category,technique_name,description,facilitation_prompts,best_for,energy_level,typical_duration
game_design,MDA Framework Exploration,Explore game concepts through Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics lens to ensure cohesive design from implementation to player experience,What mechanics create the core loop?|What dynamics emerge from these mechanics?|What aesthetic experience results?|How do they align?,holistic-design,moderate,20-30
game_design,Core Loop Brainstorming,Design the fundamental moment-to-moment gameplay loop that players repeat - the heartbeat of your game,What does the player do?|What's the immediate reward?|Why do it again?|How does it evolve?,gameplay-foundation,high,15-25
game_design,Player Fantasy Mining,Identify and amplify the core fantasy that players want to embody - what makes them feel powerful and engaged,What fantasy does the player live?|What makes them feel awesome?|What power do they wield?|What identity do they assume?,player-motivation,high,15-20
game_design,Genre Mashup,Combine unexpected game genres to create innovative hybrid experiences that offer fresh gameplay,Take two unrelated genres|How do they merge?|What unique gameplay emerges?|What's the hook?,innovation,high,15-20
game_design,Verbs Before Nouns,Focus on what players DO before what things ARE - prioritize actions over objects for engaging gameplay,What verbs define your game?|What actions feel good?|Build mechanics from verbs|Nouns support actions,mechanics-first,moderate,20-25
game_design,Failure State Design,Work backwards from interesting failure conditions to create tension and meaningful choices,How can players fail interestingly?|What makes failure feel fair?|How does failure teach?|Recovery mechanics?,challenge-design,moderate,15-20
game_design,Progression Curve Sculpting,Map the player's emotional and skill journey from tutorial to mastery - pace challenge and revelation,How does difficulty evolve?|When do we introduce concepts?|What's the skill ceiling?|How do we maintain flow?,pacing-balance,moderate,25-30
game_design,Emergence Engineering,Design simple rule interactions that create complex unexpected player-driven outcomes,What simple rules combine?|What emerges from interactions?|How do players surprise you?|Systemic possibilities?,depth-complexity,moderate,20-25
game_design,Accessibility Layers,Brainstorm how different skill levels and abilities can access your core experience meaningfully,Who might struggle with what?|What alternate inputs exist?|How do we preserve challenge?|Inclusive design options?,inclusive-design,moderate,20-25
game_design,Reward Schedule Architecture,Design the timing and type of rewards to maintain player motivation and engagement,What rewards when?|Variable or fixed schedule?|Intrinsic vs extrinsic rewards?|Progression satisfaction?,engagement-retention,moderate,20-30
narrative_game,Ludonarrative Harmony,Align story and gameplay so mechanics reinforce narrative themes - make meaning through play,What does gameplay express?|How do mechanics tell story?|Where do they conflict?|How to unify theme?,storytelling,moderate,20-25
narrative_game,Environmental Storytelling,Use world design and ambient details to convey narrative without explicit exposition,What does the space communicate?|What happened here before?|Visual narrative clues?|Show don't tell?,world-building,moderate,15-20
narrative_game,Player Agency Moments,Identify key decision points where player choice shapes narrative in meaningful ways,What choices matter?|How do consequences manifest?|Branch vs flavor choices?|Meaningful agency where?,player-choice,moderate,20-25
narrative_game,Emotion Targeting,Design specific moments intended to evoke targeted emotional responses through integrated design,What emotion when?|How do all elements combine?|Music + mechanics + narrative?|Orchestrated feelings?,emotional-design,high,20-30
systems_game,Economy Balancing Thought Experiments,Explore resource generation/consumption balance to prevent game-breaking exploits,What resources exist?|Generation vs consumption rates?|What loops emerge?|Where's the exploit?,economy-design,moderate,25-30
systems_game,Meta-Game Layer Design,Brainstorm progression systems that persist beyond individual play sessions,What carries over between sessions?|Long-term goals?|How does meta feed core loop?|Retention hooks?,retention-systems,moderate,20-25
multiplayer_game,Social Dynamics Mapping,Anticipate how players will interact and design mechanics that support desired social behaviors,How will players cooperate?|Competitive dynamics?|Toxic behavior prevention?|Positive interaction rewards?,social-design,moderate,20-30
multiplayer_game,Spectator Experience Design,Consider how watching others play can be entertaining - esports and streaming potential,What's fun to watch?|Readable visual clarity?|Highlight moments?|Narrative for observers?,spectator-value,moderate,15-20
creative_game,Constraint-Based Creativity,Embrace a specific limitation as your core design constraint and build everything around it,Pick a severe constraint|What if this was your ONLY mechanic?|Build a full game from limitation|Constraint as creativity catalyst,innovation,moderate,15-25
creative_game,Game Feel Playground,Focus purely on how controls and feedback FEEL before worrying about context or goals,What feels juicy to do?|Controller response?|Visual/audio feedback?|Satisfying micro-interactions?,game-feel,high,20-30
creative_game,One Button Game Challenge,Design interesting gameplay using only a single input - forces elegant simplicity,Only one button - what can it do?|Context changes meaning?|Timing variations?|Depth from simplicity?,minimalist-design,moderate,15-20
wild_game,Remix an Existing Game,Take a well-known game and twist one core element - what new experience emerges?,Pick a famous game|Change ONE fundamental rule|What ripples from that change?|New game from mutation?,rapid-prototyping,high,10-15
wild_game,Anti-Game Design,Design a game that deliberately breaks common conventions - subvert player expectations,What if we broke this rule?|Expectation subversion?|Anti-patterns as features?|Avant-garde possibilities?,experimental,moderate,15-20
wild_game,Physics Playground,Start with an interesting physics interaction and build a game around that sensation,What physics are fun to play with?|Build game from physics toy|Emergent physics gameplay?|Sensation first?,prototype-first,high,15-25
wild_game,Toy Before Game,Create a playful interactive toy with no goals first - then discover the game within it,What's fun to mess with?|No goals yet - just play|What game emerges organically?|Toy to game evolution?,discovery-design,high,20-30