Skip to content

game-prototypes — Vision & Design (Seed)

Seed document for this branch/repo. This repo is a monorepo of small, LLM-driven game experiments. Each prototype exists to cheaply prove or disprove a specific “is this fun?” hypothesis before any full build investment.

Vision

A personal lab for LLM-native games:

  • LLM should do what scripted logic cannot (open-ended input, real reasoning, emergent behavior, generative content).
  • Every prototype is a fast fun-test, not a polished game.
  • Shelved prototypes are still successful when they produce a clear lesson.

Primary question for every prototype: Does this require an LLM and is it fun with open input?

Environment and delivery constraints

  • Development is optimized for Claude Code on phone.
  • Prototypes should run/test on phone natively where possible.
  • Desktop testing can be done over Tailscale.
  • All prototypes should pipe through one shared web page with a prototype switch selector for fast context switching.

Design process

  • Use SDD + TDD in slices, scoped at human PR review level.
  • Build tracer-first vertical slices that prove the feeling/mechanic.
  • A prototype or major unit of work is an epic.
  • Milestone/spec names are short, tag-like, and ELI5; no numbered milestone/spec ordering.
  • Plan for slices to launch in agentic waves.

Documentation and governance

Maintain these artifacts in-repo:

  • Spec docs
  • Brainstorm docs
  • ADR decision logs

Workflow expectations:

  • One slice per PR with sober review.
  • Prefer gated merges.
  • Use Conventional Commits.

Suggested repo shape

game-prototypes/
  README.md
  docs/
    vision-and-design-seed.md
    specs/
    brainstorms/
    adr/
  web/
    index.html          # shared launcher + prototype switch selector
  _engine/              # thin shared LLM/state/router harness
  <prototype-tag>/
    README.md
    spikes/
    slices/
    notes.md

Status tags:

  • exploring
  • fun-proven
  • not-fun-shelved
  • graduating
  • graduated

Seed prototype epics

  • persuade-the-guard
  • interrogation
  • secret-rule
  • adaptive-adversary
  • hidden-traitor
  • emergent-three
  • living-village
  • spellsmith
  • improv-dungeon
  • agent-mud (graduation target, not first tracer)

Principle: Prove the feeling with the cheapest ugly tracer first, then graduate only what is truly fun.