Balancing Resource Depletion

Don't micromanage. Track water, food, and energy loosely. Use scarcity as narrative flavor, not tedious accounting.

Make resources matter during complications. "You find shelter, but there's no water source. How do you ration what you have?"

Reward clever thinking. Players improvise water reclamation? Reduce stress or avoid complication.

Use abundance sparingly. Finding a hidden cache feels meaningful when resources are usually tight.