# 🎮 GAME EXPANSION PLANNING

**Document ID:** FFG-PLAN-GAMES
**Version:** 1.0
**Status:** PLANNING
**Created:** February 13, 2026
**Source:** Brainstorm Session with The Catalyst
**Reviewed By:** Chronicler the Fifth

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## Executive Summary

Two strategic opportunities emerged from brainstorming:

1. **Among Us: Firefrost Impostor Nights** — Gateway strategy to bring non-Minecraft players into the community
2. **Terraria: Branding Training Ground** — Michael's path to becoming Firefrost's brand designer

Both are catalytic. Both leverage existing infrastructure. Both have phased approaches.

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## PRIORITY 1: Among Us — Firefrost Impostor Nights

### The Strategy

Among Us isn't just another game server — it's a **gateway drug** to Firefrost.

**Why it works:**
- Free game (no purchase barrier)
- Runs on any device (no hardware barrier)
- 10-minute sessions (low time commitment)
- Social/party vibe (friend brings friend)
- Event-based, not persistent (minimal maintenance)
- Non-Minecraft players become Firefrost community members

### Phased Approach

| Phase | Effort | Description | Success Metric |
|:------|:-------|:------------|:---------------|
| **Phase 1** | Low | Vanilla Impostor server, weekly Discord events | 8+ players consistently |
| **Phase 2** | Medium | Basic Firefrost skin pack, simple branding | 50%+ mod adoption |
| **Phase 3** | High | Custom "Firefrost Station" map, custom roles | Full lobbies, crossover engagement |

### Phase 1 Implementation (Ready to Test)

**Infrastructure:**
- Pterodactyl Impostor server egg (verify maintained version exists)
- ~1GB RAM per instance
- Port allocation (trivial)
- Discord integration (already have)

**Event format:**
- Weekly "Impostor Nights" on Discord
- Voice channels for game lobbies
- Meg promotes via community channels

**Timeline:** 3-4 hours setup to validate demand

### Research Needed Before Phase 1

- [ ] Verify Pterodactyl has maintained Impostor server egg
- [ ] Legal check: Innersloth's ToS on private servers
- [ ] Test Impostor server setup locally

### Research Needed Before Phase 2+

- [ ] Sprite artist availability (or commission budget)
- [ ] Town of Us mod compatibility with Impostor
- [ ] Auto-updater tools for mod distribution

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## PRIORITY 2: Terraria — Branding Training Ground

### The Strategy

Terraria isn't just another game server — it's **Michael's path to becoming Firefrost's brand designer.**

**Why it works:**
- 2D sprite work maps directly to existing Cricut/Glowforge skills
- Lower stakes learning environment (fewer players initially)
- Skills transfer to ALL Firefrost branding:
  - Among Us skins
  - Minecraft texture packs
  - Discord assets
  - Merchandise designs
- Mature modding ecosystem (TShock, texture packs)

### The 12-Week Training Arc

| Weeks | Focus | Deliverable |
|:------|:------|:------------|
| 1-2 | Foundations | First texture edit (proof of concept) |
| 3-4 | Firefrost Starter Pack | 5-10 cohesive textures |
| 5-6 | Community feedback | Iterate based on player input |
| 7-8 | Advanced techniques | Custom spawn town (TEdit) |
| 9-10 | Full UI overhaul | Complete Firefrost visual identity |
| 11-12 | Master system | Skills transfer to other platforms |

### Branding Potential (VERY HIGH)

- Custom texture packs (UI, items, blocks, NPCs)
- Custom vanity items (FrostyStyle, GingerFury armor sets)
- The Five Consultants pet pack
- Custom spawn world (Fire district + Ice district)
- Subscriber-exclusive cosmetics
- Economy system with Firefrost currencies

### Infrastructure Needed

- TShock dedicated server (Pterodactyl egg available)
- TEdit (world editor)
- GIMP or similar for sprite editing
- Firefrost color palette definition (hex codes for Fire/Frost/Balance)

### Research Needed

- [ ] Best Terraria texture pack template (starter file structure)
- [ ] GIMP tutorials for pixel art (game sprite specific)
- [ ] TEdit guides for custom spawn world
- [ ] Sprite dimension specs (exact pixel sizes)
- [ ] Define Firefrost color palette

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## PARKED IDEAS

These emerged from brainstorming but don't solve the immediate goals as well:

| Game | Why Parked | Revisit When |
|:-----|:-----------|:-------------|
| OpenTTD | Niche appeal, doesn't expand demographic | Specific community demand |
| Veloren | Still in alpha, stability concerns | Out of alpha |
| Mindustry | Strategy-focused, doesn't reach casual players | Need variety options |
| Minetest | Inner circle concerns | Never (not viable) |

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## Decision Matrix

| Criteria | Among Us | Terraria |
|:---------|:---------|:---------|
| Expands demographic | ✅ HIGH | ⚠️ Medium |
| Branding potential | ✅ HIGH | ✅ VERY HIGH |
| Setup effort | ✅ LOW | ⚠️ Medium |
| Maintenance burden | ✅ LOW (events) | ⚠️ Medium (persistent) |
| Michael's skill growth | ⚠️ Low | ✅ HIGH |
| Revenue potential | ⚠️ Indirect | ✅ Direct (subscriber perks) |

**Recommendation:** Start both. Among Us Phase 1 is low-risk validation. Terraria training arc builds long-term capability.

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## Next Actions

### Immediate (This Week)
- [ ] Research Impostor server egg availability
- [ ] Define Firefrost color palette (hex codes)
- [ ] Download Terraria + TShock for local testing

### Short-Term (This Month)
- [ ] Test Among Us Phase 1 with small group
- [ ] Complete Terraria Week 1-2 (first texture edit)
- [ ] Gauge community interest via Discord poll

### Medium-Term (Next Quarter)
- [ ] If Phase 1 succeeds → Plan Phase 2 skin pack
- [ ] Complete Terraria training arc through Week 6
- [ ] Apply skills to first Among Us custom skin

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## Source Attribution

**Brainstorm Session:** February 13, 2026
**Claude Partner:** The Catalyst (Brainstorm Line)
**Session Report:** `brainstorming/sessions/2026-02-13-casual-party-games-report.md`

*Ideas promoted to planning by Chronicler the Fifth after review.*

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🔥❄️💡