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game-design skill

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This skill helps you design engaging games by applying core loop, GDD structure, player psychology, and balanced progression.

npx playbooks add skill vudovn/antigravity-kit --skill game-design

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SKILL.md

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---
name: game-design
description: Game design principles. GDD structure, balancing, player psychology, progression.
allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep
---

# Game Design Principles

> Design thinking for engaging games.

---

## 1. Core Loop Design

### The 30-Second Test

```
Every game needs a fun 30-second loop:
1. ACTION → Player does something
2. FEEDBACK → Game responds
3. REWARD → Player feels good
4. REPEAT
```

### Loop Examples

| Genre | Core Loop |
|-------|-----------|
| Platformer | Run → Jump → Land → Collect |
| Shooter | Aim → Shoot → Kill → Loot |
| Puzzle | Observe → Think → Solve → Advance |
| RPG | Explore → Fight → Level → Gear |

---

## 2. Game Design Document (GDD)

### Essential Sections

| Section | Content |
|---------|---------|
| **Pitch** | One-sentence description |
| **Core Loop** | 30-second gameplay |
| **Mechanics** | How systems work |
| **Progression** | How player advances |
| **Art Style** | Visual direction |
| **Audio** | Sound direction |

### Principles

- Keep it living (update regularly)
- Visuals help communicate
- Less is more (start small)

---

## 3. Player Psychology

### Motivation Types

| Type | Driven By |
|------|-----------|
| **Achiever** | Goals, completion |
| **Explorer** | Discovery, secrets |
| **Socializer** | Interaction, community |
| **Killer** | Competition, dominance |

### Reward Schedules

| Schedule | Effect | Use |
|----------|--------|-----|
| **Fixed** | Predictable | Milestone rewards |
| **Variable** | Addictive | Loot drops |
| **Ratio** | Effort-based | Grind games |

---

## 4. Difficulty Balancing

### Flow State

```
Too Hard → Frustration → Quit
Too Easy → Boredom → Quit
Just Right → Flow → Engagement
```

### Balancing Strategies

| Strategy | How |
|----------|-----|
| **Dynamic** | Adjust to player skill |
| **Selection** | Let player choose |
| **Accessibility** | Options for all |

---

## 5. Progression Design

### Progression Types

| Type | Example |
|------|---------|
| **Skill** | Player gets better |
| **Power** | Character gets stronger |
| **Content** | New areas unlock |
| **Story** | Narrative advances |

### Pacing Principles

- Early wins (hook quickly)
- Gradually increase challenge
- Rest beats between intensity
- Meaningful choices

---

## 6. Anti-Patterns

| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
|----------|-------|
| Design in isolation | Playtest constantly |
| Polish before fun | Prototype first |
| Force one way to play | Allow player expression |
| Punish excessively | Reward progress |

---

> **Remember:** Fun is discovered through iteration, not designed on paper.

Overview

This skill teaches practical game design principles for creating engaging, repeatable experiences. It covers core loop design, GDD structure, player psychology, balancing, progression, and common anti-patterns. The guidance is concise and action-oriented to help designers move from idea to playable prototype quickly.

How this skill works

The skill inspects a game's core 30-second loop, documents essential GDD sections, and evaluates progression and reward systems against player motivation types. It highlights difficulty balancing strategies and anti-patterns, offering concrete fixes like dynamic difficulty, selection options, and early-win pacing. Use it to iterate design decisions, prioritize prototyping, and align mechanics with intended player types.

When to use it

When drafting a new game concept and defining the core loop
When building or updating a Game Design Document (GDD)
During early prototyping to validate fun and feedback loops
When tuning difficulty, rewards, or progression pacing
Before major polish to avoid costly design mistakes

Best practices

Define a clear 30-second core loop: action → feedback → reward → repeat
Keep the GDD living and focused: pitch, loop, mechanics, progression, art, audio
Prototype before polishing; test mechanics with real players early
Design rewards according to motivation types (achiever, explorer, socializer, killer)
Balance for flow: provide early wins, gradual challenge, and rest beats

Example use cases

Create a concise GDD for a mobile platformer with a single-screen core loop
Tune enemy difficulty with dynamic adjustments to maintain player flow
Design a loot system using variable reward schedules for retention
Map progression types (skill, power, content, story) to level design
Audit an existing game for anti-patterns like isolated design or over-punishment

FAQ

How detailed should my GDD be at the start?

Start small: one-sentence pitch, the 30-second core loop, key mechanics, and progression. Iterate and expand as prototypes validate choices.

When should I use variable vs fixed rewards?

Use fixed rewards for predictable milestones and player satisfaction; use variable rewards sparingly to boost engagement and retention, balanced with fairness.

How do I know if difficulty is tuned well?

Track player retention and moment-to-moment failure rates. Aim for challenges that are solvable with effort and provide clear feedback—too many abrupt failures indicate imbalance.