Game Design Prototype Intent Audit

Decide what the prototype is for before deciding what the prototype should contain.

Use this skill to audit whether a prototype is being built to convince stakeholders that an idea works, or to reveal the least-understood parts of the design. These two goals require different prototype choices. Confusing them is one of the most common ways to waste prototype time.

Read references/prototype-modes.md when classifying the prototype intent. Read references/unknowns-checklist.md when identifying what a learning prototype should target. Read references/failure-patterns.md when diagnosing common prototype mistakes.

What to produce

Produce:

1. Prototype read - what is being prototyped and why
2. Intent diagnosis - whether this is a selling demo, a learning prototype, or a confused hybrid
3. Scope fit - whether the prototype contents match the stated intent
4. Unknowns coverage - what the prototype is or is not actually testing
5. Risk diagnosis - what time or learning may be wasted under the current plan
6. Recommendation - what to prototype instead, emphasize, cut, or sequence differently