BMAD-METHOD/expansion-packs/bmad-2d-phaser-game-dev/tasks/game-design-brainstorming.md

# Game Design Brainstorming Techniques Task

This task provides a comprehensive toolkit of creative brainstorming techniques specifically designed for game design ideation and innovative thinking. The game designer can use these techniques to facilitate productive brainstorming sessions focused on game mechanics, player experience, and creative concepts.

## Process

### 1. Session Setup

[[LLM: Begin by understanding the game design context and goals. Ask clarifying questions if needed to determine the best approach for game-specific ideation.]]

1. **Establish Game Context**
   - Understand the game genre or opportunity area
   - Identify target audience and platform constraints
   - Determine session goals (concept exploration vs. mechanic refinement)
   - Clarify scope (full game vs. specific feature)

2. **Select Technique Approach**
   - Option A: User selects specific game design techniques
   - Option B: Game Designer recommends techniques based on context
   - Option C: Random technique selection for creative variety
   - Option D: Progressive technique flow (broad concepts to specific mechanics)

### 2. Game Design Brainstorming Techniques

#### Game Concept Expansion Techniques

1. **"What If" Game Scenarios**
   [[LLM: Generate provocative what-if questions that challenge game design assumptions and expand thinking beyond current genre limitations.]]
   - What if players could rewind time in any genre?
   - What if the game world reacted to the player's real-world location?
   - What if failure was more rewarding than success?
   - What if players controlled the antagonist instead?
   - What if the game played itself when no one was watching?

2. **Cross-Genre Fusion**
   [[LLM: Help user combine unexpected game genres and mechanics to create unique experiences.]]
   - "How might [genre A] mechanics work in [genre B]?"
   - Puzzle mechanics in action games
   - Dating sim elements in strategy games
   - Horror elements in racing games
   - Educational content in roguelike structure

3. **Player Motivation Reversal**
   [[LLM: Flip traditional player motivations to reveal new gameplay possibilities.]]
   - What if losing was the goal?
   - What if cooperation was forced in competitive games?
   - What if players had to help their enemies?
   - What if progress meant giving up abilities?

4. **Core Loop Deconstruction**
   [[LLM: Break down successful games to fundamental mechanics and rebuild differently.]]
   - What are the essential 3 actions in this game type?
   - How could we make each action more interesting?
   - What if we changed the order of these actions?
   - What if players could skip or automate certain actions?

#### Mechanic Innovation Frameworks

1. **SCAMPER for Game Mechanics**
   [[LLM: Guide through each SCAMPER prompt specifically for game design.]]
   - **S** = Substitute: What mechanics can be substituted? (walking → flying → swimming)
   - **C** = Combine: What systems can be merged? (inventory + character growth)
   - **A** = Adapt: What mechanics from other media? (books, movies, sports)
   - **M** = Modify/Magnify: What can be exaggerated? (super speed, massive scale)
   - **P** = Put to other uses: What else could this mechanic do? (jumping → attacking)
   - **E** = Eliminate: What can be removed? (UI, tutorials, fail states)
   - **R** = Reverse/Rearrange: What sequence changes? (end-to-start, simultaneous)

2. **Player Agency Spectrum**
   [[LLM: Explore different levels of player control and agency across game systems.]]
   - Full Control: Direct character movement, combat, building
   - Indirect Control: Setting rules, giving commands, environmental changes
   - Influence Only: Suggestions, preferences, emotional reactions
   - No Control: Observation, interpretation, passive experience

3. **Temporal Game Design**
   [[LLM: Explore how time affects gameplay and player experience.]]
   - Real-time vs. turn-based mechanics
   - Time travel and manipulation
   - Persistent vs. session-based progress
   - Asynchronous multiplayer timing
   - Seasonal and event-based content

#### Player Experience Ideation

1. **Emotion-First Design**
   [[LLM: Start with target emotions and work backward to mechanics that create them.]]
   - Target Emotion: Wonder → Mechanics: Discovery, mystery, scale
   - Target Emotion: Triumph → Mechanics: Challenge, skill growth, recognition
   - Target Emotion: Connection → Mechanics: Cooperation, shared goals, communication
   - Target Emotion: Flow → Mechanics: Clear feedback, progressive difficulty

2. **Player Archetype Brainstorming**
   [[LLM: Design for different player types and motivations.]]
   - Achievers: Progression, completion, mastery
   - Explorers: Discovery, secrets, world-building
   - Socializers: Interaction, cooperation, community
   - Killers: Competition, dominance, conflict
   - Creators: Building, customization, expression

3. **Accessibility-First Innovation**
   [[LLM: Generate ideas that make games more accessible while creating new gameplay.]]
   - Visual impairment considerations leading to audio-focused mechanics
   - Motor accessibility inspiring one-handed or simplified controls
   - Cognitive accessibility driving clear feedback and pacing
   - Economic accessibility creating free-to-play innovations

#### Narrative and World Building

1. **Environmental Storytelling**
   [[LLM: Brainstorm ways the game world itself tells stories without explicit narrative.]]
   - How does the environment show history?
   - What do interactive objects reveal about characters?
   - How can level design communicate mood?
   - What stories do systems and mechanics tell?

2. **Player-Generated Narrative**
   [[LLM: Explore ways players create their own stories through gameplay.]]
   - Emergent storytelling through player choices
   - Procedural narrative generation
   - Player-to-player story sharing
   - Community-driven world events

3. **Genre Expectation Subversion**
   [[LLM: Identify and deliberately subvert player expectations within genres.]]
   - Fantasy RPG where magic is mundane
   - Horror game where monsters are friendly
   - Racing game where going slow is optimal
   - Puzzle game where there are multiple correct answers

#### Technical Innovation Inspiration

1. **Platform-Specific Design**
   [[LLM: Generate ideas that leverage unique platform capabilities.]]
   - Mobile: GPS, accelerometer, camera, always-connected
   - Web: URLs, tabs, social sharing, real-time collaboration
   - Console: Controllers, TV viewing, couch co-op
   - VR/AR: Physical movement, spatial interaction, presence

2. **Constraint-Based Creativity**
   [[LLM: Use technical or design constraints as creative catalysts.]]
   - One-button games
   - Games without graphics
   - Games that play in notification bars
   - Games using only system sounds
   - Games with intentionally bad graphics

### 3. Game-Specific Technique Selection

[[LLM: Help user select appropriate techniques based on their specific game design needs.]]

**For Initial Game Concepts:**

- What If Game Scenarios
- Cross-Genre Fusion
- Emotion-First Design

**For Stuck/Blocked Creativity:**

- Player Motivation Reversal
- Constraint-Based Creativity
- Genre Expectation Subversion

**For Mechanic Development:**

- SCAMPER for Game Mechanics
- Core Loop Deconstruction
- Player Agency Spectrum

**For Player Experience:**

- Player Archetype Brainstorming
- Emotion-First Design
- Accessibility-First Innovation

**For World Building:**

- Environmental Storytelling
- Player-Generated Narrative
- Platform-Specific Design

### 4. Game Design Session Flow

[[LLM: Guide the brainstorming session with appropriate pacing for game design exploration.]]

1. **Inspiration Phase** (10-15 min)
   - Reference existing games and mechanics
   - Explore player experiences and emotions
   - Gather visual and thematic inspiration

2. **Divergent Exploration** (25-35 min)
   - Generate many game concepts or mechanics
   - Use expansion and fusion techniques
   - Encourage wild and impossible ideas

3. **Player-Centered Filtering** (15-20 min)
   - Consider target audience reactions
   - Evaluate emotional impact and engagement
   - Group ideas by player experience goals

4. **Feasibility and Synthesis** (15-20 min)
   - Assess technical and design feasibility
   - Combine complementary ideas
   - Develop most promising concepts

### 5. Game Design Output Format

[[LLM: Present brainstorming results in a format useful for game development.]]

**Session Summary:**

- Techniques used and focus areas
- Total concepts/mechanics generated
- Key themes and patterns identified

**Game Concept Categories:**

1. **Core Game Ideas** - Complete game concepts ready for prototyping
2. **Mechanic Innovations** - Specific gameplay mechanics to explore
3. **Player Experience Goals** - Emotional and engagement targets
4. **Technical Experiments** - Platform or technology-focused concepts
5. **Long-term Vision** - Ambitious ideas for future development

**Development Readiness:**

**Prototype-Ready Ideas:**

- Ideas that can be tested immediately
- Minimum viable implementations
- Quick validation approaches

**Research-Required Ideas:**

- Concepts needing technical investigation
- Player testing and market research needs
- Competitive analysis requirements

**Future Innovation Pipeline:**

- Ideas requiring significant development
- Technology-dependent concepts
- Market timing considerations

**Next Steps:**

- Which concepts to prototype first
- Recommended research areas
- Suggested playtesting approaches
- Documentation and GDD planning

## Game Design Specific Considerations

### Platform and Audience Awareness

- Always consider target platform limitations and advantages
- Keep target audience preferences and expectations in mind
- Balance innovation with familiar game design patterns
- Consider monetization and business model implications

### Rapid Prototyping Mindset

- Focus on ideas that can be quickly tested
- Emphasize core mechanics over complex features
- Design for iteration and player feedback
- Consider digital and paper prototyping approaches

### Player Psychology Integration

- Understand motivation and engagement drivers
- Consider learning curves and skill development
- Design for different play session lengths
- Balance challenge and reward appropriately

### Technical Feasibility

- Keep development resources and timeline in mind
- Consider art and audio asset requirements
- Think about performance and optimization needs
- Plan for testing and debugging complexity

## Important Notes for Game Design Sessions

- Encourage "impossible" ideas - constraints can be added later
- Build on game mechanics that have proven engagement
- Consider how ideas scale from prototype to full game
- Document player experience goals alongside mechanics
- Think about community and social aspects of gameplay
- Consider accessibility and inclusivity from the start
- Balance innovation with market viability
- Plan for iteration based on player feedback