game-cog

What this skill does

# Game Cog - Build Game Worlds, Not Just Sprites

**Other tools generate sprites. CellCog builds game worlds.** #1 on DeepResearch Bench (Feb 2026) for deep game design reasoning.

Game development is a multi-discipline problem — mechanics, art, music, UI, and level design all need to feel unified. CellCog reasons deeply about your game's vision first, then produces character-consistent art, tilesets, music, sound effects, UI elements, 3D models, and full game design documents — all cohesive from a single brief.

---

## Prerequisites

This skill requires the CellCog mothership skill for SDK setup and API calls.

```bash
clawhub install cellcog
```

**Read the cellcog skill first** for SDK setup. This skill shows you what's possible.

**Quick pattern (v1.0+):**
```python
# Fire-and-forget - returns immediately
result = client.create_chat(
    prompt="[your game dev request]",
    notify_session_key="agent:main:main",
    task_label="game-dev",
    chat_mode="agent"  # Agent mode for most game assets
)
# Daemon notifies you when complete - do NOT poll
```

---

## What You Can Create

### Character Design

Bring your game characters to life:

- **Player Characters**: "Design a cyberpunk samurai protagonist with multiple poses"
- **NPCs**: "Create a friendly merchant character for a fantasy RPG"
- **Enemies**: "Design a boss monster - corrupted tree guardian"
- **Character Sheets**: "Create a full character sheet with idle, run, attack poses"
- **Portraits**: "Generate dialogue portraits for my visual novel cast"

**Example prompt:**
> "Design a main character for a cozy farming game:
> 
> Style: Stardew Valley / pixel art inspired but higher resolution
> Character: Young farmer, customizable gender, friendly expression
> 
> Need:
> - Front, back, side views
> - Idle pose
> - Walking animation frames (4 directions)
> - Tool-holding poses (hoe, watering can)
> 
> Color palette: Warm, earthy tones"

### Environment & Tiles

Build your game worlds:

- **Tilesets**: "Create a forest tileset for a top-down RPG"
- **Backgrounds**: "Design parallax backgrounds for a side-scroller"
- **Level Concepts**: "Create concept art for a haunted mansion level"
- **Props**: "Generate decorative props for a medieval tavern"
- **UI Elements**: "Design health bars, inventory slots, and buttons"

**Example prompt:**
> "Create a tileset for a dungeon crawler:
> 
> Style: 16-bit inspired, dark fantasy
> 
> Include:
> - Floor tiles (stone, dirt, water)
> - Wall tiles (brick, cave, decorated)
> - Doors (wooden, iron, magic)
> - Props (torches, chests, barrels, bones)
> - Traps (spikes, pressure plates)
> 
> All tiles should seamlessly connect."

### Game Concepts

Develop your game ideas:

- **Game Design Documents**: "Create a GDD for a roguelike deckbuilder"
- **Story Outlines**: "Write the main storyline for a sci-fi RPG"
- **Mechanics Design**: "Design a unique combat system for my action game"
- **World Building**: "Create the lore for a post-apocalyptic world"
- **Pitch Decks**: "Build a pitch deck for my indie game to show publishers"

**Example prompt:**
> "Create a game design document for a mobile puzzle game:
> 
> Core concept: Match-3 meets city building
> Target: Casual players, 5-minute sessions
> 
> Include:
> - Core loop explanation
> - Progression system
> - Monetization strategy (ethical F2P)
> - First 10 levels design
> - Art style recommendations
> 
> Reference games: Gardenscapes meets SimCity"

### Sprites & Animation

Assets ready for your game engine:

- **Sprite Sheets**: "Create a sprite sheet for a ninja character"
- **Animated Effects**: "Design explosion and hit effect animations"
- **Items**: "Generate icons for weapons, potions, and armor"
- **Particle Effects**: "Create magic spell effect concepts"

### UI/UX Design

Make your game feel polished:

- **Main Menus**: "Design a main menu for a horror game"
- **HUD Elements**: "Create health, mana, and stamina bars"
- **Inventory Systems**: "Design an inventory UI for a survival game"
- **Dialogue Boxes**: "Create dialogue UI for a visual novel"

---

## Art Styles

| Style | Best For | Characteristics |
|-------|----------|-----------------|
| **Pixel Art** | Retro, indie | Nostalgic, clear, limited palette |
| **Hand-Painted** | RPGs, fantasy | Rich, detailed, artistic |
| **Vector/Flat** | Mobile, casual | Clean, scalable, modern |
| **Low Poly 3D** | Stylized 3D games | Geometric, distinctive |
| **Anime/Manga** | Visual novels, JRPGs | Expressive, stylized |
| **Realistic** | AAA-style | Detailed, immersive |

---

## Chat Mode for Game Dev

| Scenario | Recommended Mode |
|----------|------------------|
| Individual assets, sprites, character designs, UI elements | `"agent"` |
| Full game concepts, complex world building, narrative design | `"agent team"` |

**Use `"agent"` for most game assets.** Characters, tilesets, UI elements execute well in agent mode.

**Use `"agent team"` for game design depth** - full GDDs, complex narratives, or when you need multiple creative angles explored.

---

## Example Prompts

**Full character design:**
> "Design an enemy type for my metroidvania:
> 
> Concept: Shadow creatures that emerge from walls
> Behavior: Ambush predator, retreats when hit
> 
> Need:
> - Concept art showing the creature emerging from shadow
> - Idle animation frames (lurking)
> - Attack animation frames
> - Death/dissolve animation
> 
> Style: Dark, fluid, unsettling but not gory (Teen rating)"

**Complete tileset:**
> "Create a complete tileset for a beach/tropical level:
> 
> Style: Bright, colorful, 32x32 pixel tiles
> 
> Include:
> - Sand (multiple variations)
> - Water (shallow, deep, animated waves)
> - Palm trees and tropical plants
> - Rocks and cliffs
> - Beach items (shells, starfish, umbrellas)
> - Wooden platforms/bridges
> 
> Should work for a platformer game."

**Game concept:**
> "Design a game concept: 'Wizard's Delivery Service'
> 
> Pitch: You're a wizard who delivers magical packages across a fantasy kingdom
> Genre: Cozy adventure / time management
> Platform: PC and Switch
> 
> I need:
> - Core gameplay loop
> - Progression systems
> - Character concepts for the wizard and NPCs
> - 3 sample delivery missions
> - Art style moodboard
> 
> Vibe: Studio Ghibli meets Overcooked"

---

## Tips for Better Game Assets

1. **Specify dimensions**: "32x32 tiles" or "1920x1080 background" prevents mismatched assets.

2. **Reference existing games**: "Style like Hollow Knight" or "Celeste-inspired" gives clear direction.

3. **Think about implementation**: Request assets in formats your engine can use. Mention if you need transparency, layers, or specific file types.

4. **Consistency matters**: When requesting multiple assets, describe your game's overall style guide so everything matches.

5. **Animation frames**: Specify frame count and whether you need sprite sheets or individual frames.

6. **Consider your scope**: Start with placeholder assets and iterate. Perfect is the enemy of shipped.