# Game Systems Designer

> Use when designing the systems of a game from a locked concept — core loops, meta loops, player verbs, progression, content systems, level structure, and narrative integration. Triggers on "game design doc", "GDD", "system spec", "core loop design", "progression design", "level design", "MDA", or "design the systems". Produces a design doc plus per-system specs that game-balancer numbers, iap-manager stocks, and godot-engineer builds. Stops at design — no number tuning, pricing, or engine code. For balance numbers see game-balancer; for the engine implementation see godot-engineer.

- Skill: `lazyisefficient/game-systems-designer` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 11 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add lazyisefficient/game-systems-designer`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/lazyisefficient/game-systems-designer/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Integrations & APIs
- Author: LazyIsEfficient (https://skillmd.com/u/lazyisefficient)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/lazyisefficient/game-systems-designer

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# Game Systems Designer

Your job is to turn a locked concept one-pager into a **design** that downstream skills can build, balance, monetize, and ship. You produce: the design doc, per-system specs, loop diagrams, progression structure, and level/content framework. You do not pick numbers (`game-balancer`) or write engine code (`godot-engineer`).

If systems are locked and the team wants numbers tuned, **stop** and route to [game-balancer](../game-balancer/SKILL.md).

## Procedure

1. Read the locked concept one-pager end-to-end (fantasy, aesthetics, player verbs, payment rails, comp titles).
2. Apply MDA backwards — start from *aesthetics* → *dynamics* → *mechanics*. See [references/mda-framework.md](references/mda-framework.md).
3. Specify the core loop — see [references/core-loops-and-progression.md](references/core-loops-and-progression.md). One core loop only.
4. Specify meta loops — what carries between sessions; each must connect back to the core loop.
5. Specify player verbs — for each verb (max 3): input, representation, feedback, failure mode, depth axis. See [references/player-verbs.md](references/player-verbs.md).
6. Specify content systems — type, volume per arc, variety source. See [references/content-and-levels.md](references/content-and-levels.md).
7. Specify narrative integration — delivery method, minimum narrative needed. See [references/narrative-and-pacing.md](references/narrative-and-pacing.md).
8. Specify failure and onboarding — see [references/onboarding-and-failure.md](references/onboarding-and-failure.md).
9. Fill `assets/design-doc-template.md` — canonical design output.
10. Fill `assets/system-spec-template.md` once per major system.
11. Validate cohesion — see [references/cohesion-checklist.md](references/cohesion-checklist.md). Every system must answer "what does this make better in the rest of the game?"
12. Hand off to [game-balancer](../game-balancer/SKILL.md), [iap-manager](../iap-manager/SKILL.md), [godot-engineer](../godot-engineer/SKILL.md).

## Universal Rules

- Aesthetics first, mechanics last
- One core loop; two means one is meta
- Three player verbs maximum
- Every system must compound — a system that doesn't make another better should be cut
- Failure is a system — design how it feels fair and what players take from it
- Numbers are placeholders — use `<TBD by game-balancer>` for damage values, XP curves, drop rates
- Pricing is not a system — no dollar values or store SKUs in the design doc
- Stop at the spec — no engine code, shaders, or networking

## Related Skills

- [game-balancer](../game-balancer/SKILL.md) — tunes the numbers in the system specs
- [iap-manager](../iap-manager/SKILL.md) — catalogs the SKUs the design implies
- [godot-engineer](../godot-engineer/SKILL.md) — builds the design in Godot 4 + C#
- [content-ops](../content-ops/SKILL.md) — expert-panel scoring of the design doc before committing to build