oopsdead.com: AI Driven Game Development

I recently launched oopsdead.com a pirate themed, browser based roguelike that combines party management with ship building mechanics. While the game itself is exciting, the real story is how it was built using modern AI tools.

The Game

oopsdead.com is an economic driven game designed to create emergent gameplay that evolves in chaotic and unpredictable ways. Unlike traditional games like chess or go, the goal was to create something that remains challenging to master and resistant to algorithmic solving.

The AI Driven Development Process

Initial Experiments with AI Tools

Like many developers, I’ve experimented with tools like v0, lovable.dev, GitHub Copilot, and Cursor. While these tools offer impressive initial results similar to having a junior developer on your team they often struggle with complexity and maintenance.

The Development Approach

My process broke down into several key phases:

1. Detailed Planning with ChatGPT
   • Created comprehensive narrative and user journey
   • Defined precise specifications for menus, items, and data structures
   • Documented game mechanics, economic systems, and battle scenarios
   • Used GPT 4.5 to refine and expand ideas
2. Rapid Prototyping
   • Built multiple independent prototypes using lovable.dev
   • Created five quick versions without getting bogged down in iterations
   • Selected the best prototype for further development
3. Deployment and Integration
   • Seamlessly exported to custom domain
   • Integrated with GitHub, Supabase, and Vercel
   • All accomplished without cost
4. “Vibe Coding” with Cursor
   • Adopted an AI first development approach
   • Focused on describing desired outcomes rather than manual coding
   • Used AI as a primary development partner

The Benefits

This approach yielded several advantages:

• Detailed initial planning served as both documentation and testing criteria
• Reduced development time from months to days
• Minimized manual coding while maintaining control
• Created a more experimental and creative development process

Looking Forward

While the game continues to evolve, this project demonstrates how AI tools are transforming game development. What previously required a team of ten people over months can now potentially be accomplished by one person in days.

For those interested in scaling similar projects, platforms like bld.ai can help connect with talented developers who understand this modern development approach.

Try It Yourself

Experience the game at oopsdead.com and see how AI driven development can create engaging, complex games with minimal traditional coding.