What problem does it solve? Game teams often build shallow full-game prototypes or system-only proofs of concept that cannot prove whether the core experience is fun, shippable, or producible. This Skill structures the design of a vertical slice so one representative playable segment validates fun, target quality, system integration, production pipeline, accessibility, performance, and real playtest evidence before further investment. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Slice Contract and Player Value Trace: Fixes the player promise, meaningful choice, research question, observable signals, evidence ceiling, and acceptance criteria before scoping the slice. - Quality Bar and Pipeline Proof: Defines observable quality targets for controls, art, UI, audio, accessibility, and performance, then runs the real plan-to-data-to-asset-to-QA pipeline once to prove repeatable production. - Playtest Evidence and Decision Gate: Separates internal and external tester evidence, records behavior and funnel data, and concludes with an EXPAND, REWORK, REPEAT_SLICE, HOLD, or STOP verdict. - Use Case: A card battle game team uses the Skill to scope one full combat loop (card acquisition, selection, use, enemy reaction, reward, deck state), set measurable quality bars, run external playtests, and decide whether to expand production. ## Quick Start Use the designing-vertical-slices skill to define the slice contract, quality bar, playtest plan, and decision gate for my game's core combat loop.
