# roblox-game-design

Designs core loops, invisible onboarding, game economies, and retention phases for Roblox experiences. Useful when players drop off early or progression feels grindy.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1300 installs · ★ 127
- Author: TabooHarmony
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/TabooHarmony/roblox-brain/tree/HEAD/skills/design/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-15
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/roblox-game-design

## What it does

The skill structures a Roblox game across three connected layers: the moment-to-moment core loop, the hourly meta-game, and long-term progression. If core interactions are dull, nothing above them survives. First-time onboarding replaces tutorial popups with environmental cues and dynamic UI.

Level layouts follow the four-beat Kishōtenketsu pattern, guiding navigation with lighting and pickups so deaths feel fair. The economy model demands a sink for every currency source. This prevents hoarders from breaking progression curves and reduces churn at choke points.

This skill focuses purely on gameplay feel and structural craft. Telemetry, visual effects, and external discovery route out to dedicated companions like `roblox-analytics` and `roblox-growth-design`. Polishing marketing before fixing a broken core loop is a waste of effort.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add TabooHarmony/roblox-brain --skill roblox-game-design -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/roblox-game-design/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add TabooHarmony/roblox-brain --skill roblox-game-design -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add TabooHarmony/roblox-brain --skill roblox-game-design -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install TabooHarmony/roblox-brain roblox-game-design
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add TabooHarmony/roblox-brain --skill roblox-game-design -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/TabooHarmony/roblox-brain --path skills/design/roblox-game-design
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add TabooHarmony/roblox-brain --skill roblox-game-design -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/TabooHarmony/roblox-brain/tree/HEAD/skills/design/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- redesign a core loop when new players quit during the first session
- build first-time onboarding through level cues without popups
- balance currency sources and sinks against the player power curve
- remove perceived grind by adding game juice and distinct milestones
- prepare game mechanics for Roblox Moments and Today's Picks curation

## Example prompts
- Audit the FTUE of my Roblox tycoon and remove text popups
- Balance the soft currency sinks so players do not hoard coins by day 7
- Design an obstacle course progression using the Kishōtenketsu framework

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: cb048ba7160fd97e.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE cb048ba7160fd97e
```text
---
name: roblox-game-design
description: "Use when designing or reworking a Roblox game: core loop, tutorial/FTUE, levels, economy, retention phases, juice, grind, curation."
when_to_use: "Also when players quit early, the game feels boring or grindy, balancing rewards and prices, reviewing a design or game idea, and auditing the first session."
last_reviewed: 2026-10-14
sources:
  - original
  - https://departmentofplay.net/retention-framework-keep-your-players-forever/
  - https://gdcvault.com/play/1023845/This-is-a-Talk-About
  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBmIkEvEBtA
  - https://markfloryan.github.io/gamedesign/readings/Bartle_1996.pdf
  - https://devforum.roblox.com/t/roblox-curation-how-do-we-consider-games-for-today%E2%80%99s-picks/4005089
  - https://about.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/09/roblox-moments-user-generated-discovery
---

# Roblox Game Design Fundamentals

## When to Load

Load for the structural craft of a Roblox experience: core loop and meta-game architecture, tutorial/FTUE structure, level design, economy design, retention-phase planning, juice/game feel, Bartle balance, grind avoidance, Today's Picks or Moments readiness. Route elsewhere: metrics/discovery → `roblox-growth-design`; persuasion/pricing → `roblox-player-psychology`; VFX → `roblox-animation-vfx`; economy telemetry → `roblox-analytics`.


## Quick Reference

- **Core loop first**: three layers must each work: core loop (moment-to-moment), meta-game (hour-to-hour), long-term progression (day-to-day). If the raw actions aren't fun, nothing above them survives.
- **Retention phases**: D0–7 understandability/novelty/stability → D7–30 progression/mastery/return triggers → D30–90 social comparison/LiveOps → D90+ community.
- **Teach invisibly**: teach through experience, never popups; environmental teaching, dynamic UI, kinesthetic learning, show don't tell, inverted pyramid of complexity.
- **Levels**: Kishōtenketsu (safe intro → develop → twist → conclusion) plus the invisible hand (coins/lighting guide without text) and fairness (deaths feel the player's fault).
- **Economy**: every source needs a sink; soft/hard/social currencies; prices must scale with the power curve; watch hoarding, churn at choke points, currency devaluation.
- **Anti-grind**: grind is a state of mind, not a mechanic. Fix with juice, skill ceilings, and measurable chunks.
- **Bartle**: Achievers/Explorers/Socializers/Killers form an ecosystem; over-serve one and the others leave.
- **Field data**: measured onboarding/monetization/retention numbers (2026; see full.md).
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE cb048ba7160fd97e

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First 2596 of 2748 bytes. © TabooHarmony · MIT · https://github.com/TabooHarmony/roblox-brain/tree/HEAD/skills/design/roblox-game-design/SKILL.md

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