concept-game-builder

name	concept-game-builder
description	Use when Codex should turn a concept, topic, tutorial, lesson, algorithm, system, workflow, or abstract idea into a playable browser game that teaches through interaction. Use for planning or implementing educational web games with the Game Studio plugin, including concept-to-mechanic translation, gameplay loop design, learning progression, and browser-game QA.
metadata	{"dependencies":[]}

Concept Game Builder

Create a browser game that teaches by making the player act on the concept. This skill owns the learning design and concept-to-game translation; Game Studio owns engine choice, runtime implementation, assets, UI, and playtesting.

Core Workflow

1. State the learning goal in one sentence: what should the player understand, predict, or do after playing?
2. Decide whether a game is the right medium. Use a game when the topic has decisions, constraints, feedback loops, failure states, strategy, incentives, sequencing, systems, or tradeoffs. If the request needs an explorable article more than a game, route to visual-learner instead.
3. Start concrete. Put a playable challenge in the first viewport before definitions, lectures, or long explanations.
4. Convert the concept into a playable model:
   • player verbs
   • state variables
   • rules and constraints
   • visible consequences
   • success and failure conditions
   • inspectable explanations after action
5. Use Game Studio for production planning and implementation:
   • Load game-studio:game-studio or $game-studio after the learning model is clear.
   • Default to a 2D Phaser route unless the user asks for 3D, Three.js, React Three Fiber, or a specific engine.
   • Route HUD and overlays through game-studio:game-ui-frontend when present.
   • Route browser QA through game-studio:game-playtest before calling the game done.
6. Build or plan the smallest complete game that teaches the topic. Prefer one polished core loop over many disconnected minigames.

Game Design Contract

Define these before writing code:

• Player mission: a 10-30 second challenge the player can attempt with no prior vocabulary.
• Learning model: the concept's variables, rules, and relationships.
• Misconception: the naive idea the game should test or overturn.
• Player verbs: actions that map directly to the concept, such as allocate, route, tune, trade, predict, combine, debug, classify, or negotiate.
• Feedback: how the game shows consequences through motion, score, state, resources, failure, or changed world behavior.
• Progression: 3-5 levels, rounds, or scenarios that add one concept at a time.
• Explanation timing: explain after the player acts; keep text synchronized with the current game state.
• Inspection path: hover, focus, click, pause, replay, or detail panels that reveal the rule, formula, trace, or evidence behind the result.

Game Studio Handoff

When handing the plan to Game Studio, include this compact brief:

Learning goal:
Core loop:
Player verbs:
Concept model:
Progression:
UI/HUD needs:
Asset style:
Target runtime:
Playtest checks:

For implementation tasks, continue through Game Studio rather than inventing a separate stack. Use its specialist routing for Phaser, Three.js, React Three Fiber, UI, assets, and playtesting. If Game Studio is unavailable in the current session, follow its defaults manually: 2D Phaser first, DOM HUD for menus and learning panels, responsive controls, and browser playtest verification.

Quality Rules

• Do not make a quiz with decorative motion and call it a game. The answer choices must change game state, strategy, or consequences.
• Do not hide the concept behind lore. Theme should make the model easier to remember, not replace the model.
• Do not front-load exposition. Let the player do something first, then name the concept.
• Keep the first build small enough to finish and playtest in one session.
• Make win, loss, replay, reset, and pause states explicit.
• Keep touch, keyboard, and responsive layouts viable from the start.
• Expose toy-model assumptions when the numbers are illustrative.
• Verify with an actual browser when possible; check that the game renders, responds to input, avoids overlapping text, and teaches the intended takeaway.

Reference

Read teaching-game-patterns.md when choosing mechanics for a topic or when the first concept-to-game mapping feels too literal.