The best AI game generator prompts after the first build are short follow-ups that name one problem and one fix, like "Slow the first 10 seconds so new players can learn the controls." Most AI games are not ruined by the first prompt. They get stuck because the next message tries to fix everything at once.
This page is a fix-it library: follow-up prompts grouped by the problem you see when you play. For first-prompt templates, see best prompts for an AI game generator. This page picks up after the game exists.
How to write a follow-up that works
Use this shape:
"[What is wrong] → [what you want instead], [how you will know it worked]."
For example: "The player dies too fast. Give them three lives instead of one, shown as hearts in the corner."
Rules of thumb:
- One problem per message
- Say what you saw, not only what you want
- Use numbers where you can (seconds, lives, speed, size)
- Play after every change
Quick reference: symptom to follow-up
| What you see | Follow-up to send |
|---|---|
| Players do not know what to do | "Show a one-line instruction on the first screen, then hide it after the first input." |
| Losing in the first seconds | "Make the first 10 seconds easy: no obstacles for 3 seconds, then slow ones." |
| Too easy after a minute | "Every 20 seconds, increase enemy speed by 10 percent." |
| No reason to replay | "Show the best score on the game over screen and save it between plays." |
| Feels flat | "Add a short sound and a small flash when the player scores." |
| Controls feel slippery | "Make the character stop as soon as the key is released." |
| Hard to tap on a phone | "Make all buttons at least twice as large and add touch controls." |
| Game over is abrupt | "On game over, pause for one second, then show score and a restart button." |
| Text is hard to read | "Increase text size and contrast against the background." |
| Too much happening | "Remove the power-ups for now. Keep only the core loop." |
Follow-ups for the first screen
- "Add a title screen with the game name and a Play button."
- "Explain the controls in one line on the title screen."
- "Start the game on the first tap instead of a menu."
- "Show the goal before the first round: 'Survive 60 seconds.'"
Follow-ups for difficulty
- "Slow everything down by 30 percent for the first round."
- "Add a short countdown (3, 2, 1) before each round."
- "Spawn fewer enemies at the start and add one more every 15 seconds."
- "If the player loses three times in a row, make the next run slightly easier."
Follow-ups for controls and feel
- "Make jumps feel snappier: rise faster and fall faster."
- "Let the player jump a split second after leaving a ledge."
- "Add screen shake when the player gets hit, but keep it small."
- "Add a short trail behind the player when moving fast."
For genre-specific tuning, see make a platformer with AI.
Follow-ups for scoring and replay
- "Show score in the top corner, large and readable."
- "Add a combo: consecutive hits multiply points."
- "Show 'New best!' when the player beats their best score."
- "Add a shared leaderboard for top scores."
For leaderboards on Fifth Door, see how to add a leaderboard to a browser game. Saves and shared records come from the Fifth Door Platform SDK, because published games cannot use localStorage or cookies.
Follow-ups for art and sound
- "Use one consistent color palette: dark blue background, bright yellow for things the player can touch."
- "Make enemies a different color from collectibles so they are easy to tell apart."
- "Add a sound for scoring, a sound for getting hit, and a sound for game over."
- "Add soft background music that loops, with a mute button."
Follow-ups for mobile
- "Make the game fill a portrait phone screen."
- "Replace keyboard controls with tap and swipe on touch devices."
- "Move buttons away from the screen edges."
- "Pause automatically when the tab loses focus."
Follow-ups when something breaks
- "The game freezes after game over. Make restart reset everything to the first round."
- "Enemies sometimes spawn on top of the player. Never spawn within a safe distance of the player."
- "Undo the last change. It made the game worse."
- "Keep everything as it is, but fix only the score not resetting between runs."
If the game drifts after many changes, it can be faster to start a new build with a tighter first prompt that includes what you learned. See how to describe game rules without code for a template.
Follow-ups before you share
- "Check the game works with no sound on, since many people play muted."
- "Make the game over screen show a short line that invites another try."
Then open the game page and use Share / Copy link.
FAQ
What is a follow-up prompt in an AI game generator?
A message you send after the first build to change one thing. It edits the game instead of starting over.
Why do my changes break other parts of the game?
Usually because one message asked for several changes. Send one change at a time, play, then send the next.
Should I start over or keep fixing?
Keep fixing while each change helps. If the game keeps drifting from your idea, start a new build with a tighter first prompt.
Do these prompts work on Fifth Door?
Yes, as starting points. Results vary. On Fifth Door you send follow-ups in create and the agent writes, tests, and saves each version.
Where can I find first-prompt templates?
In best prompts for an AI game generator and AI game ideas.
Fix one thing now
Open your game in Fifth Door create, play it once, find the row in the table above that matches the biggest problem, and send that follow-up.