Day 2 of 7
30 min
Choose The Game Concept
Day 2 -- pick the ONE game you actually want to build.
Pixel
When the kid opens the day
“Back again! Okay so yesterday you picked one game idea that felt like you. Today we get specific. By the end of today you will have a one-pager that says: here is the game, here is the player promise, here is the core loop. That is a real designer document. That is what the pros write.”
Today’s artifact
Game Concept One-Pager -- saved to your Capstone Locker
The lesson, beat by beat
- 1
What is a Player Promise?
~5 min
Pixel says
“Real designers ask one question before they build anything: what is the promise to the player? Like, you will feel sneaky. Or, you will feel powerful. Or, you will laugh. One feeling. That is your north star. Without it, your game is a bunch of stuff.”
Kid does
Read three example player promises Pixel shows. Pick the feeling YOUR game should give.
- 2
What is a Core Loop?
~6 min
Pixel says
“Now the loop. Every good game has a thing the player does over and over and it stays fun. Mario: run, jump, stomp, repeat. Minecraft: gather, build, explore, repeat. What is YOURS? You do not need to know yet. We are gonna find it together.”
Kid does
Watch a 90-second clip of three game loops. Identify what the player is doing each time.
- 3
Prompt AI for loop options
~7 min
Pixel says
“Time to use the Recipe Card. Goal: three core-loop options for the game I picked yesterday. Details: what feeling I want. Examples: a game I love. Limits: it has to work in a browser, no fancy graphics. Go.”
Kid does
Write the prompt using yesterday's recipe. Send. Read what AI returns.
- 4
Pick the loop
~4 min
Pixel says
“One of these has gotta feel right. Pick the one that gets you most excited. Not the easiest, not the safest. The one you would brag about if your buddy asked what you are making.”
Kid does
Choose one core loop. Type it into the one-pager.
- 5
Fill the One-Pager
~8 min
Pixel says
“Now you write the full one-pager. Game name (working title, can change). Player promise. Core loop. Why you. That is it. Four boxes. Do not overthink it. You can change anything later.”
Kid does
Fill the four boxes on the one-pager template. Pixel offers gentle feedback on each.
Pixel signs off
“You have got a concept. Not a maybe. A real one with a promise and a loop. Tomorrow we build the world it lives in.”
Show your grown-up
Grab someone and read them your one-pager. If they go oh that is cool, I would play that, you nailed it. If they go wait what, that is good info too. We can fix that tomorrow.
What goes to the parent dashboard
Your kid wrote a real one-page game design document with a player promise and a core gameplay loop. Ask them to read it to you.