Claude Game Dev Log: Agentic Three.js Development Lessons and Stack

Agentic Game Development Workflow

A web developer with no game development experience has been building a Three.js line rider game called LUMINAL entirely using Claude AI over two weeks, without writing any code directly. The developer reports that with persistence and a Claude 5x or 20x subscription, someone could produce a quality game in a few months.

Key Development Practices

• Git Strategy: Use Git worktrees to avoid collisions, maintain a develop branch, and work exclusively on feature branches. Close AI sessions and start new ones once a feature is complete.
• TypeScript & Testing: Implement TypeScript early and write unit tests early, including tests in every plan while context is available. Audit tests regularly and don't delay end-to-end testing.
• Infrastructure Awareness: Identify when asking Claude to perform repetitive tasks and build shared infrastructure before quality assurance becomes repetitive.
• Tool Integration: Use Superpowers plugin for skill building and brainstorming, and a $20 Codex subscription for code review, specification building, and targeted UI tweaks (better than Claude for image-based UI feedback).
• Terminal Setup: WARP terminal is recommended over other setups.

Addressing AI Limitations

AI struggles with subjective matters like color palettes, bloom levels, and procedural sound design. The solution: have Claude build hundreds of admin-only sliders and toggles for parameters like bloom, color maps, and procedural sounds, with JSON export/import functionality to feed configurations back to the AI.

Resource Utilization

Use existing resources rather than building everything from scratch: 21st.dev, CodePen, Sketchfab, and community assets.

Development Wisdom

• You can build faster than you can bug fix. Adding too much too fast leads to weeks of polish and browser testing.
• Spend downtime planning using tools like Workflowy, with 20-30 plans/thoughts/bug fixes to flesh out with ChatGPT/Codex while waiting for Claude or usage limits.
• Focus on learning and fun rather than immediate monetization.

Tech Stack

• Core: TypeScript, Three.js, Vite
• Backend: Firebase (Auth, RTDB, Firestore, Hosting, Cloud Functions)
• Game Server: Node.js with ws WebSocket library
• Testing/Linting: Vitest + ESLint
• Netcode: Deterministic lockstep simulation syncing only input deltas over a WebSocket relay (Cloudflare Workers). Uses seeded RNG + frame-hash desync detection for consistent state across clients. Needs more work on reconnecting.

Game URL: https://luminal.live/ (described as "still a buggy mess")