Lesson 9: Building a Strategy Game with Vibe Coding - Complete Implementation Guide

Video Overview & Key Concepts

This lesson demonstrates the complete process of building "Nebula Dominion," a 2D grid-based turn-based sci-fi strategy game, using vibe coding techniques with AI assistance. The project showcases how to transform a simple concept into a fully functional game through iterative AI-guided development.

Core Learning Objectives:

• Master the vibe coding workflow for game development
• Understand AI-assisted iterative development processes
• Learn effective problem-solving techniques with AI tools
• Implement proper version control and testing practices

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While Watching Tips

Focus on these key moments:

• 0:35 - Initial concept generation workflow with Grok
• 1:11 - Problem-solving approach for dependency issues
• 2:17 - AI opponent implementation strategy
• 3:15 - UI/UX improvement iterations
• 4:08 - Combat system development process
• 6:11 - Warp lane mechanics implementation
• 7:32 - Base building and win condition logic
• 9:28 - Asset integration and visual enhancement
• 10:26 - Development workflow and best practices

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Takeaways

Game Development Progression

The video demonstrates a systematic approach to building complexity:

Phase 1: Foundation (0:00-1:42)

• Concept generation using AI tools
• Basic framework setup with dependencies
• Initial grid visualization

Phase 2: Core Mechanics (1:42-4:08)

• Unit types and movement system
• AI opponent implementation
• Combat system integration

Phase 3: Polish & Features (4:08-9:28)

• UI improvements and visual feedback
• Advanced mechanics (warp lanes, bases)
• Asset integration and graphics

Phase 4: Testing & Refinement (9:28-11:51)

• Debug tools and win condition testing
• Code refactoring and optimization
• Version control implementation

Key Technical Concepts

• Vibe Coding: Development approach using AI assistance for code generation
• Iterative Development: Building features incrementally with continuous testing
• AI-Assisted Problem Solving: Using AI to diagnose and fix issues immediately
• Asset Integration: Automatic sprite assignment based on file naming conventions

Implementation Guide

Getting Started Checklist

• [ ] Set up development environment (Cursor IDE + Claude)
• [ ] Generate initial concept using AI tools
• [ ] Create basic project structure with dependencies
• [ ] Implement core game loop and grid system
• [ ] Test basic functionality before adding features

Core Feature Implementation Order

1. Basic Grid & Movement
   
   • 10x10 game grid
   • Unit placement and selection
   • Movement mechanics
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2. Game Units & AI
   
   • Define unit types (Corvette, Mech, Dreadnought, Drone)
   • Implement AI opponent
   • Add unit statistics and tooltips
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3. Combat System
   
   • Adjacent unit attack mechanics
   • Combat preview functionality
   • Health and damage calculations
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4. Advanced Features
   
   • Warp lane system
   • Base building and destruction
   • Resource management (Nebula)
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5. Visual Polish
   
   • Sprite integration
   • UI improvements
   • Visual feedback systems

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Problem-Solving Workflow

1. Identify Issue: Describe the problem clearly to AI
2. AI Diagnosis: Let AI analyze and propose solutions
3. Implementation: Apply suggested fixes
4. Testing: Verify fixes work as expected
5. Iteration: Repeat until satisfied with results

Reference Materials

Unit Types & Specifications

• Corvette: Fast scout unit, high mobility
• Mech: Ground combat specialist, balanced stats
• Dreadnought: Heavy hitter, high damage/health
• Drone: Resource gatherer, targets planets

Game Mechanics Summary

• Turn-based: Players alternate moves
• Grid-based: 10x10 playing field
• Resource system: Nebula currency for unit building
• Win conditions: Destroy enemy base or all units
• Warp lanes: Special movement corridors for rapid transit

Development Tools Stack

• Primary IDE: Cursor with Claude 3.7 Sonnet
• Programming Language: Python
• Game Framework: Pygame
• Math Library: NumPy
• Version Control: Git
• Asset Sources: Free sprite websites
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Enhanced Examples

Effective AI Prompting Techniques

Instead of: "Fix the movement" Try: "When I select one unit and then click another unit, I want the first unit to automatically deselect and the second unit to become selected"

Instead of: "Add graphics" Try: "Look in the assets folder, examine the file names, and assign appropriate sprites to each game element based on the naming conventions"

Version Control Best Practices

The video demonstrates a critical workflow:

1. Make changes
2. Test manually
3. Write automated tests
4. Ensure all tests pass
5. Commit and push code
6. Begin next feature

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After Watching Activities

Immediate Action Items

1. Set up your development environment with Cursor and Claude access
2. Practice the concept generation process by creating your own game concept
3. Implement the basic workflow with a simple project to understand the process
4. Create a project repository and practice the commit workflow

Reflection Questions

• How does vibe coding change your approach to learning programming?
• What aspects of the iterative development process seem most valuable?
• How might you apply these AI-assisted techniques to other types of projects?
• What challenges do you anticipate when scaling this approach to larger projects?

Implementation Challenge

Beginner: Create a simple 5x5 grid game with basic movement Intermediate: Add a simple combat system to your grid game Advanced: Implement an AI opponent with basic strategy

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Deep Dive Sections

The Psychology of Vibe Coding

The video reveals an important shift in development mindset. Rather than manually writing every line of code, the developer focuses on:

• Problem identification and clear communication
• System design and feature specification
• Quality assurance through testing and iteration
• Creative direction rather than implementation details

This approach allows developers to work at a higher level of abstraction, focusing on what the software should do rather than how to make it work at the code level.

Scaling Considerations

While the video shows a 4-hour project, several factors enabled this efficiency:

• Clear scope definition from the beginning
• Iterative approach with frequent testing
• AI assistance for both coding and problem-solving
• Existing knowledge of game development concepts

For larger projects, consider how these principles might need to be adapted for team collaboration and more complex requirements.

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Pro Tips Callouts

💡 Specification Clarity: Use consistent terminology throughout your project. The video mentions how "base" vs "command center" confusion created code issues.

💡 Asynchronous Development: While AI processes your requests, you can work on other tasks, making development more efficient.

💡 Asset Integration: AI can automatically match assets to game elements based on file naming conventions - a huge time saver.

💡 Debug Tools: Build testing shortcuts early (like the hidden debug menu) to accelerate development cycles.

💡 Version Control Early: Start committing code from the first working version to avoid losing progress.

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Implementation Roadmap

Week 1: Foundation

• Day 1-2: Environment setup and basic concepts
• Day 3-4: Grid system and unit placement
• Day 5-7: Basic movement and selection

Week 2: Core Gameplay

• Day 1-3: Combat system implementation
• Day 4-5: AI opponent development
• Day 6-7: Resource management basics

Week 3: Advanced Features

• Day 1-3: Building system and bases
• Day 4-5: Win conditions and game flow
• Day 6-7: Special mechanics (warp lanes)

Week 4: Polish & Deployment

• Day 1-3: Visual assets and UI improvements
• Day 4-5: Testing and bug fixes
• Day 6-7: Documentation and sharing

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