Adjust numbers so the loop feels right. Game feel is math.

Today is not about code changes or new features. Today is about numbers. You play for 5 minutes, observe, then adjust ONE number. Play again. Observe again. Balance is iterative, not immediate.
Ami — Combat Tuning Levers

These are the numbers you can adjust:

  • Encounter chance — base value 0.01
  • Enemy power range — currently 5–20
  • XP reward multiplier — how much XP per win
  • Risk escalation speed — 0.01 per frame
Ida — Economy Tuning Levers

These are the numbers you can adjust:

  • Job cost/payout ratio — how much jobs cost vs. what they pay
  • Interest rate on debt — how fast debt grows
  • Debt cap threshold — currently -50
  • Tier unlock thresholds — Ami: 50, 150 / Ida: 100, 300

Follow this loop exactly:

  1. Play for 5 uninterrupted minutes.
  2. Ask yourself: Did I die too often? Did I feel no danger? Was debt too easy to manage? Was bankruptcy constant?
  3. Identify ONE number to change.
  4. Change that number only.
  5. Play again for 5 minutes.
  6. Compare: did the change help?
  7. Repeat if needed (maximum 3 tuning cycles).
  • Play for 5 uninterrupted minutes
  • Write down what feels wrong
  • Identify ONE number to change
  • Change that number only
  • Play again for 5 minutes
  • Compare: did the change help?
  • Repeat if needed (max 3 tuning cycles)
    •
    Checkpoint

    Loop feels tense but survivable. Not too easy, not too hard. Death/bankruptcy is possible but not constant.

    No adding new systems to fix balance. Adjust existing numbers ONLY. No new mechanics.

    Changing multiple numbers at once — you can't tell what helped. Change one variable, observe the result.

    Adding new systems instead of tuning existing ones — the temptation to "fix" balance with a new feature is strong. Resist it.

    Not playing long enough to feel the change — 30 seconds is not enough. Play the full 5 minutes each cycle.

    Giving up after one attempt — balance tuning takes multiple cycles. Three is the minimum.

    This is the scientific method applied to game design. Change one variable, observe the result. Ask: "Which single number changed the feel most?" That number is the most important lever in the system.