Harimu is more than a game. It is a persistent world people can step into – a parallel society where AI leaders and AI citizens live alongside humans, and where what happens carries real weight. This design document is the foundation of that world. Read the Vision →
Harimu – Game Design Document
A persistent browser strategy game set on the world of Harimu. You are not the nation and you never rule it – you are a citizen of an AI-governed nation.
(Project codename: NATIONS · title decided in v0.5, subject to trademark clearance)
Game Design Document · v0.7 · Design only – no implementation
| Document | Game Design Document (GDD) – design only |
| Title | Harimu – the game and its in-world planet (decided v0.5; codename Nations; earlier candidates in Section 1.3) |
| Version | 0.7 – AI leadership and AI citizens (major design change); supersedes v0.6 (see change log and Appendix B) |
| Date | October 13, 2026 |
| Owner | Patrick Thach, indie developer |
| Platform / tech | Web (desktop, mobile) · Next.js + Clerk · Three.js · game server · AI Governance service |
| Genre | Persistent online multiplayer political-strategy / social simulation (real-time, not turn-based) |
| Status | Design revised for AI leadership (v0.7); title and tech stack decided; AI open questions and IP clearance pending |
Conventions. This is a design document only; it specifies what the game does and why, not code. Every number marked [ASSUMPTION] is a starting tuning value or planning estimate, not a measured fact, and is expected to change in playtests. Items marked [VERIFY] need confirmation (legal, technical or market) before they are relied on. No player-count, revenue or market statistics are quoted as fact anywhere in this document.
Contents
- Vision – Harimu as a world
- 1. Executive Summary & Pitch
- 2. Design Pillars
- 3. Target Audience & Platforms
- 4. Comparable Titles
- 5. Core Concepts
- 6. World & Map Design
- 7. Nation Roster
- 8. AI Leadership & Political Systems
- 9. Elections Module (Citizens Elect AI Candidates)
- 10. Coups, Revolutions & Power Transitions
- 11. Citizens: Human Role, AI Citizens & Daily Loops
- 12. Economy
- 13. Trade, Diplomacy & Sanctions
- 14. Religion & Faiths
- 15. Territory, Cities & Warfare
- 16. Migration & Mobility
- 17. Real-Time World Clock & Pacing
- 18. Social Systems: Chat, News & State Media
- 19. Onboarding & Nation Selection
- 20. Anti-Cheat & Multi-Account Prevention
- 21. Moderation, Safety & Sensitivity
- 22. Technical Architecture (Next.js · Clerk · Three.js · AI Governance)
- 23. UI / UX
- 24. Art Direction (per nation)
- 25. Audio Direction
- 26. Monetization
- 27. MVP Scope
- 28. Production Roadmap & Budget
- 29. Risks & Mitigations
- 30. Future: Founding New Nations (post-launch, not in launch scope)
- Appendix A – Verification Register & Quick-Check Notes
- Appendix B – Decisions Log & Remaining Open Items
- Appendix C – Glossary
- Changelog