> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.summerengine.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating Games on Crafty

> Crafty is a powerful platform layer that provides multiplayer, persistence, and economy features. You bring the game, we bring the infrastructure.

## Introduction to Crafty

Crafty is a place where you can play games made by the community in Summer Engine. It's a platform made to make it easy for developers to make and share their games without having to go through store experiences made +20 years ago. The Crafty SDK works similar to Steams steamworks, and aims to make it more easy to build and share your games. Rather than forcing you into a rigid template or specific game type, Crafty seamlessly integrates with your project to provide robust multiplayer infrastructure and backend services.

The mental model is simple: you build your game's unique design and systems, and plug in the Crafty SDK to handle all the complex platform features.

## What Crafty Handles

The Crafty SDK provides out-of-the-box support for:

* **Multiplayer Runtime:** Server-authoritative networking and matchmaking infrastructure.
* **Player Management:** Unified player identity and session handling.
* **Backend Services:** Built-in APIs for data persistence and player economy.
* **Game Utilities:** Ready-to-use helpers for score tracking, teams, and match state.
* **Publishing Pipeline:** A streamlined submission, review, and deployment flow.

## What You Build

Because Crafty manages the heavy lifting on the backend, you're free to focus purely on making a great game:

* **Core Gameplay:** Your unique mechanics, controls, and game loops.
* **Worlds & Scenes:** Environments, levels, and visual rendering.
* **Rules & Logic:** Win/loss conditions and genre-specific systems (whether that's 3D, 2D, RTS, card, or puzzle games).
* **Presentation:** UI, audio, and overall game feel.

## Platform Contract

The minimum integration contract:

1. `extends CraftyGame`
2. implement lifecycle hooks (`_game_init`, `_game_start`, `_game_end`, `_player_joined`, `_player_left`)
3. use player synced state (`set_synced` / `get_synced`)
4. keep authority on server paths (`Crafty.is_server()`)
5. provide valid `manifest.json` and export/upload flow.

## Templates Are Optional

Templates are examples, not requirements.

* `CraftyCharacter3D` is the optional 3D character template path.
* For 2D/RTS/card/turn-based games, extend `CraftyPlayer` directly and sync your own game model.

## Recommended Reading Order (Fresh AI / Fresh Dev)

1. `CraftyGame` and `Crafty` basics
2. `CraftyPlayer` contract and `set_synced`
3. subsystem modules you need (`data`, `economy`, `teams`, `score`)
4. local test runner flow
5. export/upload and banned API constraints.

## API Sections

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Crafty Singleton" icon="box" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/crafty">
    Match control, player queries, spawning, server/client checks, subsystem access
  </Card>

  <Card title="CraftyGame" icon="workflow" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/crafty-game">
    Required base class, lifecycle hooks, and practical game structure
  </Card>

  <Card title="CraftyPlayer" icon="user" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/crafty-player">
    Minimal player contract: identity, synced vars, input, and optional 3D template path
  </Card>

  <Card title="Subsystems & Signals" icon="radio" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/subsystems-signals">
    Optional platform modules: teams, score, data, economy, UI, audio, and signals
  </Card>

  <Card title="Build Your First Crafty Game" icon="rocket" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/build-your-first-crafty-game">
    Golden-path tutorial from blank project to .pck submission
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multiplayer FFA Guide" icon="swords" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/guides/multiplayer-ffa-coin-collector">
    Full Coin Collector-style example with timer, collectibles, and scoring
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multiplayer Persistence Guide" icon="database" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/guides/multiplayer-persistence-rpg">
    RPG/quest example with player saves, progression, and economy
  </Card>

  <Card title="Team-Based Game Guide" icon="users" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/guides/team-based-game">
    Teams, auto-balance, team spawns, and team scoring
  </Card>

  <Card title="2D Multiplayer Guide" icon="square" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/guides/making-a-2d-game-multiplayer">
    Extend CraftyPlayer for 2D state sync and server-authoritative logic
  </Card>

  <Card title="Turn-Based/Card Guide" icon="layout-grid" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/guides/making-a-turn-based-or-card-game-multiplayer">
    Sync turn order, hand/board state, and validate all actions on server
  </Card>

  <Card title="manifest.json Reference" icon="file-json" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/manifest-json-reference">
    Every field, required keys, and validated examples
  </Card>

  <Card title="Production Launch Runbook" icon="check-check" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/production-launch-runbook">
    One linear path for fresh AI/dev sessions: integrate, test, export, submit
  </Card>

  <Card title="Submission Guide" icon="upload" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/submission-guide">
    Export .pck, scanner rules, upload flow, review lifecycle, and updates
  </Card>

  <Card title="Testing Your Game Locally" icon="flask-conical" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/testing-your-game-locally">
    Two-process local workflow, multiplayer testing, and production-like validation loop
  </Card>

  <Card title="Exporting and Uploading Your Game" icon="upload-cloud" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/exporting-and-uploading-your-game">
    Game-only PCK export preset, upload pipeline, and update workflow
  </Card>

  <Card title="Banned APIs Reference" icon="shield-alert" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/banned-apis-reference">
    Complete blocked pattern list, rationale, and safe alternatives
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI Agent Playbook" icon="bot" href="/api-reference/crafty-sdk/ai-agent-playbook">
    Required file contract, banned API rules, and acceptance checklist for AI-generated games
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Versioning

Games declare a `crafty_sdk` version in `manifest.json`. SDK changes are intended to be additive and backward-compatible.