Arcade LabXP 0

Power-ups

Ways to talk to your AI coach so you get what you want. Every rule is here to read now; the before-and-after example shows up when you reach its quest.

Power-up 1

The Full Picture

Say what game it is, what's there now, what you want, and how you'll know it worked.

Coach can't see inside your head. Every detail you leave out, Coach has to guess. Guesses are usually wrong. The Full Picture turns guesses into exactly what you wanted.

Unlocks in Quest 1: Catch!

Power-up 2

One Thing at a Time

Ask for one change. Play it. Then ask for the next one.

When you ask for five things at once and one breaks, you can't tell which one did it. One change, one play test, and you always know exactly what happened.

Unlocks in Quest 2: Dodge!

Power-up 3

Say What You See

Say "I expected ___, but ___ happened" — and drop in a screenshot.

"It's broken" tells Coach nothing. What you expected plus what actually happened is a treasure map to the bug. A screenshot is even better: Coach can literally look at it. On a Mac, hold Shift + Command + 4 and drag a box around the game.

Unlocks in Quest 3: Pong for One

Power-up 4

Ask for Options

Say "Give me 3 ways to do this," then pick the one you like.

Coach knows way more ways to build things than it will ever tell you unless you ask. Asking for options makes YOU the designer choosing, not just the person waiting.

Unlocks in Quest 4: Tap Tap Clicker

Power-up 5

Blind-Spot Finder

Ask "What am I forgetting?" and "What would make this more fun?"

The stuff you don't know to ask about is the stuff that bites you later. Coach has seen a million games. Two questions turn all of that into ideas you can use.

Unlocks in Quest 5: Arcade Remix

Power-up 6

The Pivot

Say "That didn't work. Let's try a totally different way."

Sometimes you push on a door that only pulls. Trying the same fix five times isn't grit, it's a loop. Real builders stop, back up, and pick a different door.

Unlocks in Quest 6: Studio Server

Power-up 7

Tool Combo

Bring art, sound, and ideas from other tools into your game.

Coach is great at code. Other tools are great at pictures, music, or ideas. Pro game makers combine tools like combos in a fighting game — that's how small teams make big games.

Unlocks in Quest 7: Art Director

Game-maker badges

Find the Fun

You can say what the player DOES over and over in your game, and why that feels good.

Not earned yet

Write the Rules

You can explain how a player wins, how they lose, and what the score means — before Coach builds it.

Not earned yet

Watch the Player

You can watch someone play your game without helping them, and turn what you saw into a change.

Not earned yet

Keep the Workshop Tidy

Your games live in named folders, you know where your files are, and you can get back to a working version.

Not earned yet

Make It Juicy

You know that shake, sparkle, sound, and bounce make the same game feel ten times better — and you can ask for them.

Not earned yet

The Goldilocks Ramp

You can make level 1 easy, level 3 hard, and level 2 just right — and explain why.

Not earned yet

Finish the Small Thing

You can pick the smallest version of an idea that's still fun, finish it, and park the rest for later.

Not earned yet