Brainstorm

!source "${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR:-.}/.claude/hooks/yaml-helper.sh" 2>/dev/null && resolve_config --keys review_mode,automation,docs.density,workflow

Resolved above — use as-is. No block → defaults in .claude/docs/config-resolution.md.

--review overrides review_mode; store it for all gate spawns this run. See .claude/docs/director-gates.md for the full check pattern. Individual gate definitions live in .claude/docs/director-gates/[gate-id].md — the spawned agent reads its own gate file; do not read it in the parent session.

Every AskUserQuestion call follows .claude/docs/automation-modes.md (collaborative asks always · guided major-only · autonomous logs and proceeds; automation_always_ask categories always prompt).

`docs.density` — it controls per-section depth, where workflow controls which sections exist. modes.rigor sets both together; set docs.density explicitly to vary depth alone: terse = pillar bullets + concept bullets; balanced = pillars + concept with brief rationale (default); thorough = pillars + concept + extensive rationale + alternatives. Apply it to every section you author.

Tier branch — check workflow FIRST

The workflow tier resolved above governs this skill's output:

• `standard` / `full` → run the full flow ("When this skill is invoked" through Phase 5 and the concept-document generation). No change.
• `minimal` → run the Lean Brief flow immediately below and STOP — skip Phases 1–5, the director gates (CD-PILLARS / AD-CONCEPT-VISUAL / TD-FEASIBILITY / PR-SCOPE), and the full-length concept document entirely. Output is the one-page design/game-brief.md, not game-concept.md.

Lean Brief flow (workflow: minimal only)

A jam / small-scope session: capture the load-bearing thinking in one page, then get to code. Keep prompting light — a few exchanges, not fifteen. Author from the one-page template .claude/docs/templates/game-brief.md (6 required fields + 2 one-liners). If design/game-brief.md already exists, read it and resume/refine rather than restart.

1. Concept — from the argument hint (or one quick open question if none), propose 2–3 one-line concepts (verb-first or mashup, per Phase 2's techniques). One AskUserQuestion to pick or combine — the only guaranteed creative prompt.
2. Fill the brief fields conversationally (not one prompt each):

• One-sentence pitch — the excited one-liner.
• Core loop — the 2–4 step cycle the player repeats.
• MVP — the ruthlessly short feature list that makes it the game (each becomes a story downstream). If it runs past ~7, push back on scope.
• Out of scope — what they're deliberately NOT building.
• Build order — sequence to build the MVP, risky / core-fun thing first.
• Who it's for / what they feel and Art & audio direction — one line each (offer, don't force). Present the filled brief back in full for a single confirmation.

1. Write approval — AskUserQuestion: "Brief is ready. May I write it to design/game-brief.md?" → [A] Yes — write it / [B] Revise a field first. On [B], revise the named field, show before/after, re-ask; repeat until [A]. Then write design/game-brief.md from the template, creating directories as needed. Honor modes.automation for this write as elsewhere in the framework.
2. Next steps (short — this is the point). Read `engine.name` from `project.yaml` first and list `/setup-engine` only if it is absent or empty:
3. (only when `engine.name` is absent or empty) "/setup-engine — configure the engine (required before code)"
4. "/create-stories — turn the brief's MVP list into implementable stories. The epic is implicit at minimal; there is no separate /create-epics or /sprint-plan — the brief's build order is the plan."
5. "/dev-story — first line of game code"

Why the condition. /start's minimal path runs /setup-engine before /brainstorm, and /setup-engine Section 2 states that a missing brief is expected because the brief is authored afterwards. Listing engine setup unconditionally here tells a user who just followed that path to go back and redo step one — the only skill in the four-step path that assumes it runs first.

Then output a one-line summary (pitch + MVP feature count + design/game-brief.md).

Verdict: COMPLETE — game brief created; next stop is code. Do NOT run Phases 1–5, spawn any director gate, or write game-concept.md at this tier.

When this skill is invoked (standard / full tier — minimal uses the Lean Brief flow above):

1. Parse the argument for an optional genre/theme hint (e.g., roguelike, space survival, cozy farming). If open or no argument, start from scratch.

1. Check for existing concept work:

• Read design/gdd/game-concept.md if it exists (resume, don't restart)
• Read design/gdd/game-pillars.md if it exists (build on established pillars)

1. Run through ideation phases interactively, asking the user questions at each phase. Do NOT generate everything silently — the goal is collaborative exploration where the AI acts as a creative facilitator, not a replacement for the human's vision.

Use `AskUserQuestion` at key decision points throughout brainstorming:

• Constrained taste questions (genre preferences, scope, team size)
• Concept selection ("Which 2-3 concepts resonate?") after presenting options
• Direction choices ("Develop further, explore more, or prototype?")
• Pillar ranking after concepts are refined Write full creative analysis in conversation text first, then use AskUserQuestion to capture the decision with concise labels.

Professional studio brainstorming principles to follow:

• Withhold judgment — no idea is bad during exploration
• Encourage unusual ideas — outside-the-box thinking sparks better concepts
• Build on each other — "yes, and..." responses, not "but..."
• Use constraints as creative fuel — limitations often produce the best ideas
• Time-box each phase — keep momentum, don't over-deliberate early

Phase 1: Creative Discovery

Start by understanding the person, not the game. Ask these questions conversationally (not as a checklist):

Emotional anchors:

• What's a moment in a game that genuinely moved you, thrilled you, or made you lose track of time? What specifically created that feeling?
• Is there a fantasy or power trip you've always wanted in a game but never quite found?

Taste profile:

• What 3 games have you spent the most time with? What kept you coming back? (Ask this as plain text — the user must be able to type specific game names freely. Do NOT put this in an AskUserQuestion with preset options.)
• Are there genres you love? Genres you avoid? Why?
• Do you prefer games that challenge you, relax you, tell you stories, or let you express yourself? (Use `AskUserQuestion` for this — constrained choice.)

Practical constraints (shape the sandbox before brainstorming). Bundle these into a single multi-tab AskUserQuestion with these exact tab labels:

• Tab "Experience" — "What kind of experience do you most want players to have?" (Challenge & Mastery / Story & Discovery / Expression & Creativity / Relaxation & Flow)
• Tab "Timeline" — "What's your realistic development timeline?" (Weeks / Months / 1-2 years / Multi-year)
• Tab "Dev level" — "Where are you in your dev journey?" (First game / Shipped before / Professional background)

Use exactly these tab names — do not rename or duplicate them.

Synthesize the answers into a Creative Brief — a 3-5 sentence summary of the person's emotional goals, taste profile, and constraints. Read the brief back and confirm it captures their intent.

Phase 2: Concept Generation