Game Planning Anti-Patterns

Common mistakes in game planning and how to avoid them.

Quick Reference

Top 10 Anti-Patterns

#	Anti-Pattern	Symptom	Better Approach
1	Everything Sounds Fun	Feature list grows every session	3-feature MLP rule, parking lot for ideas
2	Feature Creep	"Small" additions that compound	Each addition goes through cutting heuristics
3	Scope Creep	Requirements shift mid-build	Freeze scope after planning, track changes explicitly
4	Premature Content	Building levels before fun is proven	Prove core loop with 1 level, then expand
5	Design in Isolation	Mechanics designed without playtesting	Paper prototype → digital prototype → playtest loop
6	Juice Addiction	Polish before fun	Remove all juice — is it still fun?
7	Kitchen Sink Design	Game tries to do everything	Pick 1-2 target aesthetics, cut the rest
8	Core Loop Neglect	Building features around a weak loop	If core loop isn't fun in 5 min, fix it first
9	Second System Effect	Overdesigning based on past project	Scope to current project's needs, not past regrets
10	GDD Tome	50+ page design document	Living doc, max 5 pages for MLP scope

Decision Tables

Should I Add This Feature?

Answer each question. If you get any "No" answers, strongly consider cutting.

Question	Yes	No
Does it directly serve the core loop?	Keep evaluating	Cut
Can the MLP be fun without it?	Defer to post-MLP	Keep evaluating
Can it be built in <1 day?	Keep evaluating	Cut from MLP
Have playtesters asked for it?	Keep evaluating	Cut
Does it require a new system?	Cut from MLP	Keep evaluating
Are you adding it because competitors have it?	Cut	Keep evaluating

If you reach the bottom with all "Keep evaluating": The feature is a strong candidate. Add it to MLP only if you're under the 3-feature limit.

Is My Plan Over-Scoped?

Signal	Score
More than 3 features beyond core loop	+2
Any feature described as "simple" without a prototype	+1
Plan mentions more than 2 enemy/item/level types	+1
Multiplayer is included (and isn't the core loop)	+3
Plan requires procedural generation	+2
Total estimated dev time > 4 weeks for solo dev	+2
Plan includes a progression system AND content	+1
Design document is more than 3 pages	+1
You can't describe the game in one sentence	+2

Total Score	Assessment
0-2	Scope looks reasonable
3-5	Over-scoped — cut 30%
6-8	Significantly over-scoped — cut 50%
9+	Start over with just the core loop

Checklists

Pre-Planning Review

Run this BEFORE starting detailed planning:

• Core loop can be stated in one sentence
• Target aesthetic(s) identified (max 2)
• Genre precedents researched (what works, what doesn't)
• Platform constraints known
• Solo/team capacity honestly assessed
• Previous project lessons documented (but not over-applied)

Post-Planning Audit

Run this AFTER planning is complete:

• MLP has ≤3 features beyond core loop
• No feature requires "a new system" to support it
• No premature content (max 1 level, 1-2 enemy types in MLP)
• 30% rule applied to timeline
• Every feature passes "Should I Add This Feature?" table
• Over-scope score is ≤2
• Plan fits in ≤3 pages
• First playable build target defined (tracer bullet)
• Playtest plan exists (who, when, what to test)
• Parking lot created for deferred ideas

Deep Dives

• (see antipatterns/catalog.md for full anti-pattern descriptions: scope, design, and timing anti-patterns with fixes and tests)

See Also

• scoping — MLP process, tracer bullets, and cutting heuristics referenced throughout (see scoping → MLP Scoping Process)
• design-frameworks — Frameworks for making better design decisions (MDA, SDT, flow) (see design-frameworks → MDA Framework)
• economy-design — Economy anti-patterns and balance planning (see economy-design)
• playtesting — The antidote to Design in Isolation (see playtesting)
• scenario-walkthrough — Bridge between paper design and building (see scenario-walkthrough → The 5-Beat Structure)
• difficulty-design — Difficulty-specific anti-patterns (fake difficulty, number inflation, developer blind spot) (see difficulty-design)
• content-planning — Content-specific anti-patterns (filler, content treadmill, premature production) (see content-planning)
• mechanics-palette — Focused mechanic selection to avoid Kitchen Sink Design (see mechanics-palette)
• plan-audit — Comprehensive plan auditing beyond antipattern detection (see plan-audit)