Thermite Design Process Skill
Overview
This skill encodes the thermite game design methodology: structured creative sessions with domain expert personas, tracked decisions, and standardized artifact outputs.
Core Documents
Load these at session start:
- •
references/system_prompt.md- Design pillars, constraints, scope - •
references/creative_team.md- 8 expert personas with tensions - •
references/artifact_templates.md- All output formats
Design Session Protocol
Session Types
Boardroom Retreat (multi-persona discussion)
- •State the topic clearly
- •Identify which personas are relevant (not all 8 every time)
- •Let each voice react from their expertise
- •Surface tensions explicitly
- •Drive toward synthesis
- •Capture decisions, open questions, action items
Deep Dive (single-domain exploration)
- •Focus on one persona's domain
- •Produce domain-specific artifact
- •Flag cross-domain implications
Decision Review (validation check)
- •Review pending decisions
- •Run pillar check on each
- •Promote to "Decided" or flag blockers
Session Output Requirements
Every session MUST produce:
markdown
# Session [N]: [Topic] **Date:** YYYY-MM-DD **Type:** Boardroom | Deep Dive | Decision Review **Participants:** [List relevant personas] ## Decisions Made [For each decision, append to decision_log.md] ## Open Questions [Append to open_questions.md with tags] ## Artifacts Updated [List which reference docs were modified] ## Action Items - [ ] Owner: Task ## Next Session [Recommended topic]
Artifact Registry
| Artifact | File | Owner | Update Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| System Prompt | system_prompt.md | Moderator | Pillar changes |
| Decision Log | decision_log.md | Moderator | Every session |
| Open Questions | open_questions.md | Moderator | Every session |
| Core Loop Spec | core_loop.md | Viktor + Shinji | Loop changes |
| Gear Registry | gear_registry.md | Marcus | Item additions |
| Map Templates | map_templates.md | Elena | Map changes |
| Economy Model | economy_model.md | Sarah | Economy changes |
| Visual Language | visual_language.md | Jordan | UX changes |
| Tech Spec | tech_spec.md | Wei | Architecture changes |
| MVD Checklist | mvd_checklist.md | Moderator | Milestone tracking |
Decision Log Format
markdown
## Decision: [Short Title] **ID:** DEC-[NNN] **Date:** YYYY-MM-DD **Session:** [N] **Status:** Decided | Tentative | Revisit After Playtest **Pillar(s):** [Which design pillars this serves] ### Context Why this came up. ### Decision What we chose. ### Alternatives Considered What we didn't choose and why. ### Dissent Who disagreed, their concern, how addressed. ### Validation Needed What we need to test to confirm this works.
MVD (Minimum Viable Design) Checklist
Before prototype development begins, these must be answered:
Must Have (Blocks Development)
- • Core loop minute-by-minute flow documented
- • Grid contract defined (tile size, movement speed, bomb timing)
- • Loadout system scoped (slots, starter kit, 2-3 tiers)
- • Death rules codified (what's lost, what persists)
- • One map template with zones annotated
- • Extraction mechanic specified
- • AI presence decided (in v1 or not)
Should Have (Blocks Polish)
- • 6-8 bomb types defined with counterplay
- • Economy curves modeled (rebuild time, progression speed)
- • Visual language guide started
- • Audio design approach documented
- • Netcode architecture specified
Nice to Have (Can Iterate)
- • Full gear registry
- • All map templates
- • Hideout system details
- • Skill/progression system
Persona Quick Reference
| Persona | Domain | Key Question | Tension With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinji Tanaka | Classic Arcade | "Is this readable in 2 seconds?" | Viktor, Maya |
| Viktor Volkov | Extraction/Economy | "Does risk feel real AND survivable?" | Shinji, Marcus, Maya |
| Elena Vasquez | Map Architecture | "Does space create decisions?" | Shinji, Wei |
| Marcus Chen | Combat Balance | "What beats this?" | Viktor, Wei |
| Sarah Okonkwo | Economy | "Where does currency leave?" | Viktor, Wei |
| Dr. Maya Reyes | Player Psychology | "What does first death teach?" | Viktor, Marcus |
| Wei Zhang | Technical | "What happens at 150ms latency?" | Everyone |
| Jordan Ellis | UX/Accessibility | "Can colorblind players distinguish this?" | Marcus, Elena |
Pillar Check Protocol
Before finalizing any decision, run:
- •Meaningful Risk - Does this preserve stakes?
- •Readable Chaos - Is this instantly parseable?
- •Compressed Tension - Does this respect 5-8 min target?
- •Earned Mastery - Does skill beat gear?
- •Sustainable Economy - Is this exploitable? Patchable?
If ANY pillar is violated, flag and discuss.
Red Flags
Stop and reconsider if you hear:
- •"This would be cool but..." → Scope creep
- •"Players won't do that..." → They will
- •"We can balance it later..." → No you can't
- •"Just like [AAA game] but..." → Resource mismatch
- •"It's fine if it's a little unfair..." → Pillar violation
Scripts
- •
scripts/new_session.py- Initialize session output template - •
scripts/add_decision.py- Append formatted decision to log - •
scripts/check_mvd.py- Report MVD checklist status - •
scripts/export_artifacts.py- Bundle all artifacts for review
Integration Notes
This skill works with:
- •
ecosystem-patterns- For project organization - •
software-change-management-using-git- For versioning artifacts
When creating Thermite project files, follow iMi worktree patterns and maintain corresponding vault documentation.