Beginner10 min read

Classic Mode: Complete Tutorial

Master the fundamentals of AI image generation. Help your team guess words through perfect prompts.

How Classic Mode Works

Classic mode is PartAI's beginner-friendly format, similar to Pictionary but using AI image generation instead of drawing:

You receive a secret word (e.g., "Coffee", "Mountain", "Robot")
You write a text prompt describing your word without using the word itself
AI generates an image from your prompt (5-15 seconds)
Teammates guess the word based on the image
First correct guess wins—both guesser and prompter earn points

Goal: Create images clear enough for teammates to guess quickly, but creative enough to stand out.

The Anatomy of a Good Prompt

A winning prompt has three components:

1. Core Subject (40%)

Describe your word with specific details:

❌ Bad: "An animal"

✅ Good: "A golden retriever puppy"

2. Context & Setting (35%)

Where is the subject? What's happening around it?

✅ Example: "playing in a sunny backyard, chasing a ball"

3. Style Modifiers (25%)

Art style dramatically affects the output. Common options:

"photorealistic" → looks like a real photo
"oil painting" → classical art style
"anime style" → Japanese animation aesthetic
"watercolor" → soft, artistic look
"3D render" → CGI/Pixar-style

Complete Example

Word: Dog
Winning Prompt:
"A golden retriever puppy playing in a sunny backyard, chasing a ball, photorealistic style, joyful expression"

Strategy: Speed vs Creativity

You must balance two goals:

Clear enough: Teammates understand immediately (→ fast guess = bonus points)
Creative enough: Stands out from generic results

When to Prioritize Speed

Simple, concrete words → be obvious:

Word: "Tree" → "A tall oak tree in a forest, green leaves, photorealistic"
Word: "Pizza" → "A pepperoni pizza on a wooden table, melted cheese, top view"

When to Prioritize Creativity

Abstract or ambiguous words → add distinctive details:

Word: "Freedom" → "A bird breaking free from a cage, wings spread wide, sunrise background, dramatic lighting"
Word: "Mystery" → "A foggy detective's office, silhouette in shadows, film noir style"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake #1: Using the Exact Word

Word: "Sunset" → Prompt: "A beautiful sunset"

Why it's bad: Your word appears in the prompt. Find synonyms or describe instead.

✅ Fix: "The sun setting below the horizon, orange and pink sky, silhouettes of trees"

❌ Mistake #2: Being Too Vague

Prompt: "Something cool"

Why it's bad: AI doesn't know what you mean by "cool". Be specific.

❌ Mistake #3: Overcomplicating

Prompt: "A cat wearing a tuxedo while playing piano in a Victorian ballroom with chandeliers and aristocrats watching"

Why it's bad: Too much information confuses the AI. Simpler is often better.

❌ Mistake #4: Negative Instructions

Prompt: "A dog, not a cat, not dark"

Why it's bad: AI processes "cat" and "dark" as keywords and may include them.

✅ Fix: Specify what you DO want: "A dog, bright lighting"

Advanced Techniques

Compositional Control

For complex scenes, specify spatial relationships:

"in the foreground" / "in the background"
"close-up shot" / "wide angle view"
"from above" / "eye level"

Lighting & Mood

Lighting keywords dramatically change atmosphere:

"soft natural lighting" → gentle, pleasant
"dramatic backlighting" → cinematic, intense
"golden hour" → warm sunset glow
"studio lighting" → professional, clean

Model-Specific Tips

Different AI models have different strengths. Check your lobby settings:

Model	Best For	Prompt Style
DALL-E 3	Natural language	Write like talking to a friend
Flux Dev	Artistic styles	Use comma-separated keywords
Flux Schnell	Speed	Simple, direct descriptions

Practice Exercises

Try writing prompts for these words:

Word: "Ocean"
Challenge: Make it distinctive. Everyone will think of water and waves. What makes YOUR ocean special?
Word: "Robot"
Challenge: Balance clarity (obviously a robot) with creativity (not generic metallic humanoid)
Word: "Summer"
Challenge: Abstract concept. What visual represents summer without using beach/sun clichés?

👉 Click to see example solutions

Ocean: "Underwater view looking up at the surface, sunlight beams penetrating blue water, school of fish swimming, photorealistic"

Robot: "A friendly robot assistant in a modern kitchen, helping with cooking, smooth white design, blue LED eyes, 3D render"

Summer: "Children running through a sprinkler in a backyard, water droplets sparkling in sunlight, laughter and joy, warm tones, nostalgic feel"

Quick Reference: Prompt Template

[Specific subject] [doing action] in [location/setting], [descriptive details], [art style], [lighting/mood]

Example: "A red sports car driving on a coastal highway, ocean view, sunset lighting, cinematic photography, motion blur"

Ready to practice? Create a Classic mode lobby and test these techniques with your friends.