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design-research

Curate structured game design references from GDC talks and postmortems.

10|2|Updated Mar 28, 2026
Search Tags:#feature design#game design#game mechanics#design comparison#design research#gdc talks#game inspiration
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/tykisgod/quick-question --skill design-research-tykisgod
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: design-research
Source: https://github.com/tykisgod/quick-question/tree/main/skills/design-research
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/tykisgod/quick-question --skill design-research-tykisgod

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

When designing new game features, mechanics, or systems, it is time-consuming to find relevant, proven design solutions from existing games, and difficult to curate actionable insights instead of sifting through irrelevant or overly technical content.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Targeted Design Research: Searches for GDC talks, postmortems, and public design breakdowns for specific game design problems like survival loops, progression systems, or economy design.
  • Structured Game Comparisons: Returns a curated comparison of 2-4 relevant reference games, including what makes their approach engaging and what your project can adapt.
  • Cross-Genre Inspiration: Includes at least one out-of-genre reference to help you find unique, innovative solutions for your design challenge. For example, if you are designing a city trading system for your RPG, this skill will pull insights from games like Stardew Valley, Elite Dangerous, and even non-RPG titles like Frostpunk that have interesting trading mechanics, and recommend the best fit for your project's scope and feel.

Quick Start

Use the design-research skill to find how other successful games implement a player-driven economy with dynamic pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions about design-research

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I find proven game mechanics and feature design references for my project?▼

Finding proven game mechanics references involves curating actionable design insights from GDC talks, postmortems, and public analyses to solve specific feature or system design challenges. This process yields structured comparisons of 2-4 reference games with borrowable solutions for your project.

What is the best way to research game design solutions for a new survival loop or economy system?▼

Researching game design solutions for systems like survival loops or economies requires targeted searches across GDC talks and postmortems. This approach returns curated comparisons of 2-4 relevant games, highlighting engaging mechanics and adaptable insights for your specific design problem.

Does this game design research approach provide cross-genre inspiration for feature development?▼

Game design research provides cross-genre inspiration by including at least one out-of-genre reference in its structured comparisons. This helps you discover unique, innovative solutions for mechanics like trading systems by analyzing titles outside your immediate genre, such as Frostpunk for RPG trading.

Can I use these design research insights for projects targeting Unity, Godot, or Unreal engines?▼

Design research insights apply directly to game development workflows for projects targeting Unity, Godot, Unreal, and S&box engines. They support pre-design-doc research, new feature design, and mechanic exploration by providing borrowable solutions from proven reference games.

How do I avoid sifting through irrelevant content when doing pre-design-doc research?▼

To avoid irrelevant content during pre-design-doc research, use targeted design research to curate actionable insights from public design breakdowns and postmortems. This filters out overly technical material, returning structured game comparisons focused solely on borrowable mechanics for your design challenge.

Why does comparing multiple game designs help when exploring new mechanics?▼

Comparing multiple game designs helps mechanic exploration by providing structured contrasts between 2-4 reference games. It highlights what makes each approach engaging and identifies the best fit for your project's scope and feel, pulling from both in-genre and cross-genre inspiration.

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