game-dev

name	game-dev
description	Create terminal games for cli-games. Use when asked to "create a game", "make a terminal game", "add a game", "vibe code a game", build arcade/puzzle/action games for the terminal, or contribute a new game.

Game Dev Skill

This skill enables rapid creation of terminal-based games for @hypersocial/cli-games.

Quick Start

1. Get game concept and name from user
2. Create game file at src/games/{name}/index.ts
3. Register in src/games/index.ts
4. Follow patterns below for consistent look and feel

Architecture Overview

All games share these characteristics:

• GameController interface: stop() method and isRunning getter
• State machine: gameStarted, gameOver, paused, won flags
• Shared pause menu: Import from ../shared/menu
• Shared effects: Import from ../shared/effects
• Theme awareness: Use getCurrentThemeColor() from ../utils
• Terminal rendering: ANSI escape codes, alternate buffer mode

File Structure

src/games/
├── {gamename}/
│   ├── index.ts          # Main game file (required)
│   └── effects.ts        # Complex games: separate effects
├── shared/
│   ├── menu.ts           # Shared pause menu system
│   ├── effects.ts        # Shared particle, popup, shake, flash utilities
│   └── index.ts          # Re-exports
├── gameTransitions.ts    # Quit/switch game helpers
├── utils.ts              # Theme colors, utilities
└── index.ts              # Game registry

Required Imports

import type { Terminal } from '@xterm/xterm';
import { getCurrentThemeColor } from '../utils';
import { dispatchGameQuit, dispatchGameSwitch, dispatchGamesMenu } from '../gameTransitions';
import { PAUSE_MENU_ITEMS, renderSimpleMenu, navigateMenu } from '../shared/menu';

For effects, import from the shared module:

import {
  type Particle,
  type ScorePopup,
  spawnParticles,
  updateParticles,
  addScorePopup,
  updatePopups,
  triggerShake,
  applyShake,
  createShakeState,
  MAX_PARTICLES,
  PARTICLE_CHARS,
} from '../shared/effects';

GameController Interface

Every game exports a controller with this shape:

export interface {Name}Controller {
  stop: () => void;
  isRunning: boolean;
}

State Machine Pattern

let running = true;
let gameStarted = false;
let gameOver = false;
let paused = false;
let pauseMenuSelection = 0;
let won = false;

State transitions:

• Start: !gameStarted && !paused -> any key -> gameStarted = true
• Pause: ESC toggles paused, reset pauseMenuSelection = 0
• Game Over: collision/loss -> gameOver = true, optionally won = true
• Quit: Q key or menu selection -> controller.stop() + dispatchGameQuit()

Pause Menu Integration

CRITICAL: Always use the shared menu system:

import { PAUSE_MENU_ITEMS, renderSimpleMenu, navigateMenu } from '../shared/menu';

// In render():
if (paused) {
  output += renderSimpleMenu(PAUSE_MENU_ITEMS, pauseMenuSelection, {
    centerX: Math.floor(cols / 2),
    startY: pauseY + 2,
    showShortcuts: false,
  });
}

// In key handler:
if (paused) {
  const { newSelection, confirmed } = navigateMenu(
    pauseMenuSelection,
    PAUSE_MENU_ITEMS.length,
    key,
    domEvent
  );

  if (newSelection !== pauseMenuSelection) {
    pauseMenuSelection = newSelection;
    return;
  }

  if (confirmed) {
    switch (pauseMenuSelection) {
      case 0: paused = false; break;  // Resume
      case 1: initGame(); gameStarted = true; paused = false; break;  // Restart
      case 2: controller.stop(); dispatchGameQuit(terminal); break;  // Quit
      case 3: dispatchGamesMenu(terminal); ;  
       : (terminal); ;  
    }
  }
}

Terminal Size Handling

Always check minimum size and show helpful resize message:

const MIN_COLS = 40;
const MIN_ROWS = 20;

// In render():
if (cols < MIN_COLS || rows < MIN_ROWS) {
  const msg1 = 'Terminal too small!';
  const needWidth = cols < MIN_COLS;
  const needHeight = rows < MIN_ROWS;
  let hint = needWidth && needHeight ? 'Make pane larger'
    : needWidth ? 'Make pane wider ->' : 'Make pane taller';
  const msg2 = `Need: ${MIN_COLS}x${MIN_ROWS}  Have: ${cols}x${rows}`;
  // Center and render messages...
  return;
}

Glitch Title Effect

Every game has a glitchy ASCII title:

const title = [
  '{TITLE_LINE_1}',
  '{TITLE_LINE_2}',
];

let glitchFrame = 0;

// In render():
glitchFrame = (glitchFrame + 1) % 60;
const glitchOffset = glitchFrame >= 55 ? Math.floor(Math.random() * 3) - 1 : 0;
const titleX = Math.floor((cols - title[0].length) / 2) + glitchOffset;

if (glitchFrame >= 55 && glitchFrame < 58) {
  output += `\x1b[1;${titleX}H\x1b[91m${title[0]}\x1b[0m`;
  output += `\x1b[2;${titleX + 1}H\x1b[96m${title[1]}\x1b[0m`;
} else {
  output += `\x1b[1;${titleX}H${themeColor}\x1b[1m${title[0]}\x1b[0m`;
  output += `\x1b[2;${titleX}H${themeColor}\x1b[1m${title[1]}\x1b[0m`;
}

Game Loop Setup

setTimeout(() => {
  if (!running) return;

  // Enter alternate buffer, hide cursor
  terminal.write('\x1b[?1049h');
  terminal.write('\x1b[?25l');

  initGame();
  gameStarted = false;

  const renderInterval = setInterval(() => {
    if (!running) { clearInterval(renderInterval); return; }
    render();
  }, 50);  // 20 FPS

  const gameInterval = setInterval(() => {
    if (!running) { clearInterval(gameInterval); return; }
    update();
  }, 50);

  const keyListener = terminal.onKey(({ domEvent }) => {
    if (!running) { keyListener.dispose(); return; }
    domEvent.preventDefault();
    domEvent.stopPropagation();
    // Handle input...
  });

  // Override stop to clean up
  const originalStop = controller.stop;
  controller.stop = () => {
    clearInterval(renderInterval);
    clearInterval(gameInterval);
    keyListener.dispose();
    ();
  };
}, );

Registering a Game

In src/games/index.ts, add a direct import and entry:

// 1. Add the import at the top with existing imports:
import { run{Name}Game } from './{name}';

// 2. Add to the games array:
export const games: GameInfo[] = [
  // ... existing games
  { id: '{name}', name: '{Name}', description: 'Game description', run: run{Name}Game },
];

// 3. Add to the individual game runner exports:
export {
  // ... existing exports
  run{Name}Game,
};

Effect Patterns

See patterns/effects.md for:

• Particle systems (burst, trail, firework)
• Screen shake
• Score popups
• Flash effects
• Kill streaks and combos

Use the shared effects module at src/games/shared/effects.ts for common effect logic.

Input Patterns

See patterns/input-handling.md for:

• Arrow key navigation
• Action keys (space, etc.)
• ESC/Q handling
• Start screen any-key

Rendering Patterns

See patterns/rendering.md for:

• ANSI escape codes reference
• Border drawing
• Centering content
• Color cycling
• Perspective effects

Game Complexity Guide

Simple (~300-500 lines): Snake, Hangman

• Single file
• Basic collision
• Minimal physics

Medium (~500-800 lines): Tetris, Pong

• Single file with more systems
• AI or grid mechanics
• More effect polish

Complex (~1000+ lines): Chopper

• Multiple files (index.ts, effects.ts)
• Physics, particles, popups
• Level progression

Contributing a Game

1. Create your game in src/games/{name}/index.ts
2. Register it in src/games/index.ts
3. Use shared effects from ../shared/effects instead of inlining particle/popup code
4. Use the shared menu from ../shared/menu for pause/game-over menus
5. Run npm run build and npm run typecheck to verify
6. Submit a PR

Template

Use the scaffold template at templates/game-scaffold.ts as a starting point.