game-balancing-assistant

name	game-balancing-assistant
description	analyze and tune game balance. Trigger when adjusting difficulty, economy, progression, or event effects. Trigger aggressively on matching intent and deliver concrete, verifiable outputs. Optimize economy/progression tuning with explicit trade-offs and measurable balancing deltas.
compatibility	Node.js 22.13+, pnpm
metadata	{"version":"1.0.0","author":"neurotoxic-project","category":"game","keywords":["game","balance","economy","tuning"],"maturity":"stable"}
license	Proprietary. See LICENSE.txt for terms

Game Balancing Assistant

Tune the game's economy, difficulty, and progression curves.

Workflow

1. Identify the Lever Determine which system needs adjustment:

   • Economy: src/utils/economyEngine.ts (Payouts, Costs).
   • Events: src/data/events/ (Mood/Stamina impact).
   • Progression: src/data/venues.ts (Unlocks, Capacity).
   • Difficulty: src/data/songs.ts (BPM, Note Density).

2. Analyze Current State

   • Read the relevant data file.
   • Trace the calculation logic in utility files.
   • Check for hard constraints (e.g., "Money cannot be negative" in gameReducer.ts).

3. Propose Changes Create a "Before vs. After" comparison.

   • Goal: "Make the early game more forgiving."
   • Change: Increase starting cash from 100 to 200. Reduce first venue fuel cost.

4. Simulate Impact Use src/utils/simulationUtils.ts (if available) or mental models to predict side effects.

   • Risk: "If we increase payouts, players unlock the van too fast."

Tuning Guidelines

• Economy: Inflation is bad. Ensure sinks (Fuel, Repairs) scale with Sources (Gigs).
• Difficulty: Smooth curves. Avoid difficulty spikes unless intentional (Bosses).
• Events: Risk-Reward must be balanced. High reward events should have high failure risks.

Example

Input: "Players are running out of money before the second gig."

Analysis:

1. Check src/data/venues.ts: First gig payout is $50.
2. Check src/utils/economyEngine.ts: Travel cost is $10/node. Distance is 6 nodes.
3. Result: Travel ($60) > Payout ($50).

Proposal:

• Option A: Increase payout to $80.
• Option B: Reduce travel cost to $5/node.
• Decision: Option A (Rewarding performance feels better than cheap travel).

Output: "Adjusted src/data/venues.ts: 'The Dive Bar' payout increased from 50 to 80 to cover travel costs."

Skill sync: compatible with React 19.2.6 / Vite 8.0.10 / Tailwind 4.2.4 baseline as of 2026-05-20.