/brainstorm

name: brainstorm
description: "Guided game concept ideation — from zero idea to a structured game concept document. Uses professional studio ideation techniques, player psychology frameworks, and structured creative exploration."
argument-hint: "[genre or theme hint, or 'open'] [--review full|lean|solo]"
user-invocable: true
allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep, Write, WebSearch, Task, AskUserQuestion
model: sonnet

When this skill is invoked:

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. Also resolve the review mode (once, store for all gate spawns this run): 1. If `--review [full|lean|solo]` was passed → use that 2. Else read `production/review-mode.txt` → use that value 3. Else → default to `lean`

See `.claude/docs/director-gates.md` for the full check pattern.

2. **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)

3. **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

Using the creative brief as a foundation, generate **3 distinct concepts** that each take a different creative direction. Use these ideation techniques:

**Technique 1: Verb-First Design** Start with the core player verb (build, fight, explore, solve, survive, create, manage, discover) and build outward from there. The verb IS the game.

**Technique 2: Mashup Method** Combine two unexpected elements: [Genre A] + [Theme B]. The tension between the two creates the unique hook. (e.g., "farming sim + cosmic horror", "roguelike + dating sim", "city builder + real-time combat")

**Technique 3: Experience-First Design (MDA Backward)** Start from the desired player emotion (aesthetic goal from MDA framework: sensation, fantasy, narrative, challenge, fellowship, discovery, expression, submission) and work backward to the dynamics and mechanics that produce it.

For each concept, present:

• **Working Title**
• **Elevator Pitch** (1-2 sentences — must pass the "10-second test")
• **Core Verb** (the single most common player action)
• **Core Fantasy** (the emotional promise)
• **Unique Hook** (passes the "and also" test: "Like X, AND ALSO Y")
• **Primary MDA Aesthetic** (which emotion dominates?)
• **Estimated Scope** (small / medium / large)
• **Why It Could Work** (1 sentence on market/audience fit)
• **Biggest Risk** (1 sentence on the hardest unanswered question)

Present all three. Then use `AskUserQuestion` to capture the selection.

**CRITICAL**: This MUST be a plain list call — no tabs, no form fields. Use exactly this structure:

AskUserQuestion(
  prompt: "Which concept resonates with you? You can pick one, combine elements, or ask for fresh directions.",
  options: [
    "Concept 1 — [Title]",
    "Concept 2 — [Title]",
    "Concept 3 — [Title]",
    "Combine elements across concepts",
    "Generate fresh directions"
  ]
)

Do NOT use a `tabs` field here. The `tabs` form is for multi-field input only — using it here causes an "Invalid tool parameters" error. This is a pl