---
name: game-design
description: >
  Interactive game design workflow and Game Design Document (GDD) authoring
  guide for 2D games. Structures game ideation through interactive probing
  interviews, defining core gameplay loops, win and loss conditions, control
  schemes, visual asset pipelines, and audio strategies into a clean GDD.md.
  Activate when conceptualizing a new game, defining gameplay mechanics,
  conducting game design interviews (/grill-me), or authoring a Game Design
  Document.
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
  category: game-dev
  tags: "gdd, mechanics, game-dev, prototyping"
  author: Daniela Petruzalek (daniela@danicat.dev)
  version: "0.2.0"
  catalog: https://skills.danicat.dev
---

# Game Design & Interactive GDD Creation Guide (Game Designer Role)

This skill equips AI agents acting in the **Game Designer Role** with structured interview protocols, probing frameworks, and templates to guide users from initial game ideas to a production-ready **Game Design Document (`GDD.md`)**.

---

## 1. Game Designer Role & Interactive Probing Protocol

The **Game Designer Agent** aligns the user's vision before code or assets are generated:
1. **Interactive Interview Protocol (`/grill-me`)**: When starting a new game project or refining an idea, activate the `/grill-me` interview workflow (or use targeted, one-at-a-time probing questions) to systematically explore each branch of the game design tree.
2. **Provide Recommended Answers**: For every probing question, offer a concrete, expert recommendation tailored to 2D Ebitengine games (e.g., *"Recommendation: 16:9 canvas at 320x180 virtual resolution for retro pixel scaling"*).
3. **Resolve Dependencies One-by-One**: Resolve core loop decisions before asking about art styles, and resolve mechanics before asking about music.
4. **Produce Authoritative `GDD.md`**: Summarize all agreed decisions into a structured `GDD.md` saved in the workspace root.

---

## 2. Interactive Interview Branching Tree (`/grill-me` Workflow)

Follow this sequential branching tree when interviewing the user:

```text
Branch 1: Core Concept & Elevator Pitch
  ├── What is the 1-sentence hook / elevator pitch?
  └── What classic game(s) serve as primary inspiration?

Branch 2: Gameplay Loop & Mechanics
  ├── What is the primary action cycle? (Action -> Challenge -> Reward)
  ├── What are the exact win and loss conditions?
  └── What hazards, enemies, or time pressures exist?

Branch 3: Controls & Input Mapping
  ├── What input devices are supported? (Keyboard / Gamepad / Mouse / Touch)
  └── What are the primary action buttons?

Branch 4: Visual Art & Graphic Strategy
  ├── What is the target visual aesthetic? (Retro Pixel / Cyberpunk / Minimalist Vector)
  └── Pure-code procedural graphics (procedural-art) vs. Gemini AI assets (nano-banana)?

Branch 5: Audio & Soundscape Strategy
  ├── High-fidelity CD music (lyria) vs. Pure-code DSP chiptunes (procedural-composer)?
  └── What sound effects (SFX) are required for gameplay feedback?

Branch 6: Game States & HUD Layout
  ├── What HUD metrics are displayed on screen? (Score, Health, Timer, Ammo)
  └── Is a server-side high score leaderboard needed on Cloud Run?
```

---

## 3. Template & Technical Standards

For the complete, production-grade Game Design Document template, consult:

| Module | Reference File | Key Topics Covered |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **GDD Template** | [`references/gdd_template.md`](references/gdd_template.md) | Standard 7-section markdown template covering elevator pitch, mechanics, controls, art strategy, audio strategy, state flow, and Ebitengine architecture notes. |

---

## 4. Probing Question Templates with Recommendations

Use these interview question templates during the `/grill-me` session:

### Question 1: Core Loop & Hook
> *"What is the core 1-sentence pitch for your game, and what is the main mechanic?"*
> **Recommendation**: *"Focus on a single, highly satisfying primary mechanic (e.g., 'A top-down arcade shooter where shooting pushes your ship backward, using recoil as your primary movement mechanism')."*

### Question 2: Win / Loss Conditions
> *"How does the player win a round, and what causes a Game Over?"*
> **Recommendation**: *"Keep game jam rounds short (1–3 minutes per run). Loss occurs when health hits 0 or time runs out; victory occurs after surviving 3 enemy waves or achieving a target score."*

### Question 3: Visual Asset Strategy
> *"Do you prefer pure-code procedural graphics (vector shapes, particle FX) or AI-generated pixel art sprites?"*
> **Recommendation**: *"Use `procedural-art` for instant zero-dependency UI/particle effects, and `nano-banana` for generating 32x32 character sprite sheets."*

### Question 4: Audio Strategy
> *"Should the game feature high-fidelity CD-quality background music or retro chiptune audio?"*
> **Recommendation**: *"Use `lyria` to generate an atmospheric 30-second music loop, and `procedural-composer` to generate instant 8-bit sound effects (laser, jump, coin pick-up)."*

---

## 5. GDD Generation Checklist

Before handing off the generated `GDD.md` to technical skills (`ebitengineer`, `procedural-art`, `nano-banana`, `lyria`, `procedural-composer`):

- [ ] **Elevator Pitch Defined**: Clear 1-sentence hook established.
- [ ] **Core Loop Explicit**: Player actions, challenges, and rewards mapped out.
- [ ] **Win/Loss Conditions Clear**: Quantitative triggers set for victory and defeat.
- [ ] **Controls Mapped**: Actions bound across Keyboard, Gamepad, and Touch.
- [ ] **Asset Strategy Assigned**: Graphics assigned to `procedural-art` or `nano-banana`; Audio assigned to `lyria` or `procedural-composer`.
- [ ] **Saved to Disk**: Document committed as `GDD.md` in workspace root.