World 0 / Quest 00

Open the Lab

Meet Coach, name your studio, run a real game.

You’ll learn

• How to talk to Coach in Hermes
• Where your games live on your computer
• How to open and play a game you built

Briefing

Start prompt

Steps

1. 1
   Dad already did this

   Grown-up setup

   Dad already did this? Look for arcade in the left rail of Hermes. If it's there, skip to step 2.

   If it isn't, ask your grown-up to do the Dad HQ setup. It takes about 15 minutes. When they're done, Hermes Desktop is open with the arcade profile picked, and you'll see it on the left side.

2. 2

   Say hi to Coach

   Click the big copy button on the Start Prompt above, paste it into the chat box in Hermes, and press Enter. Coach should say hello back and ask you a question. Answer it!

   Say this to Coach

   /arcade-lab Hi Coach! I'm starting Quest 0: Open the Lab.

   Copy
3. 3

   Name your studio

   Every studio has a name. Nintendo. Mojang. Yours. Silly is fine. Cool is fine. You can change it later. Coach will write it down and remember it.

   Stuck? Three shapes that work:

   • Animal + Games — Otter Games
   • Two words that don't go together — Loud Pancake
   • Your name + Works — Milo Works

   This is the one box on the whole site with a blank in it. Fill in the blank before you send.

   Say this to Coach

   My studio name is ______. Please remember it.

   Copy
4. 4

   Run the starter game

   Ask Coach to set up the starter game. Coach makes a folder called test-drive and tells you to open a file called index.html.

   Double-click that file. It might open in a text editor showing code. That's normal. Right-click it → Open With → Chrome (or whatever browser you use) and the game opens.

   Play it. That game runs on YOUR computer, from a file YOU own.

   Say this to Coach

   Please set up the starter game in a new folder called test-drive, then tell me exactly how to open it and play it.

   Copy
5. 5

   Make a logo (optional, needs ChatGPT)

   A studio needs a badge. Open ChatGPT (ask your grown-up which account to use) and ask it for a logo. Put your studio name in the line below where it says Angry Waffle Games. When you like one, download it. It goes to your Downloads folder.

   No ChatGPT right now? Ask Coach for a text badge instead and swap it in any time — or in Quest 7 (Art Director) when you get art tools. A text badge works fine — plenty of real studios started with one.

   Say this to Coach

   Make a simple logo for a kids' game studio called Angry Waffle Games. Bold shapes, 2 or 3 colors, no tiny details, square.

   Copy

   Where does this go?

   Your file lands in Downloads.

   Drag it onto the Hermes chat, or tell Coach it’s in Downloads.

   Coach moves it into your ArcadeLab folder.

6. 6

   Put the badge in your lab

   Pick the line that matches what you did.

   If you downloaded a picture, use the box below. Coach moves it into your ArcadeLab folder and tells you where it landed.

   Took the text badge? Say this instead: I asked you for a text badge. Please save it in ArcadeLab and tell me the path.

   This is your first time giving Coach a file — pay attention to where Coach puts it, because you'll do this a lot.

   Say this to Coach

   I downloaded my studio logo. It's in my Downloads folder and it's the newest picture there. Please move it into ArcadeLab and tell me the new path.

   Copy

Side quests +10 XP each

Stuck?

• If Coach doesn't say hello, check that the message starts with /arcade-lab (with the slash).
• If double-clicking index.html opens a code editor instead of a browser, right-click it and choose Open With → your web browser.
• If you can't find a file, ask Coach: "Where is my studio logo right now? Give me the full path."
• No ChatGPT? Say: "Make me a text badge for my studio instead of a picture logo."

More ways to get unstuck