game-design
Game design principles. GDD structure, balancing, player psychology, progression.
Best use case
game-design is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Game design principles. GDD structure, balancing, player psychology, progression.
Teams using game-design should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/game-design/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How game-design Compares
| Feature / Agent | game-design | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Game design principles. GDD structure, balancing, player psychology, progression.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
Related Guides
AI Agents for Coding
Browse AI agent skills for coding, debugging, testing, refactoring, code review, and developer workflows across Claude, Cursor, and Codex.
Best AI Skills for Claude
Explore the best AI skills for Claude and Claude Code across coding, research, workflow automation, documentation, and agent operations.
ChatGPT vs Claude for Agent Skills
Compare ChatGPT and Claude for AI agent skills across coding, writing, research, and reusable workflow execution.
SKILL.md Source
# 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.
Related Skills
tailwind-design-system
Build production-ready design systems with Tailwind CSS, including design tokens, component variants, responsive patterns, and accessibility.
domain-driven-design
Plan and route Domain-Driven Design work from strategic modeling to tactical implementation and evented architecture patterns.
api-design-principles
Master REST and GraphQL API design principles to build intuitive, scalable, and maintainable APIs that delight developers and stand the test of time.
design-mirror
Replicate the visual style of any website and apply it to your existing codebase. Use this skill whenever the user wants to match a site's design, mirror a UI aesthetic, make their app look like another site, or replicate a specific visual style from a URL. Trigger on phrases like 'make it look like', 'match the design of', 'copy the style from', 'I want my app to look like X', 'mirror this design', 'inspired by [url]', or any time the user points at a website and says they want their frontend to match it.
game-changing-features
Find 10x product opportunities and high-leverage improvements. Use when user wants strategic product thinking, mentions '10x', wants to find high-impact features, or says 'what would make this 10x better', 'product strategy', or 'what should we build next'.
feature-design-assistant
Turn ideas into fully formed designs and specs through natural collaborative dialogue. Use when planning new features, designing architecture, or making significant changes to the codebase.
design-system-starter
Create and evolve design systems with design tokens, component architecture, accessibility guidelines, and documentation templates. Ensures consistent, scalable, and accessible UI across products.
database-schema-designer
Design robust, scalable database schemas for SQL and NoSQL databases. Provides normalization guidelines, indexing strategies, migration patterns, constraint design, and performance optimization. Ensures data integrity, query performance, and maintainable data models.
database-design
Database design principles and decision-making. Schema design, indexing strategy, ORM selection, serverless databases.
design-to-code
Pixel-perfect Figma to React conversion using coderio. Generates production-ready code (TypeScript, Vite, TailwindCSS V4) with high visual fidelity. Features robust error handling, checkpoint recovery, and streamlined execution via helper script.
postgres-schema-design
Comprehensive PostgreSQL-specific table design reference covering data types, indexing, constraints, performance patterns, and advanced features
web-design-guidelines
Review UI code for Web Interface Guidelines compliance. Use when asked to "review my UI", "check accessibility", "audit design", "review UX", or "check my site against best practices".