How I make my games
Codonwerk is a one-person studio. I'm Marvin, and I build games together with AI. I think that should be said openly, and more precisely than in a line of small print. So here is who does what.
Who does what?
| Step | How it works | Human share |
|---|---|---|
| Idea | The game ideas, themes and worlds come from me. AI helps with brainstorming and with researching what already exists. | approx. 90 % |
| Design | I design rules, game feel and balance together with the AI. I decide what goes into the game. | approx. 55–60 % |
| Code | The AI (Claude by Anthropic) writes the code to my specifications. I test, give feedback and have it improved until it's right. | approx. 5 % |
| Art | The prototypes draw their shapes in code written by the AI. I set the style and colours. The logo started from ChatGPT drafts and was then rebuilt as a vector. | approx. 5–10 % |
| Sound | Not started yet. Once there is music and sound, this is where you'll find out how it was made. | – |
| Text | Game and website texts go back and forth: the AI drafts, I edit and approve. | approx. 30–40 % |
| Testing | I play every version myself. The AI also builds automated tests. | approx. 90 % |
The gene label
Every project carries a gene label: one bar per step, teal for my share, violet for the AI's share. The figures on the label are the same ones I will later give on Steam and itch.io about my use of AI.
My rules
- Anything you see or hear in a game that was generated with AI will be disclosed by me on its store page.
- I never pass off AI work as purely handmade.
- I don't use other artists' work as a template to copy their style.
- If the way I work changes, this page changes too.