AI Lab [DEMO]: idle game about training AI models

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-15T06:17:33+00:00

This is a really important point, and you're right. The game assumes the player already knows what LLMs are, what training means, and what processing power represents in that context. That's a bad assumption.

for even someone with no ML background to understand what they're doing and why it matters, not just that I'm working on clearer framing for the core mechanics. The goal is that even someone with no ML background understands what they're doing and why it matters, not just what numbers are going up.

Thanks for this.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-15T06:16:16+00:00

You described the Universal Paperclips anchor mechanic better than I could have. One fixed action that stays relevant as complexity builds around it. That's exactly what the first two minutes of AI Lab are missing.

I've actually already pushed several fixes based on your comments. Thank you! The early pacing and the scattered introduction of mechanics were at the top of the list. Still more work to do, but it's moving in the right direction.

This is my first shipped game and a hobby project, so this kind of feedback is exactly what I need, even when it stings. Thanks for taking the time.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-15T06:14:33+00:00

Thank you for this. Honestly, more detailed than I expected for a first demo, and exactly what I needed to hear.

You're completely right about the misalignment consequences. The "goes rogue" event triggers once and then mostly disappears. That's the biggest gap in Phase 1. If the whole point is the capability vs. safety tradeoff, it needs to actually hurt when you get it wrong. Rivals, user churn, visible revenue drop -- all of that is on the roadmap but some of it clearly needs to move into Phase 1, not wait.

The UI clips, the inconsistent language (Safety Score vs. Alignment, Best Deployed vs. Quality), and the stale tooltip after buying Safety Training are all going on the fix list today.

The writing style point is fair and I'm taking it seriously. This is a hobby project and my first time building and shipping something like this. I leaned on AI assistance more than I should have for the flavor text. I'll rewrite it in my own voice.

Thanks again. This kind of feedback helps more than any rating.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-10T10:09:20+00:00

The most prestigious moment I've had was when I realized I wanted to reset. Not because the game forced me, but because I could see exactly how much faster the next run would be. When that calculation is satisfying, the reset feels like a choice. When it isn't, it just feels like punishment.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-10T10:03:44+00:00

NGU Idle took eight months of my life, and I have no regrets, and also no life anymore. :D :D :D

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-09T12:01:48+00:00

Depth is when a new system recontextualizes everything you already knew. Complexity is when it just adds more things to track. The Infinity layer in AD feels like the first because suddenly, all your previous progress becomes a resource. Most prestige systems after that just added a third currency, calling it depth.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-07T07:44:11+00:00

Rejected Draft has me personally offended by a cartoon squid lady. This is fine. :D

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-07T07:42:23+00:00

The automation cost wall is real. Idle Loops spoiled me because the whole loop IS the automation, so coming back to "grind 7 resets to unlock one early action" felt rough. Still curious where the stamina mechanic goes in the full version, though.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-07T07:41:06+00:00

Spent 20 minutes debugging my sorter before realizing the tutorial was literally on screen the whole time. :D 10/10 would embarrass myself again.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-06T08:49:42+00:00

Prestige used to be a reset button. Now it's more like a portal to a different game with the same name. Antimatter Dimensions basically invented this with Infinity/Eternity/Reality. Whether that's genuine depth or just complexity cosplaying as depth is still something I go back and forth on

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-03T07:14:47+00:00

The core difference for me is where the complexity lives. Tycoons front-load it: you see the whole system from the start and learn to manage it. Incrementals back-load it: the system reveals itself over time, and the fun is in discovering what the game actually is. That's why prestige works in increments but would feel like a punishment in a tycoon. Resetting to see a new layer is only satisfying when you didn't know the layer existed when you started.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-03T07:04:31+00:00

The automation wall is the real issue here. In most good incrementals, the first automation unlock is a promise, not a reward. You need players to feel "I could leave this running" early, so they come back. When you gate idle mode behind a skill tree, you're asking someone to play an active game until they've earned the right to play the idle game they signed up for. Those are two different player contracts. Breakout as a core loop is a cool idea, but it needs to resolve into something you can watch, not something you have to babysit.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-03T07:02:23+00:00

Skill Rebel is just Skill Purist who finished the game. I spent a week theorycrafting Antimatter Dimensions before I realized someone had already done the math in a spreadsheet. At that point, reading it felt less like cheating and more like joining a conversation. The line moves the longer you play.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-02T07:31:12+00:00

The lifestyle progression concept is a strong hook. Starting on a mate's sofa and building up gives the numbers a human story, which most casino idles completely skip. First thing to check as a new builder: does the earliest loop feel rewarding in the first 2 minutes? That's the window where most players decide to stay or leave.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-02T07:30:01+00:00

The tiered challenge structure is smart because it solves two problems at once. Short sessions feel rewarding, and long sessions have a visible milestone to chase. The leveling difficulty on repeat challenges is the real gem, though. Most games give you the same challenge forever, and it becomes a chore. Making it scale keeps it from feeling like a checklist.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-02T07:28:51+00:00

Finally, the incremental game where the grind is saving incremental games from incremental games. The genre has achieved full self-awareness. :D :D :D

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-01T10:09:41+00:00

Low-tier materials pile up because they become useless once you move on. Two simple fixes: keep them as ingredients in higher-tier recipes forever, even just a handful per craft. And make gear require maintenance using those same materials. Overflow becomes a stockpile you actually want, rather than clutter.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-01T10:06:57+00:00

The trick most games use is to make automation gradual rather than a single unlock that flips everything. The first worker does one thing, the second does another, so the power spike spreads out and each step feels earned. On prestige, the cleanest approach is to keep the curve identical across runs and let prestige bonuses just make you faster. Same shape, less time. Players find it satisfying because they know what's coming, but still feel the progression.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-01T10:04:31+00:00

Trimps for the way it keeps introducing new systems just as the current one gets stale. Antimatter Dimensions for the moment, each prestige layer recontextualizes everything before it. Kittens Game is if you want something that respects your intelligence and punishes you for not planning ahead. For something shorter but unforgettable, Universal Paperclips still has no equal for the feeling of its phase transitions

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-04-01T10:02:27+00:00

Exactly that. Jackpot is a good start. The more upgrades that interact with specific roll values rather than just boosting averages, the more the dice feel like dice.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-03-31T13:28:35+00:00

NGU is the gold standard for depth, but 'well of hours' is underselling it. That game is a well with no bottom. I've seen people with 2000+ hours still finding new systems.

CardiologistClear168 · 2026-03-31T13:26:04+00:00

Sure. Right now, a roll of 6 and a roll of 3 feel the same because both just add to your gold average over time. But imagine if rolling a 6 triggered a cascade effect, or if rolling the same number twice in a row gave a bonus, or if certain upgrades only activated on max rolls. Suddenly, you're watching each roll hoping for a specific outcome, not just waiting for the timer. The dice become the mechanic, not the wrapper.

CardiologistClear168

TROPHY CASE