▒▒▒ R O G U E ░░ V I B E ▒▒▒

🎮 The Ultimate Genre-Switching Roguelite

"What if we threw EVERY genre at an AI agent and demanded it make a game with TDD?"

This happened. And it's GLORIOUS.

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🚀 Project Context

Built at: codecentric - Innovation Leaders in AI-Powered Development
Event: AI Powered Working - Exploring the Future of AI-Augmented Software Development
Tech Stack: Claude Sonnet 4.5 + OpenCode AI Coding Agent
Approach: 100% AI-Assisted Development using Test-Driven Development (TDD)

This game is a live demonstration of:

• 🤖 AI-First Development - Built entirely through Claude + OpenCode pair programming
• 🎯 Software Craftsmanship - TDD, Clean Code, and rigorous quality standards
• 🧠 Augmented Intelligence - Human creativity + AI execution = Rapid innovation
• 🔥 Vibecoding Philosophy - "Try weird ideas immediately, keep what's fun"
• 🛠️ Modern AI Tooling - Leveraging state-of-the-art LLM and autonomous coding agent

The Experiment: Can Claude Sonnet 4.5 working through OpenCode build a complex, multi-genre game following strict TDD principles? Can it refactor fearlessly? Can it handle scope creep while maintaining quality?

The Answer: You're looking at it. 🎪

Why This Matters

This isn't just a game - it's proof of concept for:

• AI agents as effective pair programmers for complex projects
• TDD as a forcing function for AI to write better code
• Human-AI collaboration on creative, unstructured problems
• Rapid prototyping without sacrificing code quality

codecentric's Mission: Pioneering AI-powered workflows that make developers more productive, creative, and effective. This project showcases what's possible when you combine human vision with AI execution, all while maintaining craftsmanship standards.

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📋 Development Rules & Guidelines

This project follows strict TDD and software craftsmanship principles. The rules/ folder contains AI agent guidelines that enforce best practices:

Core Development Principles

🔴 🟢 🔄 Test-Driven Development (rules/tdd.mdc)

• RED → GREEN → REFACTOR cycle for all features
• Test list first (base functionality only)
• One test at a time (no multiple active tests)
• "Guessing Game" - predict failures before running tests
• Baby steps - minimal code to pass each test
• Mandatory refactoring after green phase

🎯 Simple Design (rules/simple-design.mdc)

• Kent Beck's Four Rules (priority order):
  1. Tests Pass - highest priority, never compromise
  2. Reveals Intent - clear, self-documenting code
  3. No Duplication (DRY) - extract common functionality
  4. Fewest Elements - minimize complexity

⚖️ Code Quality Metrics (rules/absolute-priority-premise.mdc)

• Micah Martin's Absolute Priority Premise (APP)
• Assigns "mass" to code components (lower = better)
• Mass values: Constants (1), Bindings (1), Invocations (2), Conditionals (4), Loops (5), Assignments (6)
• Use during refactoring to guide toward simpler solutions
• Favor functional approaches over imperative

🤝 Human-in-the-Loop TDD (rules/human-in-the-loop.mdc)

• End-of-phase confirmation (Red, Green, Refactor)
• Explicit permission required before proceeding
• Failed prediction recovery protocol
• Maintains human agency in development process

📝 TypeScript Standards (rules/typescript-development.mdc)

• Explicit .js file extensions for ESNext modules
• Vitest for unit testing (not Jest)
• .spec.ts extension for test files (tests are specifications)

Why These Rules Matter

These aren't just guidelines - they're enforced disciplines that:

• ✅ Enable fearless refactoring with test safety nets
• ✅ Prevent over-engineering and premature optimization
• ✅ Create living documentation through tests
• ✅ Build confidence through explicit predictions
• ✅ Maintain code simplicity through objective metrics

Note: This project was built entirely using these principles. Every feature has tests. Every refactor was measured. Every step was validated.

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🎯 The Vision

An over-the-top roguelite where you loop through wildly different game genres:

Space Invaders → Sidescroll Shooter → JRPG Combat → Repeat Forever (Getting Harder)

Each genre has unique mechanics, genre-specific upgrades, and boss fights. Between runs, visit charming shopkeepers, build relationships, unlock romance bonuses, and buy permanent upgrades.

Core Loop: 10-15 minute runs. Infinite difficulty scaling. Permanent progression. Pure chaos.

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🎪 The Story: How This Game Was Made

Act 1: "Just Make Space Invaders"

Human: "Make a simple Space Invaders clone with tests."

AI Agent: ✅ Creates functional Space Invaders with TDD

• Classic top-down shooter
• Aliens that move and shoot
• Player movement and shooting
• Collision detection
• Full test coverage

Human: "Cool. Now add a boss fight."

AI: ✅ Adds boss with random traits from a pool of 10

• Laser beams, homing missiles, teleportation, shields...
• Boss gets procedurally generated abilities

Act 2: "What If We Added... Everything?"

Human: "Now add a shop system. With permanent upgrades."

AI: ✅ Creates shop with 19 upgrades

• Extra lives, spread shot, speed boost, shields...
• Coin currency system
• Persistent save data

Human: "Actually, make the shopkeeper romanceable."

AI: ✅ Creates relationship/hearts system

• 5 unique shopkeepers with personalities
• Romance unlocks at 5 hearts
• Dating mini-game with bonuses

Human: "Add 4 more shopkeepers. All romanceable."

AI: ✅ Creates Zara, Blorp, Gleep, Xylara, and Boltz

• Each with unique dialogue
• Individual relationship tracking
• Bonus abilities when romanced

Act 3: "Genre Switching? Sure, Why Not!"

Human: "Now add a sidescroll shooter mode."

AI: 😅 Creates entire sidescroll system

• Horizontal movement
• Enemies spawn from right
• Different physics
• Time-limited survival mode

Human: "And a JRPG combat system."

AI: 😰 Implements turn-based RPG

• Attack, Defend, Skills
• Enemy AI
• Multi-enemy battles
• Boss phases with scaling damage

Human: "Make it loop through all 3 genres."

AI: 🤯 Creates 9-wave system

• Waves 1-3: Space Invaders + Boss
• Waves 4-6: Sidescroll + Boss
• Waves 7-9: JRPG + Final Boss
• Victory screen, then loop restart

Act 4: "Make It Scalable"

Human: "Refactor this so we can easily add more genres."

AI: 🧠 Creates genre-agnostic architecture

• game_architecture.py - Section/Genre system
• Difficulty scaling framework
• Genre-specific upgrade registry
• Infinite loop support

Current Status: Foundation for 10+ genres, all driven by TDD

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🎮 What Makes This Special

1. TDD From Day 1

Every feature test-first:

• 89+ unit tests covering core systems
• Integration tests for gameplay
• Automated bot playtesting
• RED → GREEN → REFACTOR cycle throughout

2. Vibecoding Philosophy

• "Try this weird idea" → Build it → Ship it
• Romance shopkeepers? Sure!
• Control inversion debuff? Why not!
• Dating mini-game? Absolutely!

3. Genre Mashup Chaos

The absurdity is the point:

• Space Invaders → suddenly JRPG combat
• Boss has laser beams → now it's turn-based attacks
• Strategic depth from genre variety

4. Surprisingly Deep Systems

Despite chaotic dev process:

• Combo multiplier system
• Permanent meta-progression
• Relationship system with meaningful bonuses
• Difficulty scaling across infinite loops

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🎯 Current State

✅ What Works

• 3 Complete Genres: Invaders, Sidescroll, JRPG
• Loop System: Waves 1-9 with boss fights
• Shop System: 43 permanent upgrades
• Romance System: 5 unique NPCs with bonuses
• Save System: Persistent progression
• TDD Coverage: 89+ passing tests

🚧 Known Issues (Being Fixed)

1. No Difficulty Scaling - Loop 1 = Loop 10 (fix in progress)
2. Romance Design Flaw - Can't romance all 5 (tip jar fix ready)
3. Victory Screen UX - Feels like "game over" not "continue" (improving)

🔮 Planned Features

• Difficulty Scaling: Each loop gets 50% harder
• Genre-Specific Upgrades: Different builds per genre
• New Genres: Tower Defense, Bullet Hell, Rhythm Game
• Meta-Progression: Unlock new genres by looping
• Polish: Screen shake, particles, juice

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📂 Project Structure

├── game.py                    # Main game class (Arcade framework)
├── space_invaders.py          # Core game logic (pure functions)
├── game_architecture.py       # NEW: Scalable genre system
├── sprites.py                 # Custom sprite generation
├── test_space_invaders.py     # 89+ unit tests
├── tests/                     # All test files
├── bots/                      # AI playtesting bots
│
├── tasks/                     # Agent task files
│   ├── task_1_1_difficulty_scaling.md
│   ├── task_1_2_tip_jar.md
│   └── task_1_3_victory_ux.md
│
├── TDD_ACTION_PLAN.md         # Development roadmap
├── GAME_VISION.md             # Design document
├── REFACTORING_GUIDE.md       # Architecture guide
└── README.md                  # This file

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🚀 Quick Start

Play the Game

# Install dependencies
pip install arcade pillow

# Run the game
python game.py

# Controls
Arrow Keys: Move
Space: Shoot
SHIFT: Bullet time (if unlocked)

Development Workflow (TDD)

# 1. Write failing test
pytest test_space_invaders.py -v  # Watch it fail (RED)

# 2. Implement feature
# ... write minimal code ...

# 3. Run tests
pytest test_space_invaders.py -v  # Watch it pass (GREEN)

# 4. Refactor
# ... improve code quality ...

# 5. Verify still green
pytest test_space_invaders.py -v  # Confirm still passing

Run Automated Playtester

# Run bot stress test
python bots/autoplay_bot_full.py --time 900

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🎯 For AI Agents: Pick Up Where We Left Off

Next Tasks (Ready to Implement)

Priority 1: Fix Critical Flow Breaks

1. tasks/task_1_1_difficulty_scaling.md
   Implement loop difficulty scaling (2-3 hours)

2. tasks/task_1_2_tip_jar.md
   Fix romance system (30 minutes)

3. tasks/task_1_3_victory_ux.md
   Improve victory screen UX (1 hour)

Priority 2: Genre Depth 4. Implement genre-specific upgrades 5. Add JRPG skills system 6. Create meta-progression unlocks

Priority 3: New Genres 7. Tower Defense mode 8. Bullet Hell mode 9. Rhythm Game mode

See TDD_ACTION_PLAN.md for detailed implementation plans.

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🧪 Testing

# Run all tests
pytest -v

# Run specific test file
pytest test_space_invaders.py -v

# Run with coverage
pytest --cov=. --cov-report=html

# Run integration tests
python test_gameplay.py

# Run bot stress test
python autoplay_bot_full.py --time 900

Current Test Stats:

• ✅ 89+ unit tests
• ✅ 14/14 integration tests
• ✅ 100% critical path coverage
• ✅ Bot validates full playthrough

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🎨 Design Philosophy

1. Embrace the Chaos

Don't apologize for genre switching - celebrate it!

• Make transitions dramatic
• Add self-aware humor
• Reward mastering all genres

2. TDD Enables Fearless Refactoring

• Write test first
• Implement minimal code
• Refactor without fear
• Ship with confidence

3. Vibecoding = Fun Development

• Try weird ideas immediately
• Prototype rapidly
• Keep what's fun
• Cut what's boring

4. Respect Player Time

• Quick runs (10-15 min)
• Permanent progression
• Clear goals
• Immediate feedback

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📊 Stats

Development:

• Lines of Code: ~8000+
• Test Coverage: 89+ tests
• Genres Implemented: 3 (6+ planned)
• Shopkeepers: 5 romanceable NPCs
• Upgrades: 43 permanent items
• Development Time: ~40 hours (including rewrites)
• Times Refactored: Too many to count

Game Content:

• Waves: 9 per loop
• Boss Fights: 3 per loop
• Enemy Types: 4 variants
• Romance Dialogues: 30+ unique lines
• Powerup Types: 10+
• Difficulty Loops: Infinite

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🎭 The Shopkeepers

Meet the cast:

• Zara 💙 - The Cosmic Merchant (Enthusiastic haggler)
• Blorp 🎩 - Tentacled Trader (Sophisticated octopus)
• Gleep 😤 - The Tiny Tyrant (Sassy, sarcastic)
• Xylara 🔮 - The Mysterious (Mystical fortune teller)
• Boltz 🤖 - RoboMerchant (Cheerful AI)

Each has unique dialogue, personality, and romance bonus!

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🌟 Future Vision

Phase 1: Polish Core (Weeks 1-2)

• Difficulty scaling
• Genre-specific upgrades
• UI improvements
• Balance pass

Phase 2: Content Expansion (Weeks 3-6)

• Tower Defense genre
• Bullet Hell genre
• Rhythm Game genre
• Boss Rush mode
• Endless mode

Phase 3: Meta Systems (Weeks 7-8)

• Achievement system
• Unlock progression
• Daily challenges
• Leaderboards

Phase 4: Launch (Week 9+)

• Sound effects & music
• Visual effects polish
• Marketing assets
• Steam release?

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💡 Lessons Learned

What Worked

✅ TDD from day 1 - Refactored fearlessly
✅ Pure functions - Easy to test, easy to compose
✅ Genre modularity - Can add new genres easily
✅ AI pair programming - Rapid prototyping
✅ Vibecoding mindset - Kept development fun

What Was Hard

😅 Scope creep - "Just one more feature..."
😅 Genre coordination - 3 different control schemes
😅 Balance - Romance system had design flaw
😅 State management - Many game states to juggle

What Was Surprising

🎉 Romance system popularity - Most loved feature!
🎉 Bot revealed bugs - Automated testing is gold
🎉 Test coverage confidence - Refactor anything anytime
🎉 Genre switching works - Players love the chaos

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🤝 Contributing

This game is TDD-driven. All contributions MUST include tests.

1. Pick a task from tasks/ directory
2. Read TDD_ACTION_PLAN.md for that task
3. Follow RED → GREEN → REFACTOR cycle
4. Write tests FIRST
5. Submit PR with test coverage

No tests = No merge

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📜 License

MIT License - Do whatever you want with this code!

But seriously, if you make something cool with this, let me know. I want to see your 20-genre roguelite. 🚀

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🎮 Play It, Break It, Build On It

This game is:

• ✅ A working roguelite
• ✅ A TDD showcase
• ✅ A vibecoding experiment
• ✅ A genre mashup playground
• ✅ An AI-assisted dev story

What started as "make Space Invaders with tests" became a genre-bending roguelite with romance mechanics.

That's the power of:

1. Test-Driven Development
2. Fearless refactoring
3. Saying "yes" to weird ideas
4. AI-assisted rapid prototyping

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Want to add a Dating Sim genre? Do it.
Want to add a Cooking Mama section? Go for it.
Want to make the shopkeeper a boss fight? ABSOLUTELY.

The architecture supports it. The tests protect you. The vision is open.

Go forth and vibe code. ✨

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Built with TDD, refined through vibecoding, and powered by the question:
"What if we just... threw every genre at this thing?"

The answer: This game. And it's only getting weirder. 🎪