Prompt Tips

Write better prompts for better games.

The SPEC Framework

S - Scope: What type of game? P - Player: How do they interact? E - Elements: What objects exist? C - Conditions: Win/lose rules?

Example

Create a brick breaker game where:
- [Scope] Classic arcade-style brick breaking
- [Player] Mouse controls paddle, click to launch
- [Elements] Paddle, ball, 5 rows of colored bricks
- [Conditions] Win when all bricks broken, lose if ball falls 3 times

Good vs Bad Prompts

Bad

Make a game

Good

Create a Tetris clone with standard 10x20 grid, 7 tetromino shapes, arrow keys to move/rotate, score based on lines cleared

Iteration Prompts

Bug Fixes

The [thing] isn't working. When I [action], it should [expected] but instead [actual].

Adding Features

Add [feature] that [behavior] when [trigger]

Visual Changes

Change the [element] color from [current] to [new]

Common Mistakes

1. Too much at once - Build incrementally
2. Too abstract - Be specific about visuals
3. No context - Reference existing files
4. No testing - Test each change before adding more