Write the prompt around a playable rule
The example specifies tap and hold behavior, progression and recovery. A checkpoint gives players a chance to learn the harder obstacle without repeating the entire route. Use a visible jump arc or brief shadow if the landing is hard to judge. Make sure the character’s maximum reach is consistent so gap difficulty comes from planning rather than hidden physics changes.
Original concept prompt: “Create a short side-view platform game about a tiny robot crossing rooftop gaps. Tap to jump; holding briefly increases height, up to a clear limit. Use wide safe platforms first, then one moving platform. Put a checkpoint before a harder gap and show the landing surface clearly against the background.” This is a recipe for an idea, not a claim that this exact game is already playable.
Play, observe and refine one thing at a time
Jump across the opening gaps with short and held inputs, then try the moving platform. Check whether the character lands where the visual arc suggests and whether a fall restarts at the checkpoint. If a gap seems impossible, compare it with the stated jump reach. If movement feels floaty, adjust gravity or airtime in a controlled step and test the same jump again.
Design later gaps around the skill just learned. A moving platform can require timing; a higher ledge can test a longer hold. Add only one new movement demand per obstacle. If players can skip a challenge accidentally, shape the route so the intended landing is the clearest path instead of adding invisible walls.
Do not make early success depend on pixel-perfect landings. Give platforms enough width for correction and mark hazards clearly. If retries are frequent, keep them short and let players understand what caused the fall.
Playable reference for this prompt: Orbit. A spark circles a planet; tap to fling it off along its orbit's tangent and get caught by the next planet's orbit before drifting into space. Use this example to compare the proposed rules with a game you can try now. For your version, use this check: What should variable jump height feel like?
Questions about platformer game prompt
What should variable jump height feel like?
A brief tap should produce a smaller jump than a held press, within a defined maximum. Test both from the same ledge to compare the resulting paths.
Where should I put the first checkpoint?
Place it before a challenge the player has already learned how to attempt. Confirm that returning to it restores a safe position and does not immediately repeat a hazard collision.