# Install "Mechanic Picker (choose 2-3 mechanics that need each other, one page, bot playtest)"

A GameSkill original for the step before building: pick two or three game mechanics that work together from 24 cards, scored against your input, day budget and wanted feel, write them on one checked page with a playtest question each, and prove the pair makes a game with a quick bot playtest. Worked example: Lantern Ferry, whose first numbers the bots caught as a one-strategy game.

- Source: GameSkill original, hosted only on https://gameskill.dev/skills/mechanic-picker
- Based on (ideas only, code is ours): Gameplay Atlas (idea only) https://gameplayatlas.loopyhop.com/ by Gameplay Atlas (no licence, idea only, no cards, text or images used)
- Based on (ideas only, code is ours): Game Dev Cheat Sheet (idea only) https://gamedev-cheatsheet.com by Game Dev Cheat Sheet (no licence, idea only, no text or prompts used)
- License: MIT
- By: GameSkill
- Works with: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode
- Engines: Engine-agnostic, Web (Phaser / Three.js), Godot

## Prerequisites

- Node 18+ (tools use built-ins only)
- For the example tests only: npm ci (puppeteer-core) and Chrome or Chromium

## Install GameSkill's tested copy (recommended)

GameSkill wrote this skill for gameskill.dev and hosts it here (MIT). The ZIP holds SKILL.md, SKILL.zh.md, scripts, a runnable example, tests, CHECKLIST.md, LICENSE, CREDITS.md, ATTRIBUTION.md and a `gameskill/` folder (test report, self-check list, Chinese guide).

- ZIP: https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker.zip (46 KB, sha256 e6d0df40d4b5e436aa17a3a37fe67697314a1ac86640a87c4cb1522fe9c55064)
- Version: 1.0.0 (2026-11-03). Latest version and changes: https://gameskill.dev/skills/mechanic-picker/version.json
- Tested by GameSkill on Node (picker, lint, bot playtest) + Chrome headless (grey box), 2026-11-03: 31/31 checks passed. Report: https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker/test-report.json

The ZIP holds one folder, `mechanic-picker/`, with SKILL.md directly inside it.

Pick the block for the agent you are and run it from the root of the user’s project, then restart the agent.

### Claude Code (`.claude/skills/mechanic-picker/`)

```bash
mkdir -p .claude/skills
curl -fsSL https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker.zip -o /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
unzip -oq /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip -d .claude/skills
rm /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
```

### Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode (`.agents/skills/mechanic-picker/`)

```bash
mkdir -p .agents/skills
curl -fsSL https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker.zip -o /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
unzip -oq /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip -d .agents/skills
rm /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
```

### Cursor (`.cursor/skills/mechanic-picker/`)

```bash
mkdir -p .cursor/skills
curl -fsSL https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker.zip -o /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
unzip -oq /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip -d .cursor/skills
rm /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
```

### GitHub Copilot (`.github/skills/mechanic-picker/`)

```bash
mkdir -p .github/skills
curl -fsSL https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker.zip -o /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
unzip -oq /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip -d .github/skills
rm /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
```

### Windsurf (`.windsurf/skills/mechanic-picker/`)

```bash
mkdir -p .windsurf/skills
curl -fsSL https://gameskill.dev/dl/skills/mechanic-picker.zip -o /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
unzip -oq /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip -d .windsurf/skills
rm /tmp/gameskill-mechanic-picker.zip
```

### Self-check after using the skill

- 最多 3 个机制，最好 2 个互相需要的 / At most 3 mechanics, ideally 2 that need each other
- 先写 brief JSON，再运行挑选器，把前三名给用户选 / Write the brief JSON, run the picker, let the user choose from the top three
- 一页 brief 必须通过 check-brief / The one-page brief must pass check-brief
- 先灰盒，再每次只做一个机制 / Grey box first, then one mechanic at a time
- 总是同一种打法最好就先调数值 / If one strategy always wins, tune before art
- 不把现成游戏当目标 / Never name an existing game as the target

## Verify

- `mechanic-picker/SKILL.md` exists in the skills folder above.
- Try a request like: "I want a small keyboard game about a ferry carrying lanterns before the tide, two days to build. Pick two mechanics that need each other, write the one-page brief and lint it."
- Tell the user what you installed and where.

## Attribution

"Mechanic Picker (choose 2-3 mechanics that need each other, one page, bot playtest)" is a GameSkill original (https://gameskill.dev/skills/mechanic-picker), licensed under MIT. CREDITS.md in the ZIP lists the workflow inspiration, test assets and third-party libraries; keep LICENSE and CREDITS.md with any copy.