Playbook: Game

What an agent looks for and models when calibrating a game or game mod: quests, enemies, zones, items, balance parameters, playtest findings.

For Calibrate, Phase 2b. Index: Playbooks.

Evidence first. This playbook is a list of things to look for, not a template: no database, column or row gets created unless this project's code, docs or history shows it.

Pick it when

An engine project file: project.godot / *.tscn (Godot); Assets/ with ProjectSettings/ProjectVersion.txt and *.unity scenes (Unity); *.uproject (Unreal); bevy in Cargo.toml; phaser, pixi.js or kaboom in package.json; main.lua + conf.lua (LÖVE). A mod or server plugin for an existing game counts too: plugin.yml / paper-plugin.yml, fabric.mod.json, mods.toml, a mod manifest.json beside Server/ and Common/ asset folders. Stronger still: game data as files — *.tres, ScriptableObject *.asset, JSON/CSV tables of enemies, items, quests or levels.

Concepts to model

Model what a designer tunes, read from the data files and design docs. For a mod, model the content it adds, not the base game's.

Quests (conceptType: quest) — only when quest definitions are readable. Questline select · Objective select (the objective types the code supports) · Reward text · Status status (Draft → Live, Retired).

Enemies (conceptType: enemy) — Zone select · Role select (Melee, Ranged, Support, Boss) · HP number · Damage number · Status status (Concept → In game → Tuned, Cut).

Zones / levels (zone) — Order number · Theme select · New mechanic text · Target minutes number · Status status (Blockout → Playable → Polished, Cut).

Items (item) — Type select (Weapon, Consumable, Key, Cosmetic) · Rarity select · Value number · Found in select (the zones).

Balance parameters (tuning) — only values that live in data or config, not magic numbers buried in code. System select (Combat, Economy, Progression) · Value number · Unit text · Changed date.

Playtest findings (playtest) — only when notes exist. Session date · Area select · Severity select (Blocker, Friction, Polish) · Status status (Open → Addressed).

Example rows

• Enemies — Bog Lurker · Zone Mire · Role Melee · HP 40 · Damage 12 · Status Tuned. Body: "Ambushes from water tiles, so it teaches the dodge before the first boss. HP cut from 60 in the 0.4 playtest — players stalled here (enemies/bog_lurker.tres)."
• Balance parameters — Stamina regen per second · System Combat · Value 18 · Unit /s · Changed 2026-05-02. Body: "Raised from 12 so ranged builds can kite; watch melee dominance in Zone 3."

Status screen

Build status:

• metric Enemies, filter Status equals In game
• chart bar, Enemies grouped by Zone
• chart donut, Zones grouped by Status
• list Balance parameters, sort Changed descending, showColumns System, Value
• list Playtest findings, filter Status equals Open, showColumns Severity, Area
• links overview, Zones, Decisions

Don't

• Import the asset list — every sprite, sound and prefab. Assets are files; model what someone tunes or decides.
• Mirror the scene or node hierarchy as pages.
• Invent lore, stats or names that no data file or design doc contains.