Game Concept

Game Concept — Ideation & Vision

Generate and refine game concepts from a spark of an idea into a structured pitch ready for full design.

Inputs

Gather whatever the user has — even a single sentence is enough to start:

• Inspiration: A theme, mechanic, feeling, or reference game
• Platform targets: PC, console, mobile, VR, web
• Scope: Solo jam game, indie release, or large-scale production
• Team size & skills: What's realistically buildable

If the user has nothing yet, run a guided brainstorm using the prompts below.

Step 1: Idea Generation

If the user needs help finding an idea, work through these lenses:

Genre × Theme Matrix

Brainstorm Prompts

Ask the user 3-5 of these:

1. What game do you wish existed but doesn't?
2. What's a mechanic you love? What if it was the entire game?
3. What non-game experience would make a great game? (cooking, hiking, archaeology)
4. Take two genres that don't normally combine — what happens?
5. What emotion do you want the player to feel most?
6. What's the "one more turn / one more run" hook?
7. If you had to describe the game in a single verb, what is it?

Step 2: Concept Pillars

Define 3-4 design pillars — the non-negotiable truths of the game:

Example — "Void Courier" (Sci-Fi Delivery Roguelike):
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Pillar 1: MOMENTUM                             │
│  → The player should always be moving forward    │
│                                                  │
│  Pillar 2: RISK vs REWARD                        │
│  → Every delivery route is a gamble              │
│                                                  │
│  Pillar 3: EXPRESSIVE LOADOUTS                   │
│  → Ship customization changes how you play       │
│                                                  │
│  Pillar 4: EMERGENT STORIES                      │
│  → No two runs tell the same story               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Step 3: Elevator Pitch

Write a 2-3 sentence pitch that answers:

• What is it? (genre + platform)
• What do you do? (core verb / loop)
• Why is it special? (unique hook)

Template:

[Title] is a [genre] game for [platform] where you [core action]. Unlike [comparable game], [unique differentiator]. The game targets [audience] and can be built by [team size] in [timeframe].

Step 4: Core Loop Sketch

Map the 30-second, 5-minute, and session-level loops:

30-second loop (moment-to-moment):
  → [Input action] → [Feedback] → [Micro-decision]

5-minute loop (encounter/level):
  → [Setup] → [Challenge] → [Resolution] → [Reward]

Session loop (meta-progression):
  → [Goal selection] → [Attempt] → [Outcome] → [Unlock/Progress]

Step 5: Competitive Landscape

Identify 3-5 reference games and map where this concept sits:

                    Complex
                       │
           Dwarf       │    This Game
           Fortress    │       ★
                       │
  Niche ───────────────┼─────────────── Mainstream
                       │
           Obscure     │    Stardew
           Jam Game    │    Valley
                       │
                    Simple

Step 6: Risk & Feasibility Check

Output

Save the concept brief to artifacts/game-design/[project-name]-concept.md with:

• Title and elevator pitch
• Design pillars
• Core loop diagram
• Target platform, audience, and scope
• Competitive positioning
• Top 3 risks

Guidelines

• Quantity before quality in ideation — generate 5+ ideas before narrowing
• The verb is the game — if you can't describe the core action in one verb, keep refining
• Don't design the whole game here — that's what /game-design-document is for
• Kill ideas that excite the designer but bore the player
• Scope is king for indie/solo devs — a finished small game beats an abandoned epic