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Dashpop

Write a game brief an AI assistant can use

Describe what the player does, the goal, the obstacle, and the feedback. Add device and project context. Give the assistant a result you can evaluate rather than a pile of adjectives.

By Dashpop3 min read
In this guide

Suggested prompts and a design worksheet. These are not recorded generation prompts or promises of a particular result.

The six things worth specifying

These facts give the implementation a shape. You can still leave room for invention in the setting, feedback, and tuning. Being clear about the rules does not require designing every pixel.

PartExample
ActionDrag a raft left and right
GoalDeliver three parcels to the far bank
ConstraintFast water pushes the loaded raft sideways
FeedbackParcels visibly wobble before falling
ControlsPointer drag and a keyboard alternative
CompletionShow delivery count, a finish state, and restart

A brief you can adapt

If you already have a project, add the engine version and existing structure. If the assistant cannot inspect it directly, give it the relevant files or a concise description. Do not let it invent access it does not have.

A brief to make your own

Make a small river-delivery game. I steer a raft left and right while the river carries it forward. Carry three parcels to a dock. Strong currents should be visible before I reach them, and parcels should wobble before falling. Use a warm, hand-painted direction with clear silhouettes. Target a portrait browser layout with touch and keyboard controls. Include failure, completion, and restart. Begin with the playable route before adding extra levels.

Make visual direction concrete

“Cozy” could mean soft lighting, slow movement, low contrast, forgiving rules, or all four. Name what you mean. For example: warm paper colors, rounded silhouettes, gentle sound, and no countdown.

Use references you have permission to share. Explain the useful property, such as silhouette or palette, instead of asking for another creator’s exact game. A reference should help communicate a decision.

Write revisions around observed behavior

Broad requestMore useful request
Make it harderPlayers clear every current without steering. Make current direction affect the route.
Improve the UIThe parcel counter overlaps the touch area on my phone. Move it and keep the playfield visible.
Make it polishedWinning cuts off movement abruptly. Show a clear finish and let me restart without reloading.

Leave room for the next version

Do not attach the next six months of features to the first request. State what belongs in this version and keep a separate list for later. That makes it possible to judge whether the assistant completed the actual task.

Keep your own creative goal visible throughout the conversation. If the output drifts into a different game, return to the action and tradeoff you meant to explore.

Put your idea to work with the Dashpop Game Engine. Describe a game, play it quickly, and shape it yourself. Start with one change you can test.