🎮 I taught a local AI to make retro games, and it now runs from one button. https://blog.starcade9.io/i-taught-a-local-ai-to-make-retro-games-the-trick-was-giving-it-less-to-do/

My latest build on Nova64, my fantasy console for the web, Godot and RetroArch: a Qwen model running entirely on my Mac now designs and builds playable low-poly 3D games. There's no cloud and no per-token cost.

What I built:

An automated test loop: every game the AI writes is booted in a headless browser, played and screenshotted. If it doesn't actually work, the AI gets a specific repair note and tries again. Six hand-built game templates across three genres: first-person dungeon crawlers, three-lane runners and arena dodgers. The AI customizes the story, enemies, palette and mood; the engine guarantees it plays well. A one-click studio in my self-hosted dashboard: pick a template, describe a game, and get a verified, playable build back in under a minute. Builds are sandboxed, and nothing is published without me. The result: games went from black screens after 9 attempts to first-try playable in 32–56 seconds, complete with title screens, story slides and an auto-play attract mode.

The lesson I bring to client work: make AI reliable by doing the parts that must be correct in code, and giving the model the parts that should be interesting. https://blog.starcade9.io/i-taught-a-local-ai-to-make-retro-games-the-trick-was-giving-it-less-to-do/

If you need AI-powered tools, local LLM workflows, browser games or creative-tech prototypes, let's talk.

🕹️ Nova64 project: https://contra.com/p/R2LscQMU-nova64-greater-fantasy-console-for-retro-arch-godot-and-the-web?r=seacloud9 🌐 Explore Nova64: https://nova64.io 💼 View my services: https://contra.com/brendon_smith_axke294z/services?r=brendon_smith_axke294z

#AI #LocalLLM #GameDev #CreativeTechnology #Freelance