<!-- Modified 2026-09-20 for independently installed Skill packages: resolve skills by name and use bundled version-support documentation. -->
Master Router — Game-Development Skill Dispatcher
The entry point for game-development work. It fingerprints the project to pick one engine, classifies the task from the request, names the minimal set of specialized skills, and tells you to read them before acting. It dispatches and composes — it does not re-teach engine APIs.
When to use
- Use at the start of any game-development request — building or debugging a game, level,
- Use when the user names an engine or genre, says "make a game", or asks "which skill should I
player, enemy, shader, UI, save system, multiplayer, input, audio, AI, dialogue, procedural content, or visual asset set — to decide which skill(s) to load.
use?".
**When *not* to use: once the right skill is loaded and the task is squarely inside it, work from that skill — don't re-run the router every turn. Re-route only when the task pivots** to a new engine or concern (router step 6).
Routing algorithm
- Detect engine and version — project fingerprint → at most one engine skill set (or
- Classify task — phrasing → discipline(s) + at most one genre + workflow(s). §2.
- Resolve — the minimal set: engine skill(s) + discipline(s) + genre + workflow(s). §3.
- Read (disclosure) — open only the chosen
SKILL.mdbodies;references/only on demand. §4. - Compose — order: engine fundamentals → discipline concept → genre glue → workflow. §5.
- Fallback — engine unknown or no skill fits → ask or default to Godot; state any gap. §6.
"unknown"), then read the project's version source. §1.
---
1. Engine detection (project fingerprint)
Scan for the highest-confidence signal; choose exactly one engine. Stop at the first match.
| # | Engine | Primary signal | Skill names / prefixes | |:-:|--------|----------------|----------------| | 1 | Godot | project.godot | godot-* | | 2 | Unreal | *.uproject | unreal-* | | 3 | Unity | Assets/ and ProjectSettings/ProjectVersion.txt | unity-* | | 4 | Bevy | Cargo.toml with a bevy dependency | bevy-ecs | | 5 | Phaser | package.json dep phaser | phaser-* | | 6 | PixiJS | package.json dep pixi.js | pixijs-rendering | | 7 | three.js | package.json dep three | threejs-* | | 8 | LÖVE | conf.lua / main.lua calling love.* | love2d-core | | 9 | pygame | *.py with import pygame | pygame-core | | 10 | Roblox | *.rbxl(x) / *.project.json (Rojo) | roblox-* |
For secondary signals, the Godot-C#/Unity/Bevy and multi-web disambiguation rules, monorepos, and plain-text engine mentions, read references/engine-detection.md.
After identifying the engine, read its version from project metadata or dependency locks before choosing APIs. Existing projects keep their pinned version unless migration is requested; the catalog baseline is only for new projects. The exact version sources are in the detection reference and references/version-support.md.
2. Task classification (phrasing → category)
After the engine, read the request for task signals (three additive categories):
- disciplines (cross-engine concepts):
create-game-assets,game-ai,ai-behavior-trees-utility-ai,procedural-gen,dialogue-systems, - genres (whole-game templates):
platformer,roguelike,rpg,fps-shooter, - workflows (process/shipping):
game-jam,prototype-fast,steam-publish,
save-systems, audio-design, shader-programming, physics-tuning, level-design, input-systems, game-feel, camera-systems, game-ui-ux, performance-optimization. Triggered by concept words ("sprite sheet", "art direction", "texture", "pathfinding", "save slots", "fragment shader", "screen shake", "camera follow", "HUD/menu", "optimize/low FPS").
tower-defense, card-game, visual-novel, survival-crafting, puzzle. Triggered by genre words ("make a roguelike", "deckbuilder").
itch-publish. Triggered by process words ("publish on Steam", "vertical slice").
File signals sharpen this: *.yarn/*.ink → dialogue-systems/visual-novel; steam_appid.txt → steam-publish; *.inputactions → unity-input-system.
3. Routing table (task → category → skill)
3a. Engine skills — read the one matching the detected engine + sub-task
- Godot (
godot-*): languagegodot-gdscript/godot-csharp; structure - Unity (
unity-*): scriptingunity-csharp-scripting; inputunity-input-system; - Unreal (
unreal-*): visual scriptingunreal-blueprints; C++ gameplay - Web:
phaser-core,phaser-arcade-physics;pixijs-rendering; - Other:
bevy-ecs,pygame-core,love2d-core; Roblox foundation
godot-nodes-scenes, godot-signals-groups; 2D godot-2d-movement, godot-tilemap; 3D godot-3d-essentials; physics godot-physics; UI godot-ui-control; animation godot-animation; shaders godot-shaders; data godot-resources; audio godot-audio; netcode godot-multiplayer; ship godot-export.
physics unity-physics; animation unity-animation; data unity-scriptableobjects; 2D unity-tilemap-2d; AI nav unity-navmesh; ship unity-build-pipeline.
unreal-cpp-gameplay; input unreal-enhanced-input; AI unreal-behavior-trees; VFX unreal-niagara; ship unreal-packaging.
threejs-scene-setup, threejs-gltf-loading, threejs-materials-lighting.
roblox-luau, persistence roblox-datastores, UI roblox-ui, remotes/security roblox-networking, character lifecycle roblox-characters, simulation/queries roblox-physics, and in-Studio operation roblox-studio-workflow.
3b. Disciplines — load with the engine skill (concept ↔ engine API)
| Concept (says:) | Discipline skill | Pairs with (engine API) | |-------------------|------------------|-------------------------| | art direction, game assets, sprites, tilesets, textures, icons, 3D props | create-game-assets | engine importer/rendering skill; imagegen when available | | enemy AI, behavior tree, pathfinding, steering | game-ai | unity-navmesh / unreal-behavior-trees / Godot nav | | BT runtime, blackboard, decorator, selector/sequence, utility AI, response curve, consideration | ai-behavior-trees-utility-ai | game-ai (model choice) / unreal-behavior-trees (engine assets) | | procedural, noise, seed, dungeon generator | procedural-gen | engine tilemap/grid skill | | dialogue, Yarn, Ink, conversation tree | dialogue-systems | engine UI skill | | save/load, slots, persistence | save-systems | roblox-datastores / engine IO | | adaptive music, mixer, ducking, SFX | audio-design | godot-audio / Unity AudioMixer | | shader, fragment, dissolve/outline | shader-programming | godot-shaders / engine material | | jitter, tunneling, fixed timestep | physics-tuning | godot-physics / unity-physics | | whitebox, blockout, tile layout, pacing | level-design | godot-tilemap / unity-tilemap-2d | | rebind, gamepad, input buffering | input-systems | unity-input-system / unreal-enhanced-input / Godot InputMap | | screen shake, hit-stop, juice, squash & stretch, "make it punchy" | game-feel | engine animation/tween + camera-systems (shake) | | camera follow, deadzone, look-ahead, orbit, first-person | camera-systems | godot-2d-movement / godot-3d-essentials / Cinemachine | | HUD, menu, UI layout, scaling, safe area, focus nav | game-ui-ux | godot-ui-control / Unity UI (UGUI/UI Toolkit) | | low FPS, optimize, draw calls, GC spike, pooling, profiler | performance-optimization | engine profiler + physics-tuning |
For Roblox, compose cross-engine concepts with the focused engine skill: HUD/menu requests use roblox-ui + game-ui-ux (+ input-systems for gameplay bindings); remote exploit or replication requests use roblox-networking + roblox-luau; respawn/rig requests use roblox-characters; physical simulation/query requests use roblox-physics (+ physics-tuning for stability); direct place editing also uses roblox-studio-workflow.
3c. Genres — compose engine + disciplines (bind * to the detected engine)
| Genre (says:) | composes | |-----------------|----------| | platformer, jump, double jump | godot-2d-movement (or engine physics) + godot-tilemap/unity-tilemap-2d + level-design + camera-systems + game-feel | | roguelike, procedural dungeon, permadeath | procedural-gen + godot-tilemap/unity-tilemap-2d + game-ai + save-systems + game-feel | | RPG, stats, inventory, quests | godot-resources/unity-scriptableobjects + dialogue-systems + save-systems + game-ui-ux | | FPS, first-person, hitscan | godot-3d-essentials/unreal-cpp-gameplay + input-systems + game-ai + camera-systems + game-feel | | tower defense, waves, lanes | game-ai + engine movement + level-design + game-ui-ux | | card game, deckbuilder, TCG | godot-resources/unity-scriptableobjects + game-ui-ux (+ engine UI) | | visual novel, branching story | dialogue-systems + save-systems + game-ui-ux | | survival, crafting, gathering | save-systems + godot-resources/unity-scriptableobjects + procedural-gen + game-ui-ux | | puzzle, match-3, grid logic | godot-tilemap/unity-tilemap-2d + level-design + game-feel |
3d. Workflows — engine-independent process & shipping
game-jam (jam, 48-hour, Ludum Dare/GMTK) · prototype-fast (vertical slice, MVP, greybox) · steam-publish (Steam, Steamworks, depot; steam_appid.txt) · itch-publish (itch.io, butler; .itch.toml).
For the exhaustive per-skill trigger list and every engine binding, read references/routing-table.md.
4. Read protocol (progressive disclosure)
- Discover: use the host Agent's available-skill list or discovery mechanism for each
- On selection: match each chosen skill by its exact frontmatter
name, then read its - On demand: resolve a chosen skill's bundled
references/relative to that skill's own - Missing or unreadable skill: report its exact name and the affected task. Use a relevant
- Re-route on pivot: if the task changes (movement → saving), select and read the newly
skill's name, description, and actual installation location. Decide from those plus the fingerprint — do not pre-read bodies. The routing table lists authored skills; it does not prove that every listed skill is installed or enabled.
SKILL.md at the location supplied by the host (or use the host's skill-loading mechanism). Independently installed skills may be in any project-level or global location supported by that host; no shared parent folder, original repository layout, or separate external index is required. Archive numbers and installation-folder prefixes are not part of a skill's name. Read only the chosen bodies; never bulk-load a whole category.
directory and read them only when the subtask needs that depth (the skill body says when).
available alternative only after stating the gap; if the missing capability blocks progress, stop that part and explain what must be installed or enabled. Never claim a missing skill was loaded, guess its installation path, or download/install it automatically.
relevant skill instead of keeping everything loaded.
Announce what you load and why, e.g.: *"Detected Godot (project.godot). Loading godot-2d-movement for the controller and platformer for jump feel; will open the platformer skill's feel-tuning.md reference if you want coyote-time/buffering."*
5. Composition rules
- One engine set, additive concepts. Exactly one engine skill set; add the disciplines the
- Order: engine fundamentals → discipline concept → genre orchestration → workflow. For asset
- Ownership on overlap: the engine skill owns API/syntax; the discipline skill owns
- Hand-offs: when a genre's
composesnames a slot like*-2d-movement, bind it to the
task needs and usually at most one genre. Workflows attach independently.
production, approve the visual target before generating a family, then finish with the engine import settings and an in-context capture.
the portable concept/algorithm and defers to the engine skill for code; the genre skill owns structure/glue and links out instead of re-teaching a primitive.
detected engine. If that engine lacks the exact skill, see §6 and references/routing-table.md ("Binding gaps").
6. Unknown-engine & no-skill fallback
Engine unknown (no fingerprint, no engine named):
- Check the request for a plain-text engine name ("in Unity", "using Phaser"). If found, adopt it.
- If the task is a pure concept/genre/workflow question, route straight to the engine-agnostic
- Only if engine choice actually blocks the answer, ask one targeted question ("Which engine —
- Never invent an engine or load an engine skill on a guess.
discipline/genre/workflow skill — no engine needed ("what's a good save format?" → save-systems).
Godot, Unity, Unreal, or a web/other engine?"). If the user has no preference and one is needed, default to Godot (the most fully covered engine here) and say so.
Engine known but no skill covers the subtask: load the closest engine skill plus the relevant discipline and state the gap plainly (e.g. "no dedicated Unity 2D-movement skill; using unity-csharp-scripting + unity-physics"). Never fabricate a skill name.
Conflicting/multiple genres: pick the dominant genre from the phrasing; mention the secondary and offer to load it if the user confirms.
Worked examples
| Request | Detected engine | Skills loaded (in order) | |---------|-----------------|--------------------------| | "add a double jump to my Godot player" | Godot (project.godot) | godot-2d-movement → platformer | | "make an inventory for my Unity RPG" | Unity (Assets/+ProjectSettings/) | unity-scriptableobjects → rpg → save-systems | | "procedural dungeon roguelike in Godot" | Godot | godot-tilemap → procedural-gen → roguelike | | "branching dialogue from a .yarn file" | (none required) | dialogue-systems (+ engine UI skill if an engine is detected) | | "how do I design save slots with migration?" | (none) | save-systems only | | "publish my game on itch with butler" | (any/none) | itch-publish only | | "I want to make a game but don't know what to use" | unknown → ask, default Godot | router asks once; then e.g. godot-nodes-scenes | | "make hits feel punchy in my Godot game" | Godot (project.godot) | game-feel (+ camera-systems for shake) | | "the camera should follow my player smoothly" | (detected engine) | camera-systems (+ engine movement skill) | | "my Unity game drops to 30 FPS, optimize it" | Unity (Assets/+ProjectSettings/) | performance-optimization (profile first) → engine skill | | "make a cohesive pixel-art player and enemy set" | (detected engine) | create-game-assets → relevant engine import/rendering skill |
References
- Full engine fingerprints, secondary signals, and disambiguation:
references/engine-detection.md. - Exhaustive per-skill trigger words, engine bindings, and binding gaps:
references/routing-table.md.