Game Development
Orchestrator skill that provides core principles and routes to specialized sub-skills.
When to Use This Skill
You are working on a game development project. This skill teaches the PRINCIPLES of game development and directs you to the right sub-skill based on context.
Sub-Skill Routing
Platform Selection
| If the game targets... |
Use Sub-Skill |
| Web browsers (HTML5, WebGL) |
game-development/web-games |
| Mobile (iOS, Android) |
game-development/mobile-games |
| PC (Steam, Desktop) |
game-development/pc-games |
| VR/AR headsets |
game-development/vr-ar |
Dimension Selection
| If the game is... |
Use Sub-Skill |
| 2D (sprites, tilemaps) |
game-development/2d-games |
| 3D (meshes, shaders) |
game-development/3d-games |
Specialty Areas
| If you need... |
Use Sub-Skill |
| GDD, balancing, player psychology |
game-development/game-design |
| Multiplayer, networking |
game-development/multiplayer |
| Visual style, asset pipeline, animation |
game-development/game-art |
| Sound design, music, adaptive audio |
game-development/game-audio |
Core Principles (All Platforms)
1. The Game Loop
Every game, regardless of platform, follows this pattern:
INPUT → Read player actions
UPDATE → Process game logic (fixed timestep)
RENDER → Draw the frame (interpolated)
Fixed Timestep Rule:
- Physics/logic: Fixed rate (e.g., 50Hz)
- Rendering: As fast as possible
- Interpolate between states for smooth visuals
2. Pattern Selection Matrix
| Pattern |
Use When |
Example |
| State Machine |
3-5 discrete states |
Player: Idle→Walk→Jump |
| Object Pooling |
Frequent spawn/destroy |
Bullets, particles |
| Observer/Events |
Cross-system communication |
Health→UI updates |
| ECS |
Thousands of similar entities |
RTS units, particles |
| Command |
Undo, replay, networking |
Input recording |
| Behavior Tree |
Complex AI decisions |
Enemy AI |
Decision Rule: Start with State Machine. Add ECS only when performance demands.
3. Input Abstraction
Abstract input into ACTIONS, not raw keys:
"jump" → Space, Gamepad A, Touch tap
"move" → WASD, Left stick, Virtual joystick
Why: Enables multi-platform, rebindable controls.
4. Performance Budget (60 FPS = 16.67ms)
| System |
Budget |
| Input |
1ms |
| Physics |
3ms |
| AI |
2ms |
| Game Logic |
4ms |
| Rendering |
5ms |
| Buffer |
1.67ms |
Optimization Priority:
- Algorithm (O(n²) → O(n log n))
- Batching (reduce draw calls)
- Pooling (avoid GC spikes)
- LOD (detail by distance)
- Culling (skip invisible)
5. AI Selection by Complexity
| AI Type |
Complexity |
Use When |
| FSM |
Simple |
3-5 states, predictable behavior |
| Behavior Tree |
Medium |
Modular, designer-friendly |
| GOAP |
High |
Emergent, planning-based |
| Utility AI |
High |
Scoring-based decisions |
6. Collision Strategy
| Type |
Best For |
| AABB |
Rectangles, fast checks |
| Circle |
Round objects, cheap |
| Spatial Hash |
Many similar-sized objects |
| Quadtree |
Large worlds, varying sizes |
Anti-Patterns (Universal)
| Don't |
Do |
| Update everything every frame |
Use events, dirty flags |
| Create objects in hot loops |
Object pooling |
| Cache nothing |
Cache references |
| Optimize without profiling |
Profile first |
| Mix input with logic |
Abstract input layer |
Routing Examples
Example 1: "I want to make a browser-based 2D platformer"
→ Start with game-development/web-games for framework selection
→ Then game-development/2d-games for sprite/tilemap patterns
→ Reference game-development/game-design for level design
Example 2: "Mobile puzzle game for iOS and Android"
→ Start with game-development/mobile-games for touch input and stores
→ Use game-development/game-design for puzzle balancing
Example 3: "Multiplayer VR shooter"
→ game-development/vr-ar for comfort and immersion
→ game-development/3d-games for rendering
→ game-development/multiplayer for networking
Remember: Great games come from iteration, not perfection. Prototype fast, then polish.
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
1---2name: game-development3description: Game development orchestrator. Routes to platform-specific skills based on project needs.4---5
6# Game Development
7
8> **Orchestrator skill** that provides core principles and routes to specialized sub-skills.
9
10---
11
12## When to Use This Skill
13
14You are working on a game development project. This skill teaches the PRINCIPLES of game development and directs you to the right sub-skill based on context.
15
16---
17
18## Sub-Skill Routing
19
20### Platform Selection
21
22| If the game targets... | Use Sub-Skill |
23|------------------------|---------------|
24| Web browsers (HTML5, WebGL) | `game-development/web-games` |
25| Mobile (iOS, Android) | `game-development/mobile-games` |
26| PC (Steam, Desktop) | `game-development/pc-games` |
27| VR/AR headsets | `game-development/vr-ar` |
28
29### Dimension Selection
30
31| If the game is... | Use Sub-Skill |
32|-------------------|---------------|
33| 2D (sprites, tilemaps) | `game-development/2d-games` |
34| 3D (meshes, shaders) | `game-development/3d-games` |
35
36### Specialty Areas
37
38| If you need... | Use Sub-Skill |
39|----------------|---------------|
40| GDD, balancing, player psychology | `game-development/game-design` |
41| Multiplayer, networking | `game-development/multiplayer` |
42| Visual style, asset pipeline, animation | `game-development/game-art` |
43| Sound design, music, adaptive audio | `game-development/game-audio` |
44
45---
46
47## Core Principles (All Platforms)
48
49### 1. The Game Loop
50
51Every game, regardless of platform, follows this pattern:
52
53```
54INPUT → Read player actions
55UPDATE → Process game logic (fixed timestep)
56RENDER → Draw the frame (interpolated)
57```
58
59**Fixed Timestep Rule:**
60- Physics/logic: Fixed rate (e.g., 50Hz)
61- Rendering: As fast as possible
62- Interpolate between states for smooth visuals
63
64---
65
66### 2. Pattern Selection Matrix
67
68| Pattern | Use When | Example |
69|---------|----------|---------|
70| **State Machine** | 3-5 discrete states | Player: Idle→Walk→Jump |
71| **Object Pooling** | Frequent spawn/destroy | Bullets, particles |
72| **Observer/Events** | Cross-system communication | Health→UI updates |
73| **ECS** | Thousands of similar entities | RTS units, particles |
74| **Command** | Undo, replay, networking | Input recording |
75| **Behavior Tree** | Complex AI decisions | Enemy AI |
76
77**Decision Rule:** Start with State Machine. Add ECS only when performance demands.
78
79---
80
81### 3. Input Abstraction
82
83Abstract input into ACTIONS, not raw keys:
84
85```
86"jump" → Space, Gamepad A, Touch tap
87"move" → WASD, Left stick, Virtual joystick
88```
89
90**Why:** Enables multi-platform, rebindable controls.
91
92---
93
94### 4. Performance Budget (60 FPS = 16.67ms)
95
96| System | Budget |
97|--------|--------|
98| Input | 1ms |
99| Physics | 3ms |
100| AI | 2ms |
101| Game Logic | 4ms |
102| Rendering | 5ms |
103| Buffer | 1.67ms |
104
105**Optimization Priority:**
1061. Algorithm (O(n²) → O(n log n))
1072. Batching (reduce draw calls)
1083. Pooling (avoid GC spikes)
1094. LOD (detail by distance)
1105. Culling (skip invisible)
111
112---
113
114### 5. AI Selection by Complexity
115
116| AI Type | Complexity | Use When |
117|---------|------------|----------|
118| **FSM** | Simple | 3-5 states, predictable behavior |
119| **Behavior Tree** | Medium | Modular, designer-friendly |
120| **GOAP** | High | Emergent, planning-based |
121| **Utility AI** | High | Scoring-based decisions |
122
123---
124
125### 6. Collision Strategy
126
127| Type | Best For |
128|------|----------|
129| **AABB** | Rectangles, fast checks |
130| **Circle** | Round objects, cheap |
131| **Spatial Hash** | Many similar-sized objects |
132| **Quadtree** | Large worlds, varying sizes |
133
134---
135
136## Anti-Patterns (Universal)
137
138| Don't | Do |
139|-------|-----|
140| Update everything every frame | Use events, dirty flags |
141| Create objects in hot loops | Object pooling |
142| Cache nothing | Cache references |
143| Optimize without profiling | Profile first |
144| Mix input with logic | Abstract input layer |
145
146---
147
148## Routing Examples
149
150### Example 1: "I want to make a browser-based 2D platformer"
151→ Start with `game-development/web-games` for framework selection
152→ Then `game-development/2d-games` for sprite/tilemap patterns
153→ Reference `game-development/game-design` for level design
154
155### Example 2: "Mobile puzzle game for iOS and Android"
156→ Start with `game-development/mobile-games` for touch input and stores
157→ Use `game-development/game-design` for puzzle balancing
158
159### Example 3: "Multiplayer VR shooter"
160→ `game-development/vr-ar` for comfort and immersion
161→ `game-development/3d-games` for rendering
162→ `game-development/multiplayer` for networking
163
164---
165
166> **Remember:** Great games come from iteration, not perfection. Prototype fast, then polish.
167
168## Limitations
169- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
170- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
171- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
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