AI in Game Design & Development

Case Study: Tom Brown - Poultry Farmer

A complete game development journey from a friend's casual idea to a production-ready Game Design Document in just 24 hours, powered by AI collaboration.

Initial Concept

Started with a simple idea: "Get eggs from aggressive humanoid chickens"

Basic mechanics: dodge eggs, collect loot
Comedy genre with farm setting
2D isometric perspective

Beam Mode - AI Collaboration

Used multiple AI models to flesh out the core concept

GPT-5 Claude Sonnet-4 Gemini 2.5 Pro Qwen3 32B

Each model contributed unique perspectives on gameplay mechanics, balancing, and technical implementation.

Core Gameplay Loop

Defined the 30-90 second micro-loop that hooks players

Enter Arena → Identify threats

Combat Phase → Engage poultry waves

Collection Phase → Risk/reward decisions

Connection Phase → Activate allies

Theme Integration - "Connect"

Added the "Connection" theme with ally mechanics

Disabled ally spawning system
Risk/reward activation mechanics
Strategic positioning gameplay
Connection duration and drain systems

Production-Ready GDD

Comprehensive 300+ line Game Design Document with precise specifications

17 Levels 4 zones, 3-4 stages each

8 Ally Types Each with unique abilities

5 Weapon Types Balanced for different strategies

Case Study 2: 2D Platformer Level Editor

Empowering non-technical designers: Building a complete web-based level editor with Unity integration in days, not weeks.

🎯 The Challenge

A new designer joined the team with zero Unity experience but needed to design levels for a mobile platformer game immediately.

Problem: Unity's learning curve would delay production by weeks

Constraint: Need seamless integration with existing Unity workflow

Goal: Designer-friendly tool that outputs Unity-compatible data

💡 The AI-Powered Solution

📋

Step 1: Requirements Gathering

Started with a list of game elements and feature requests from the designer

🛠️

Step 2: Web Editor Development

Used Roo Code and GitHub Copilot Agent to build a complete Vite/React app

React TypeScript HTML5 Canvas Vite

🔗

Step 3: Unity Integration

Built Unity importer counterpart for seamless collaboration

CSV Export JSON Export C# Importer

✨ Key Features Built with AI

🎨

Drag-and-Drop Interface

Intuitive grid-based level design with real-time preview

📦

Rich Item Library

Platforms, collectibles, enemies, hazards - all configurable

🗺️

Navigation Tools

Pan, zoom, mini-map, and snap-to-grid functionality

⚙️

Properties Panel

Context-sensitive configuration for all game elements

📊 Results & Impact

12 hours

1 night + morning to working editor

0 hrs

Unity training needed

∞

Designer productivity increase

2 models

Claude Sonnet 3.5 & 4

"From feature list to production tool in one night and morning. The designer was creating levels hours after the tool launch. Unity training would have taken weeks."

Case Study 3: Black Hole Strategic Board Game

From YouTube video to playable web game: AI extracts rules, reframes for digital play, and generates a complete implementation.

🎬 The Inspiration

Watched a YouTube video of an intriguing pen-and-paper board game and wondered: "How would this work on web/PC?"

Starting Point: Only a video demonstration, no written rules

Challenge: Adapt physical game mechanics for digital play

Vision: Full-featured web game with AI opponents

🤖 The AI Development Pipeline

🎥

Step 1: Rule Extraction

Used Gemini to analyze video and extract complete game rules

🔄

Step 2: Digital Adaptation

Used Gemini to reframe physical rules for web implementation

⚡

Step 3: Full Implementation

Built complete web app using GitHub Copilot Agent with Claude Sonnet 4

Next.js 15 TypeScript shadcn/ui Tailwind CSS

🎮 Game Features Implemented

👥

Multiple Game Modes

PvP, PvE, and even EvE (watch AI battles!)

🤖

AI Opponents

Three difficulty levels with strategic AI behavior

🎨

Modern UI/UX

Beautiful, responsive design with smooth animations

📊

Game Management

Score tracking, game history, and interactive rules

🏆 Development Velocity

3 hours

Video → Playable web game

Minutes

AI rule extraction from video

1 model

Gemini for video analysis

1 agent

Copilot + Sonnet 4 for code

"3 hours from watching a YouTube video to having a fully playable web game with AI opponents. Traditional development: weeks for rule documentation, UI design, and implementation."

The AI Development Toolkit

The models, methods, and workflows that powered all three case studies from concept to completion.

🧠 AI Models & Their Strengths

Strategic model selection for optimal results across all projects.

GPT-5: Comprehensive systems design and strategic depth (98% coverage)

Claude Sonnet-4: Technical precision and architecture decisions (94% balance)

Gemini 2.5 Pro: Creative expansion, video analysis, and multimodal understanding

Qwen3 32B: Alternative perspectives and edge case discovery

⚡ Key Techniques Applied

🌟

Multi-Model Consensus

Beam Mode queries 4+ models simultaneously for comprehensive coverage

�

Vision + Rule Extraction

Gemini extracts complete game rules from video in minutes

�

Iterative Refinement

V1 → V2 → V3 → Production in hours with AI feedback

🤖

Agentic Development

Autonomous agents handle end-to-end implementation

🛠️ Complete AI Tools Arsenal

Every tool used across all three case studies, from concept to completion

🌟 BigAGI - Beam Mode

Multi-model collaboration platform for diverse perspectives and consensus building

Parallel AI Queries: Query multiple models simultaneously
GPT-5: Strategic depth and systems design (98% coverage)
Claude Sonnet-4: Technical precision and architecture (94% balance)
Gemini 2.5 Pro: Creative expansion and analysis (90% creativity)
Qwen3 32B: Alternative perspectives and edge cases

Used in: Case Study 1 (Tom Brown GDD) - 558 total score

🛠️ Roo Code + GitHub Copilot Agent

AI-powered development agents for rapid prototyping and full-stack implementation

Full-Stack Generation: Complete apps from descriptions
Context-Aware: Understands your codebase and patterns
Seamless Integration: Works with existing workflows
Multi-Language: React, TypeScript, Next.js, Unity C#

Used in: Case Studies 2 & 3 (12hr editor, 3hr game from video)

📹 Gemini Vision + Analysis

Extract game rules and mechanics from videos and visual content

Video Analysis: Watch gameplay and understand rules
Rule Extraction: Convert visual gameplay to structured data
Digital Adaptation: Suggest web/PC implementations
Mechanic Translation: Physical → Digital game mechanics

Used in: Case Study 3 (Black Hole Board Game - minutes to extract full ruleset)

📋 Dotted for Product Managers

AI-powered product management and roadmap planning

Feature Prioritization: AI helps rank and scope features
User Story Generation: Convert ideas to actionable stories
Sprint Planning: Intelligent task breakdown and estimation
Stakeholder Communication: Auto-generate status updates

Use Case: Streamline game development planning and team coordination

🎨 Google Stitch

AI-assisted UI mockups and wireframe generation

Rapid UI Prototyping: Describe UI, get mockups instantly
Wireframe Generation: From sketches to polished designs
Design System Integration: Consistent with your style guide
Interactive Mockups: Clickable prototypes for testing

Use Case: Design game UIs, menus, and HUD elements with AI assistance

🎭 Cartwheel

3D character creation and animation with AI

AI Character Generation: Describe characters, get 3D models
Animation Assistance: Generate natural movement
Rigging Automation: Auto-rig complex characters
Motion Capture Enhancement: Clean up and improve mocap data

Use Case: Accelerate 3D character pipeline and animation workflow

🔧 Agentic Development

Autonomous AI agents that handle complete development workflows

End-to-End Implementation: Full features, not just snippets
Architecture Decisions: AI suggests and implements patterns
Testing & Debugging: Agents write and fix their own tests
Documentation Generation: Auto-document as code is written

Used in: All case studies for rapid development and iteration

🎯 AI Development Workflow in Action

Real-world examples from Case Study 1: Tom Brown - Poultry Farmer

1. Multi-Model Brainstorming

Four AI models simultaneously analyzed the core concept:

Coverage: How well each model addressed all requirements
Implementability: Technical feasibility and specificity
Creativity: Innovative ideas aligned with theme
Balance: Cohesive mechanics with few contradictions

Applied across all case studies: Multi-model consensus for comprehensive GDDs, custom editors, and rule extraction

2. Consensus Building

Combined the best elements from each model:

GPT-5's comprehensive system design (98% coverage)
Claude's technical precision (94% balance score)
Gemini's creative expansion (90% creativity)
Qwen's alternative perspectives and edge cases

Result: 558 total score - production-ready design in 24 hours

3. Iterative Refinement

Each version improved through AI feedback:

V1: Basic mechanics and enemy types
V2: Added weapon systems and level progression
V3: Integrated Connect theme and mathematical balance
Final: Production-ready with technical specifications

Applied to other projects: Level editor features, board game rules adaptation

💻 Real Output: AI-Generated Game Systems

Actual data formats and code patterns generated by AI across all three case studies:

# Case Study 1: AI-Balanced Enemy Stats
enemies:
  chicken:
    hp: 35
    speed: 2.5  # m/s
    role: "rusher"
  
  duck:
    hp: 55
    speed: 1.8
    role: "grenadier"
  
  quail:
    hp: 18
    speed: 4.2
    role: "skirmisher"

# Case Study 2: Level Data Format for Unity Import
level:
  grid: { width: 9, height: variable }
  items:
    - { type: "platform", x: 4, y: 5, variant: "moving" }
    - { type: "collectible", x: 7, y: 3, variant: "powerup" }
  
# Case Study 3: Board Game Rules Extracted from Video
blackhole:
  board_size: 21
  players: 2
  numbers_per_player: 10
  winning_condition: "highest_sum_after_blackhole"

📊 Development Impact Metrics

24 hours

Concept to production-ready GDD

5x faster

More design iterations possible

300+ lines

Comprehensive specifications

Frame-perfect

Technical precision at 60 FPS

"The right AI model for the right task. The right workflow for the right challenge. That's how you ship in hours instead of weeks."

The AI Game Development Revolution

Three real projects. Three different challenges. One transformative approach that changes everything.

📊 What We've Proven

Speed Without Compromise: 24hrs for GDD, 12hrs for custom editor, 3hrs from video to game

Quality Through Consensus: Multi-model AI catches edge cases humans miss

Democratized Development: Non-technical team members shipping production tools

Creative Amplification: From vague ideas to complete, balanced systems

🚀 The New Game Dev Reality

⚡

Rapid Iteration

Ideas to implementation in hours, not weeks. Test and refine faster than ever before.

🎯

Focus on What Matters

AI handles documentation, boilerplate, and integration. You focus on what makes your game unique.

🤝

Level Playing Field

Small teams can compete with studios. Solo devs can build ambitious projects. The barriers are gone.

💡 Key Insights from 3 Real Projects

3 Projects

Completely different challenges solved with AI

5+ Models

Each brings unique strengths to the table

90% Faster

From concept to production-ready assets

Better Quality

AI catches what we miss, every time

"What used to take weeks or months now takes hours or days. And the quality is better because AI perspectives reveal what we'd overlook. This isn't the future—it's happening right now."

🎮 Apply These Workflows to Your Games

🌟

Multi-Model Design

Use Beam Mode or similar tools to get diverse AI perspectives on your game concepts and mechanics

🛠️

Custom Tool Generation

Build editors, pipelines, and workflows tailored to your team's needs in hours

📹

Content Extraction

Transform videos, reference games, and media into structured mechanics and systems

⚡

Agentic Development

Let AI agents handle implementation while you focus on creativity and vision

The Question Isn't "Should You Use AI?"

It's "How fast can you adapt to stay competitive?"

Case Study 1: Friend's idea → Production GDD in 24 hours

Case Study 2: Designer shipping levels without Unity training

Case Study 3: YouTube video → Full web game in 3 hours

This presentation? Also built with AI. Meta? Absolutely. Effective? You're seeing the proof. 🎮🤖

Revolutionizing Game Development with AI

3

24hrs

5+

The AI Revolution in Game Development

Creative Ideation

Rapid Prototyping

Documentation Generation

Technical Architecture

Case Study: Tom Brown - Poultry Farmer

Initial Concept

Beam Mode - AI Collaboration

Core Gameplay Loop

Theme Integration - "Connect"

Production-Ready GDD

Case Study 2: 2D Platformer Level Editor

🎯 The Challenge

💡 The AI-Powered Solution

Step 1: Requirements Gathering

Step 2: Web Editor Development

Step 3: Unity Integration

✨ Key Features Built with AI

Drag-and-Drop Interface

Rich Item Library

Navigation Tools

Properties Panel

📊 Results & Impact

Case Study 3: Black Hole Strategic Board Game

🎬 The Inspiration

🤖 The AI Development Pipeline

Step 1: Rule Extraction

Step 2: Digital Adaptation

Step 3: Full Implementation

🎮 Game Features Implemented

Multiple Game Modes

AI Opponents

Modern UI/UX

Game Management

🏆 Development Velocity

AI-Enhanced Development Workflow

Ideation

Expansion

Documentation

Architecture

Key Benefits of AI Integration

Speed

Consistency

Depth

Documentation

The AI Development Toolkit

🧠 AI Models & Their Strengths

⚡ Key Techniques Applied

Multi-Model Consensus

Vision + Rule Extraction

Iterative Refinement

Agentic Development

🛠️ Complete AI Tools Arsenal

🌟 BigAGI - Beam Mode

🛠️ Roo Code + GitHub Copilot Agent

📹 Gemini Vision + Analysis

📋 Dotted for Product Managers

🎨 Google Stitch

🎭 Cartwheel

🔧 Agentic Development

🎯 AI Development Workflow in Action

1. Multi-Model Brainstorming

2. Consensus Building

3. Iterative Refinement

💻 Real Output: AI-Generated Game Systems

📊 Development Impact Metrics

The AI Game Development Revolution

📊 What We've Proven

🚀 The New Game Dev Reality

Rapid Iteration

Focus on What Matters

Level Playing Field

💡 Key Insights from 3 Real Projects

🎮 Apply These Workflows to Your Games

Multi-Model Design

Custom Tool Generation