Prompt for Claude Opus: Vision Quest Roadmap

Context & Background

I’m Gunnar, a UX designer, strength coach, and entrepreneur with expertise in marketing, content creation, and digital product development. I’ve successfully built online communities, leveraged AI tools, and scaled brands.

I’m now creating Vision Quest, an interactive AI-powered web experience that helps young people clarify their life direction. Many ambitious individuals feel lost due to multiple passions but no singular calling. This tool will be a structured yet flexible guide, using AI to help users map their thought process over time, generating visual insights and timelines to track their evolving ideas.

Unlike traditional journaling apps, career tests, or coaching AIs, Vision Quest will feel like an immersive experience, drawing inspiration from cozy games and interactive storytelling to make the process calming, engaging, and replayable.

The Unique Twist: Cozy Game Aesthetic & Narrative

Rather than a generic form-based reflection tool, Vision Quest will integrate light cozy-game elements to enhance branding and engagement while keeping the focus on self-discovery.

• Narrative & Setting
  • The user plays as a traveler lost in the woods who encounters a shaman.
  • After drinking a mystical potion, they embark on a side-scrolling journey, uncovering self-reflection prompts as they progress.
  • Their responses subtly change the environment (e.g., pathways reveal themselves, seasons shift, NPCs react).
• Game-Like Mechanics (Simple but Engaging)
  • 2D left-to-right scrolling experience (Paper Mario-style).
  • Prompts appear via NPC dialogues, interactive objects, or “vision quests” from mystical landmarks.
  • Users collect artifacts (e.g., journal pages, constellations, memory fragments) as they progress.
  • AI adapts the journey based on responses, ensuring a personalized and replayable experience.
• Branding & Visuals
  • Pixel-art or minimalist hand-drawn aesthetic for an inviting, cozy feel.
  • Gentle ambient sounds & subtle animations to reinforce a sense of calm exploration.

Goal of This Session: Create a Structured Roadmap

I want to build and launch this within weeks, not months. Help me break it down into a clear roadmap that balances:

1. Core Features & Differentiation
   • What are the MVP features that make this unique?
   • How do we differentiate from journaling apps, career assessments, or AI coaches?
2. User Journey & Experience Mapping
   • What is the ideal step-by-step experience for a user?
   • How should they progress through the reflection process while staying immersed in the narrative?
   • What simple mechanics (e.g., NPC interactions, dynamic visuals, choice-based responses) keep users engaged without overcomplicating development?
3. AI Integration & Personalization
   • What’s the best way to use AI to generate dynamic, personalized prompts?
   • How can AI visualize responses over time (e.g., timeline-style mind maps, AI-generated imagery)?
4. Technical Feasibility & Build Approach
   • What’s the simplest, fastest way to implement a lightweight side-scrolling experience?
   • Should this be browser-based (WebGL, React/Canvas, Phaser.js) or built in a low-code environment?
   • What tools or frameworks would allow me to keep development fast while ensuring smooth UX?
5. MVP Development Plan & Timeline
   • What is the simplest version of this that can be built and tested quickly?
   • What should be prioritized for launch vs. added later?
6. Marketing & Distribution Strategy
   • How should I position and showcase Vision Quest on LinkedIn & Twitter?
   • What’s the best go-to-market approach (e.g., beta invite, open launch, or staged rollout)?
   • How do I get early traction & feedback without a big budget?