours of practical, actionable knowledge.

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​Learn our proprietary 3-step process

​I. Connect mechanics, rewards, and progression

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II. Describe your player's in game behavior

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III. Predict short, medium & long term progression

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Course structure & certification

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10 modules. No filler. Just real skills.​

 

Modules 1–5 combine core Systems Design fundamentals with hands-on use of Machinations.

 

Modules 6–10 are fully practical: you’ll build real simulations and tools using AI.

Modules 1 to 5

Build predictive models in Machinations

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1. Introduction

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  • Course overview

  • The era of Games as a Service

  • Systems fundamentals

  • Economy fundamentals

  • Where does player value come from?

  • The limits of Excel / spreadsheets

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2. Introduction to Machinations

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  • Creating a free account and usage limits

  • Machinations interface

  • Documentation and examples

  • Basic components: Pools, Sources, Drains, Gates, and Converters

  • Resource connectors, variables, and intervals

  • Time controls: Play, Pause, and Reset

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3. First Simulations

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  • Names and images

  • Sim 1: Energy consumption

  • Sim 2: Action and reward

  • Sim 3: Progression

  • Sim 4: Random quantities

  • Introduction to Charts

  • Displaying values in Charts

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4. Sources and Drains

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  • How do I balance rewards for each action?

  • What the player wants vs. what the business wants

  • Sim 1: Gold Mine vs. Consumption

  • Perceived value

  • Pricing matrices in multi-resource economies

  • Economy design in service of user experience

  • Example of a sustainable economy in Machinations

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5. Advanced Machinations

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  • Registers

  • State Connectors

  • Common simple formulas

  • Defining variables

  • Defining arrays​​

Modules 6 to 10 - Create prototypes using AI

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6. Character Level Up

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  • Step-by-step design and implementation of a leveling system with different progression curves

  • The impact of each curve type on player experience

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7. Trophies and Leagues in PvP

 

  • Step-by-step design and implementation of a trophy system, promotions, and tier-based rewards

  • Matchmaking systems (ELO)

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8. Gacha and Upgrade Systems

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  • Step-by-step design and implementation of a random reward system with incremental upgrade requirements

  • Duplicate management​

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9. Missions and Season Pass

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  • Step-by-step design and implementation of a missions system and season pass progression

  • Best practices for reward distribution

  • Deterministic, non-deterministic, and hybrid systems​

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10. Collection and Rarities

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  • Step-by-step design and implementation of a collectible system with multiple rarity tiers

  • Rarities definitions 

  • Chances definition

Keeping players engaged over time takes more than great gameplay—it demands a solid economy.

At PlayValue.Pro, we’ve perfected a process to help you.

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How we work

Keeping players engaged over time takes more than great gameplay, it demands a solid economy.

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At PlayValue.Pro, we’ve perfected a process to help you.

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We analyze your unique project and your audience in depth

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We create a simulation of your game systems & economy

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We define different human behaviors and test the systems for as many times as we need

We are an official Machinations training course

At the end of the course you will receive a Machinations certification badge

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Meet the instructor

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Hi, I’m Ricardo Carretero Vila, founder and instructor of this course.

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I was born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in 1980, and kept pushing until I broke into the video game industry in 2005.

I’ve worked with companies such as Rovio, King (later acquired by Activision Blizzard and subsequently by Microsoft), Gameloft, and Social Point, contributing to games that have generated hundreds of millions in revenue.

I’ve also collaborated with universities including Ramon Llull, Blanquerna, and La Salle.I’m driven by creating games and passionate about teaching.

This course is the result of decades designing for millions of players, and my commitment to sharing what I’ve learned.

You can learn more about my experience in the gaming industry on my personal page

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Success stories

Ricardo supported us with systems design, economic balancing, and tokenization for a new “upgrades” feature incorporating procedurally generated content driven by gacha mechanics.He brought invaluable insight into economy-driven feature design and was instrumental in enabling us to simulate and calibrate complex content economies.We strongly recommend him for projects involving gamified systems design, content economies, and gameplay tuning/balancing.

Rudy Saldivar 
Product Owner at TOPPS

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I’ve hired Ricardo and PlayValue for consulting services to support the launch of several projects I’ve been involved in, both directly and through entrepreneurship programs.His deep expertise in game economy design was instrumental to the success and growth of these projects.PlayValue also remains a key resource I turn to whenever I face challenges related to monetization, retention, and overall product performance.​​

Ivan Fernández-Lobos

Senior Consultant

Games industry business development, strategic partnerships and events. 

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Thanks to Ricardo’s training—exceptionally clear, approachable, and professionally rigorous—I was able to deeply understand each concept and apply it with confidence. His teaching approach is accessible, supportive, and technically solid, making the learning experience both practical and inspiring.With his guidance, I was able to fully develop in this discipline and can now apply it independently in my day-to-day work.

María García

Operations assistant, frontend developer and junior economy designer

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Any questions? 

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When will the course be available?​

 

The course will be available by the end of 2026. The more info requests I receive, the more I'll priorize

 

What language are the videos in?​

 

All videos are recorded in English. There are available subtitles in Spanish, French, German and Italian. If you require an additional language, send me a message to let me know.​

 

Do I need prior experience?​

 

Some technical aptitude and strong logical thinking are required, as Machinations is a complex tool. However, prior experience in the video game industry is not necessary.​

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What is the total duration of the course?

 

​To get the most out of the course, I recommend dedicating one week to each of the 10 modules, completing all exercises over a total of 10 weeks.​I have more questions…​Fill out the form at the bottom of the page and fill the field with any question you may have.

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I have other questions...

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Fill the form and send me any question you may have​

Become a high-value specialist in the video game industry

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  • Learn real methodologies used by leading companies in the industry​ to balance highly successful games

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  • Master Machinations.io and create your own simulations and predictions

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  • Create your own tools using Claude AI and make your prototypes fully playable

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  • Become a highly valuable team member

Contact us to receive a detailed PDF with more info

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