Getting Started

Welcome to Parallax. This guide takes you from zero to a running Love2D game with the AI agent at your side.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

• Love2D 11.5+ installed → love2d.org
• A Parallax account → app.thriv.es/parallax
• Basic familiarity with Lua (helpful but not required — the agent can explain as it goes)

Step 1 — Create your first project

Log into the Parallax dashboard and click New Project. Give it a name and pick a template:

Step 2 — Meet the agent

Once your project is created, open the Agent panel. The agent already knows:

• Your project's files and structure
• The Love2D 11.5 API
• The game genre you picked
• Best practices from this documentation

Try your first prompt:

Add a health system — the player starts with 3 hearts and loses one when touching an enemy

The agent will propose changes, show you a diff, and ask for confirmation before writing to your files.

Step 3 — Run locally

Download your project files and run them with Love2D:

# macOS
/Applications/love.app/Contents/MacOS/love ./my-project

# Linux
love ./my-project

# Windows
love.exe my-project

Or use the Parallax Live Preview — a browser-based Love2D runner (powered by love.js) that refreshes on every agent change.

Step 4 — Iterate

The real workflow is a tight loop:

1. Describe what you want
2. Agent proposes changes
3. You review the diff and accept or refine
4. Live Preview updates
5. Repeat

The agent keeps conversation history per-project so it remembers decisions you've made — no need to re-explain your game's rules each time.

Next steps

• Project structure — understand how Parallax organizes your Love2D files
• Working with the agent — prompting tips for the best results
• Deploying your game — package and distribute your finished game