{"id":284,"date":"2026-09-02T20:59:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T20:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/?p=284"},"modified":"2026-09-02T23:57:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T23:57:07","slug":"what-is-game-prototyping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping","title":{"rendered":"What Is Game Prototyping?"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_background&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; row_position_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; id=&#8221;sin_bg_pg&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_01&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;fadeInUp&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Game prototyping is the process of building a rough, playable version of a game mechanic or system to test whether it is fun, feasible, and worth full production investment, before committing the budget required to build the complete game. A game prototype usually has no final art, minimal UI, and often uses placeholder shapes instead of characters, because the entire point is to isolate the mechanic from everything that might make it look good without actually playing well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rapid prototyping is the specific discipline of building and testing these throwaway builds fast, often in days rather than weeks, so a team can iterate through several mechanic ideas before locking one in. Speed matters more than polish at this stage, since the value of a prototype comes from how quickly it answers a question, not from how presentable it looks in a deck.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>What Happens When You Skip Game Prototyping?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most cancelled games do not die because the art was bad or the code was buggy. They die because nobody tested whether the core mechanic was actually fun before six months and a real budget went into building the rest of the game around it. Game prototyping exists specifically to catch that failure early, when it costs a week and a rough build instead of a quarter and a studio&#8217;s runway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A prototype is not a small version of the finished game. It is a deliberately ugly, stripped-down build with one job: answer whether the core loop holds up when a real person plays it, before anyone commits to art direction, engineering architecture, or a release date. Studios that treat game prototyping as a serious phase instead of a rushed formality tend to ship fewer dead projects, and the ones that skip it tend to find out why the hard way.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_03&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>Why Does Game Prototyping Matter So Much?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Game concept testing at the prototype stage is the cheapest insurance a studio can buy. Reworking a broken core mechanic on paper or in a rough build costs a few days. Reworking that same mechanic after months of art production, engineering, and content creation costs a project&#8217;s entire budget and timeline, and by that point the team is often too invested to make the hard call to cut it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A video game prototype also forces honesty earlier than a design document does. A pitch deck can make almost any mechanic sound compelling with the right framing. A prototype either plays well or it does not, and that verdict shows up within minutes of putting a controller or a mouse in a tester&#8217;s hands.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>How Does the Game Prototyping Process Work?<\/h2>\n<h3>Isolate the Core Question<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every prototype should exist to answer one specific question: is this movement mechanic satisfying, does this combat system feel responsive, does this puzzle logic create genuine tension? Prototypes that try to test five things at once produce muddy results, since it becomes hard to tell which element made the build feel good or bad.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Build Fast and Rough<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speed beats polish at this stage. Placeholder cubes standing in for characters, programmer art for environments, and reused engine assets are normal and expected in a prototype. The goal is a playable build in days, not a presentable one in weeks, since every extra day spent polishing a prototype is a day not spent testing whether the idea works at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Test With Real Players<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Internal team testing catches obvious problems, but a prototype only proves its point when someone outside the project plays it without guidance. Watching a first-time player struggle with a mechanic the team assumed was intuitive is one of the most valuable moments in the entire prototyping process, and it is one a studio only gets if it actually brings in outside testers rather than relying on its own team&#8217;s familiarity with the build.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Decide: Kill, Iterate, or Greenlight<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A prototype earns one of three outcomes. Kill it if the core loop does not hold up after reasonable iteration. Iterate if there is a spark worth chasing, but the current build is not quite there. Greenlight it into full production if the mechanic proves itself. The hardest of these calls is usually killing a prototype the team has grown attached to, but that is exactly the discipline game prototyping is supposed to enforce.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_04&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;padding-3-percent&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_image=&#8221;17&#8243; background_image_position=&#8221;center center&#8221; background_image_stacking=&#8221;default&#8221; background_image_loading=&#8221;default&#8221; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; font_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;20px&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; content_layout=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>What Makes a Good Game Prototype?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good game prototype answers its question clearly, gets built fast, and costs little enough that killing it is not a painful decision. It does not need good art, a complete UI, or even a full level. It needs one honest answer: does this mechanic make someone want to keep playing?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studios that build a structured prototyping phase into their pipeline consistently report fewer late-stage pivots than teams that jump straight into full production, since<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamedeveloper.com\/design\/prototyping-in-game-design\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">catching a design flaw<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during pre-production costs a fraction of what the same fix costs after assets and code are already built around it. That cost curve is the entire argument for taking game prototyping seriously rather than treating it as a formality on the way to real production.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][nectar_btn size=&#8221;medium&#8221; button_style=&#8221;regular&#8221; button_color_2=&#8221;Accent-Color&#8221; icon_family=&#8221;fontawesome&#8221; button_id=&#8221;b2&#8243; text=&#8221;Call To Action&#8221; url=&#8221;#&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;fadeInUp&#8221; icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-long-arrow-right&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>How Long Does Game Prototyping Take?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A single mechanic prototype usually takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on complexity and how many iterations the core loop needs before it clicks. A studio testing several competing concepts for a new title might run three or four parallel prototypes over a month before committing to one direction. Timelines stretch when a prototype reveals a problem that needs a genuinely different approach rather than a small tweak, which is normal and is the entire reason the phase exists.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>Game Prototype vs Full Production: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where Is the Line?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A game prototype tests whether a mechanic is fun. Full production builds the complete game around a mechanic that has already proven itself. The two phases use different tools, different standards, and different definitions of success. A prototype succeeds by answering a question quickly and cheaply, even if the answer is no. Full production succeeds by shipping a polished, complete game built on the answer the prototype already gave. Confusing the two, treating a prototype like a finished product or treating early production like it is still open for major mechanic changes, is where a lot of studios lose time they never get back.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>Common Mistakes in Game Prototyping<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Polishing too early<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Adding real art or full UI to a prototype defeats the purpose, since a good-looking build can mask a mechanic that is not actually fun.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Testing only with the internal team. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A team that has been staring at its own mechanic for weeks cannot judge it the way a first-time player will, and internal testing alone misses the exact confusion points a real audience will hit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Skipping the kill decision. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some teams build a prototype, get lukewarm results, and move forward anyway because stopping feels like wasted effort. The effort is not wasted if it prevents a much larger waste later in full production.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Testing too many variables at once.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A video game prototype that changes the movement system, the combat, and the progression loop simultaneously cannot tell a team which change mattered, which defeats the entire point of isolating a single question.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Confusing enthusiasm with evidence.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A team excited about a mechanic during internal builds is not the same as game concept testing that shows real players are excited too. The two get conflated more often than studios like to admit, usually right before a mechanic that never actually tested well ends up greenlit anyway.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>What Should a Prototyping Report Actually Include?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A useful prototype does not end when the build stops crashing. It ends with a short, honest write-up: what question the prototype was built to answer, what players actually did when they picked it up, where they got confused or bored, and a clear recommendation: kill, iterate, or greenlight. Game concept testing without a documented outcome tends to get re-litigated later based on memory and opinion rather than what testers actually showed the team, which defeats the purpose of having tested anything in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best prototyping reports also capture what almost worked. A mechanic that scored well on engagement but confused half the testers is not a failure; it is a specific, fixable problem, and writing that down clearly is often more valuable than the initial verdict itself. Teams that skip this step tend to relearn the same lessons on the next prototype instead of building institutional knowledge about what actually plays well for their genre and audience.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What is the difference between a prototype and an MVP?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A prototype tests whether a single mechanic or system is fun, usually with no art and minimal scope. An MVP, or minimum viable product, is a stripped-down but complete version of the actual game, built to validate the whole product with real players or a limited market release. A prototype typically comes first and informs whether building an MVP is worth the investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Do I need a game prototype before hiring a development studio?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not strictly, but it helps considerably. A working prototype gives a game development studio something concrete to scope against instead of a written concept alone, which usually produces a more accurate cost and timeline estimate. Studios that offer game prototyping as a service can also build the prototype for you as the first phase of an engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What tools are commonly used for rapid prototyping?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unity and Godot are common choices for rapid prototyping because of their fast iteration cycles and large asset libraries for placeholder content. Some teams prototype board-game style mechanics on paper or with physical tokens before touching code at all, particularly for turn-based or strategy systems where the core logic can be tested without a digital build.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Can a prototype be reused in the final game?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes, but it should not be assumed. Prototype code is written for speed, not for long-term maintainability, and reusing it directly in production often introduces technical debt that costs more to untangle later than rewriting it properly would have. Some studios rebuild core systems from scratch once a prototype proves the concept, using the prototype as a reference rather than a foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How much does game prototyping cost?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Game prototyping is typically the least expensive phase of development, often a few thousand dollars for a simple mechanic test up to the low tens of thousands for a more complex multi-system prototype. The cost is intentionally small relative to full production, since the entire value of the phase depends on it being cheap enough that killing a failed prototype is not a painful financial decision.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;row_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<h2>Prototype First, Build Second<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Game prototyping is not a delay before the real work starts. It is the cheapest, fastest way to find out whether the real work is worth starting at all. Studios that build a genuine prototyping phase into their pipeline kill bad ideas early, when killing them is easy, and carry the good ones into production with actual evidence that the core loop works. Cobweb Games runs rapid prototyping as a standalone service and as the opening phase of larger development engagements, because a game that has not proven itself in a rough build has no business getting a full production budget.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; sticky_content=&#8221;true&#8221; sticky_content_functionality=&#8221;js&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;large_depth&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; content_layout=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_row_inner column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_position=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; pointer_events=&#8221;all&#8221; el_id=&#8221;innr_02&#8243;][vc_column_inner column_padding=&#8221;padding-3-percent&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#1E1E1E&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221; column_padding_type=&#8221;default&#8221; content_layout=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221;][vc_raw_html css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;sidebar_dyn&#8221;]JTNDaDIlM0VUYWJsZSUyMG9mJTIwQ29udGVudHMlM0MlMkZoMiUzRSUwRCUwQSUzQ3VsJTIwaWQlM0QlMjJkeW5hbWljLXRvYy1saXN0JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGdWwlM0U=[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_background&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; row_position_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; row_position_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; row_position_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; id=&#8221;sin_bg_pg&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; flex_gap_desktop=&#8221;10px&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-game-prototyping"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is Game Prototyping? Complete Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Game prototyping explained: what it is, why it matters, how the process works, and how to know when a video game prototype is ready for full production.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is Game Prototyping? Complete Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Game prototyping explained: what it is, why it matters, how the process works, and how to know when a video game prototype is ready for full production.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Cobweb Games\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-02T20:59:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-02T23:57:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/what-is-game-prototyping.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1620\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"971\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Zain Khan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Zain Khan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is Game Prototyping? Complete Guide","description":"Game prototyping explained: what it is, why it matters, how the process works, and how to know when a video game prototype is ready for full production.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is Game Prototyping? Complete Guide","og_description":"Game prototyping explained: what it is, why it matters, how the process works, and how to know when a video game prototype is ready for full production.","og_url":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping","og_site_name":"Cobweb Games","article_published_time":"2026-09-02T20:59:11+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-02T23:57:07+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1620,"height":971,"url":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/what-is-game-prototyping.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Zain Khan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Zain Khan","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping"},"author":{"name":"Zain Khan","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8f8a3c56d95587bfb360f183ab46e7bb"},"headline":"What Is Game Prototyping?","datePublished":"2026-09-02T20:59:11+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-02T23:57:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping"},"wordCount":4083,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/what-is-game-prototyping.webp","articleSection":["Game Prototyping"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping","url":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping","name":"What Is Game Prototyping? Complete Guide","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/what-is-game-prototyping.webp","datePublished":"2026-09-02T20:59:11+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-02T23:57:07+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8f8a3c56d95587bfb360f183ab46e7bb"},"description":"Game prototyping explained: what it is, why it matters, how the process works, and how to know when a video game prototype is ready for full production.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/what-is-game-prototyping.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/what-is-game-prototyping.webp","width":1620,"height":971,"caption":"what-is-game-prototyping"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/what-is-game-prototyping#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home \u00bb Blog","item":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Is Game Prototyping?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/","name":"Cobweb Games","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/#\/schema\/person\/8f8a3c56d95587bfb360f183ab46e7bb","name":"Zain Khan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/40dc17f49613f4641110ee6317c7bebfe4b4b23a544febb10f0aefc5d0e5a748?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/40dc17f49613f4641110ee6317c7bebfe4b4b23a544febb10f0aefc5d0e5a748?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/40dc17f49613f4641110ee6317c7bebfe4b4b23a544febb10f0aefc5d0e5a748?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Zain Khan"},"description":"Head of Cobweb Games Zain Khan leads Cobweb Games from the front, a San Francisco-based studio he built from an animation background into a full game development team, and one he still runs with a hand in the actual work, not just the organizational chart. Under his direction, the studio has grown into a single pipeline covering game design, character and environment art, cinematics, and mobile game development, work that recently earned Cobweb Games a 98 out of 100 Core Competencies score and a verified 5.0-star rating on GoodFirms. He stays close to every project because he believes the studios doing the best work are the ones where leadership never fully steps out of the room.","sameAs":["https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com"],"url":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/author\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":286,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284\/revisions\/286"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cobwebgames.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}