Simple Mode vs. Rich Mode for Plan Creation
When creating a workspace plan, you choose between two modes depending on how complex the task is. Both modes support the full task lifecycle with verification gates, gap recovery, and commenting. The difference is in how the work is organized.
Simple Mode — for straightforward tasks:
Simple mode creates a flat list of tasks executed in sequence. You provide a goal and a set of steps. Vex works through them one by one, verifying each step before moving to the next.
Example: You ask Vex to create basic player movement. Vex creates a simple plan with four steps:
- Create PlayerController.cs script
- Add Rigidbody component to the Player object
- Implement WASD input handling in the script
- Test movement in play mode
Simple mode is perfect for learning exercises, quick prototypes, bug fixes, and tasks that do not have complex dependencies between steps. Most daily tasks fit this pattern well.
Rich Mode — for complex multi-part features:
Rich mode uses a three-level hierarchy: Phases contain Features, and Features contain Tasks. This structure mirrors how real software projects are organized.
Example: You ask Vex to build an inventory system. Vex creates a rich plan:
- Phase 1: Core System
- Feature 1: Data Layer — Create Item class, Create Inventory class, Create ItemDatabase
- Feature 2: Serialization — Add save and load methods, Create JSON converter
- Phase 2: UI Layer
- Feature 1: Inventory Panel — Create panel prefab, Add grid layout, Create item slot component
- Feature 2: Drag and Drop — Implement drag handler, Add drop zones, Connect to inventory data
Rich mode is ideal for production work, large refactors, multi-system features, and any task that benefits from organized phases with clear completion milestones.
Target paths:
Both modes support a target_paths parameter that pre-approves specific file and folder locations for the plan’s TTL duration (default five minutes). This satisfies the discovery gate automatically, so Vex does not need to call workspace.find repeatedly for paths the plan already covers.
Which should you use?
Start with simple mode when you are learning GameCatalyst or working on small tasks. Move to rich mode when your features span multiple files, folders, or systems and you want visual progress tracking. You can always tell Vex which mode to use, or let Vex choose based on how complex the task looks.
