Claude-Code-Game-Studios/.claude/docs/templates/design-doc-from-implementation.md

[System Name] — Design Document

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Status: Reverse-Documented Source: [path to implementation code] Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Verified By: [User name or "pending review"] Implementation Status: [Fully implemented | Partially implemented | Needs extension]

⚠️ Reverse-Documentation Notice

This design document was created after the implementation already existed. It captures current behavior and clarified design intent based on code analysis and user consultation. Some sections may be incomplete where implementation is partial or design intent was unclear during reverse-engineering.

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Summary

[2–3 sentences: what this system is, what it does for the player, why it exists — inferred from code; mark [inferred — confirm]]

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1. Overview

Purpose: [What problem does this system solve?]

Scope: [What is included/excluded from this system?]

Current Implementation: [Brief description of what exists in code]

Design Intent (clarified):

• [Intent 1 — why this feature exists]
• [Intent 2 — what player experience it creates]
• [Intent 3 — how it fits into overall game pillars]

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2. Player Fantasy

[What the player should FEEL when using this system. Code does not record this: infer it from the player-facing effects above, then CONFIRM it with the designer and mark it [inferred — confirm] until they do.]

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3. Detailed Design

3.1 Core Mechanics

[Describe the mechanics as implemented, organized clearly]

[Mechanic 1 Name]:

• Description: [What it does]
• Implementation: [How it works in code]
• Design Rationale: [Why it exists — from user clarification]
• Player-Facing: [How players experience this]

[Mechanic 2 Name]:

• Description: [What it does]
• Implementation: [How it works]
• Design Rationale: [Why it exists]
• Player-Facing: [Player experience]

3.2 State and Data

Data Structures (from code):

State Machines (if applicable):

[State diagram or list of states and transitions]

Persistence:

• Saved: [What is saved to player save file]
• Not saved: [What is session-only or recalculated]

3.3 Integration Points

Dependencies (systems this depends on):

• [System 1]: [What it provides]
• [System 2]: [What it provides]

Dependents (systems that depend on this):

• [System 3]: [How it uses this system]
• [System 4]: [How it uses this system]

API Surface (public interface):

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4. Formulas

Formulas Discovered in Code:

Formula	Expression	Purpose	Verified?
[Formula 1]	[mathematical expression]	[What it calculates]	✅ / ⚠️ needs tuning
[Formula 2]	[expression]	[Purpose]	✅ / ⚠️ needs tuning

Clarifications:

• [Formula X]: Originally [value/approach], user clarified intent is [corrected intent]
• [Formula Y]: Implemented as [X], but should be [Y] — flagged for update

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5. Edge Cases

Handled in Code:

• ✅ [Edge case 1]: [How it's handled]
• ✅ [Edge case 2]: [How it's handled]

Not Yet Handled (discovered during analysis):

• ⚠️ [Edge case 3]: [What happens? Needs implementation]
• ⚠️ [Edge case 4]: [What happens? Needs implementation]

Unclear (need user clarification):

• ❓ [Edge case 5]: [What should happen? Pending decision]

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6. Dependencies

Technical Dependencies:

• [Dependency 1]: [Why needed]
• [Dependency 2]: [Why needed]

Design Dependencies (other design docs):

• [System X Design]: [How they interact]
• [System Y Design]: [How they interact]

Content Dependencies:

• [Asset type]: [What's needed]
• [Data files]: [Required config/balance data]

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7. Tuning Knobs

Current Values (as implemented):

Parameter	Current Value	Rationale	Needs Tuning?
[Param 1]	[value]	[Why this value]	✅ / ⚠️ / ❌
[Param 2]	[value]	[Why this value]	✅ / ⚠️ / ❌

Balance Concerns Identified:

• ⚠️ [Concern 1]: [What's wrong, suggested fix]
• ⚠️ [Concern 2]: [What's wrong, suggested fix]

Recommended Balance Pass:

• Run /balance-check on [specific aspect]
• Playtest with focus on [specific scenario]

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8. Acceptance Criteria

What Exists (implemented):

• ✅ [Criterion 1]
• ✅ [Criterion 2]
• ⚠️ [Criterion 3] — partially implemented

What's Missing (not yet implemented):

• ❌ [Criterion 4] — flagged for future work
• ❌ [Criterion 5] — flagged for future work

Definition of Done (when is this system "complete"?):

• [Requirement 1]
• [Requirement 2]
• [Requirement 3]

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Open Questions and Follow-Up Work

Questions Needing User Decision

1. [Question 1]: [What needs to be decided?]

   • Option A: [Approach A]
   • Option B: [Approach B]

2. [Question 2]: [What needs to be decided?]

Flagged Follow-Up Work

• Update [Formula X]: Change from exponential to linear (per user clarification)
• Implement [Edge Case Y]: Handle scenario not in current code
• Create ADR: Document why [architectural decision] was chosen
• Balance pass: Run /balance-check on progression curve
• Extend design doc: When [related feature] is implemented, update this doc

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Version History

Date	Author	Changes
[Date]	Claude (reverse-doc)	Initial reverse-documentation from [source path]
[Date]	[User]	Clarified design intent, corrected [X]

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Next Steps:

1. [Priority 1 task based on gaps identified]
2. [Priority 2 task]
3. [Priority 3 task]

Related Skills:

• /balance-check — Validate formulas and progression
• /architecture-decision — Document technical decisions
• /code-review — Ensure code matches clarified design

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This document was generated by /reverse-document design [path]