Playing with Intention: Design the Game You Need

You've played. You understand the theory. Now you design with intention — not just any game, but the game you need for your purpose.

The Difference Between Playing and Designing

In L01 you entered a world the AI invented. You reacted: The AI acted, you responded.

Now that flips. You're the designer. You know what you need. You just need AI as a partner to provide the details.

That's the big shift.

The Design Question: What Is This Game For?

Before a great game prompt comes a question:

What is this game for?

• Should it teach knowledge? (Educational game)
• Should it entertain? (Entertainment)
• Should it train? (Simulation)
• Should it inspire? (Narrative)

The answer shapes everything.

A quiz game needs rules. A story experience needs freedom. A training game needs realism.

And when you know what the game is for, you can tell the AI exactly what to do.

Example 1: The Quiz Game (Rule-Focused)

The Problem: You want to practice German vocabulary. You need a game that tests you and is fun.

Weak: You tell the AI: "Let's play German."

That's too vague. The AI will tell a random story and have you say German words in it. No structure. No progression.

Strong: You say:

I want to play a vocabulary quiz game. I'm an adventurer in a tavern. You're the innkeeper and ask me about things in German. For example: "What's 'table' in German?" I answer. If I'm right, something good happens (the NPC trusts me). If I'm wrong, something neutral happens (the NPC waits for me to try again). After 10 correct answers I've passed the quiz and the adventure ends. Here are the vocabulary words you'll ask: [List]. Please ask each word only once.

See the difference? In the strong prompt:

• There's a structure (tavern, NPC, rules)
• There are clear goals (10 correct answers)
• There are consequences (correct = progress, wrong = retry)
• There's a word list, so the AI doesn't vary

That's design with intention.

And yes, the AI will forget which words it already asked. But with only 10 words and your oversight it can work.

Example 2: The Mystery Adventure (Narrative-Focused)

The Problem: You need a one-hour adventure for a rainy Sunday with your kids. Something exciting but not disturbing.

Weak: You say: "Tell me an adventure."

Too open-ended. You don't know what comes. It could get boring, it could get too dark, it could have too many choices that lead nowhere.

Strong: You say:

I'm playing a family mystery adventure with you. We have 1 hour. The frame is: A treasure is hidden in the house. The kids need to solve 3 riddles to find it. You describe the rooms and present the riddles. I guide the kids. The riddles should be simple — solvable by kids in 5–10 minutes. No horror, no scares. In the end we find the treasure. Here are the 3 riddles:

1. [Description Riddle 1]

2. [Description Riddle 2]

3. [Description Riddle 3]

Now:

• There's a clear structure (3 riddles, 1 treasure)
• There's a frame (1 hour, kids, fun)
• There are predefined riddles, not invented ones
• There are safety guidelines (no horror)

The AI will describe the scenes, play the NPCs, give hints. That's where AI excels. But the structure comes from you.

Example 3: The Team-Building Game (Simulation-Focused)

The Problem: You need a 20-minute game for a company meeting. Something that brings teams together without seeming silly.

Weak: You say: "Let's play a team-building game."

Too generic. No one knows what to expect.

Strong: You say:

We're playing a rescue scenario. There's a sinking ship and a lifeboat with limited space for 5 people. Our group must decide who gets rescued — 8 different characters, each with a story. You present the scenario and ask us who should be rescued and why. After each decision you ask us what other considerations we'd make. The game lasts about 20 minutes. The scenario master should stay neutral — neither criticize nor praise our decisions, just ask "why did you choose that?"

Here:

• There's a clear purpose (train decision-making)
• There's a structure (8 characters, voting, discussion)
• There's a time limit (20 minutes)
• There's a game master role, not a storyteller role

How to Write Your Own Prompt

The pattern for a good game prompt:

1. Purpose sentence (one line)

   • "I want to play a vocabulary quiz game."

2. Scene frame (2–3 lines)

   • Where do we play? Who are you? Who am I?
   • "I'm an adventurer. You're an innkeeper."

3. Rules (3–5 lines)

   • How does the game work?
   • What are the conditions for success/failure?
   • "You ask me vocabulary. If I answer right, X happens. If not, Y happens. After 10 successes the game ends."

4. External resources (if needed)

   • Word lists, characters, riddles, items
   • "Here are the words you'll use: [List]"

5. Safety guidelines (1–2 lines)

   • No horror, no too fast, time-limited?
   • "Keep it light and fun. No dark twists."

If you have these 5 parts, you have a good prompt.

Most Important: Testing and Iteration

You'll write your first game prompt. The AI will play it. It won't be perfect.

That's okay. That's design.

Designers don't say: "This is perfect the first time." They say: "This works 70%. What do I need to change to make it 85%?"

If the AI forgets your rule system, write the prompt clearer.

If the game is too long, make the rules shorter.

If the AI invents too many details, tell it "keep it brief".

That's iterative design. And that's exactly the superpower of a designer with AI.

A Big Thought: You're Now a Game Designer

In L01 you were a player.

In L02 you were a critic.

In L03 you were a theorist.

In L04 you are the designer.

That's a completely different role. A designer doesn't ask "how do I play?" A designer asks "what game is missing? What game does the world need?"

And now you know: AI is not the designer. AI is your tool, your craftsperson, your partner.

You make the hard decisions. AI does the fast work.

And together you can build games that didn't exist before.

That's the future of creativity with AI.