Connect Claude or another MCP client to build your game with Studio AI tools.

Creator MCP & Claude Setup

Creator MCP lets external AI clients such as Claude connect to ED5 MMO Studio and use real editor tools to help build your game.

This is not a chatbot that only gives advice. When connected, the assistant can call project-scoped tools to create and edit game content through the same safe Studio routes used by the editor.

If you want the assistant inside Studio itself, see Studio Copilot Overview. Creator MCP is the external-client path.

What You Can Do

With Creator MCP, an AI client can help you:

  • Create items, quests, NPCs, mobs, abilities, and dialogue.
  • Build zones, paint terrain, place map objects, and add spawn rules.
  • Author event scripts and inspect existing zone events.
  • Generate, import, and link image assets.
  • Search your project, read records, validate entities, and run safe playtest simulations.
  • Save and read project memory such as lore rules, naming conventions, and art direction.

When To Use Creator MCP

Creator MCP is best when you want to:

  • Work from Claude or another external MCP client instead of the in-app assistant.
  • Keep a long design thread outside the editor while still letting the assistant act on the project.
  • Use the same authenticated tool surface across multiple devices.
  • Build repeatable prompt workflows for content packs, worldbuilding passes, or batch reviews.

What Creator MCP Cannot Do

Creator MCP is scoped to game creation. It does not expose platform admin powers.

The public MCP endpoint cannot:

  • Run direct database queries.
  • Truncate, seed, reset, or restore databases.
  • Simulate Stripe or billing webhooks.
  • Change another user's account, subscription, or project.
  • Run internal E2E scenarios.
  • Access private platform/admin tools.
Those tools are reserved for ED5's private Platform/E2E MCP server and are not available to public users.

Requirements

You need:

  • A Studio account with developer API keys enabled.
  • A generated developer API key from your account page.
  • An MCP client that supports Streamable HTTP.
  • The public ED5 Studio Agent Gateway URL.
Your API key starts with:
ed5_mcp_

Keep it private. Treat it like a password for your Studio AI tools.

Step 1: Create A Developer API Key

  • Open your ED5 account page.
  • Find Developer API Keys.
  • Click Generate Key.
  • Copy the key immediately. It is only shown once.
If you lose the key, revoke it and create a new one.

Step 2: Connect Claude Or Another MCP Client

Use this MCP server URL:

https://<gateway-domain>/mcp

Use this authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer ed5_mcp_...

Some clients call this a custom header, bearer token, or API key. The value is the same developer API key you generated on your account page.

Connection Values

FieldValue
TransportStreamable HTTP MCP
URLhttps://&lt;gateway-domain&gt;/mcp
Auth headerAuthorization: Bearer &lt;your developer API key&gt;
Alternate headerX-API-Key: &lt;your developer API key&gt;
Fallback routehttps://&lt;gateway-domain&gt;/api/mcp

Use /mcp by default. /api/mcp exists for environments that require API-prefixed routing.

Step 3: Confirm The Tool Boundary

After the client connects, list the tools. You should see creator-oriented tools for content, world editing, validation, memory, and playtest flows.

You should not see raw database, billing, or platform-level tools. If you do, the gateway is misconfigured.

How Requests Execute

Every Creator MCP request follows the same basic path:

1. Your MCP client sends the prompt and tool request to the public gateway. 2. The gateway verifies your developer API key. 3. The request is restricted to the authenticated project scope. 4. Creator MCP policy checks whether the requested tool is read-only, reversible write, or harder-to-reverse work. 5. The gateway forwards the request through the editor-safe AI route layer. 6. Tool results come back with structured output the client can show, summarize, or build on.

This means the assistant is acting through the same project-aware route surface used by Studio itself, not by bypassing the editor and writing to the database directly.

Example Prompts

Try prompts like:

  • "Create a starter forest zone with a village entrance and a goblin camp."
  • "Add three NPCs for the starting town, including branching dialogue for the mayor."
  • "Create a beginner quest chain that teaches combat, gathering, and returning to town."
  • "Inspect my existing zones and suggest what content is missing."
  • "Generate an icon for the iron ore resource and link it to the resource node."
  • "Run a playtest simulation for the goblin encounter and report whether it is too hard."
More reliable prompts usually include three things:
  • The target content scope: zone, NPC roster, item family, quest chain, biome, or encounter.
  • Constraints: level range, tone, balance target, rarity, art direction, or lore rules.
  • Output expectations: create records, propose a plan first, generate multiple variants, or stop at validation only.
Good example:
Create three swamp enemies for levels 8-10. Keep them poison-themed, avoid undead,
reuse existing swamp loot if possible, and show me the plan before you create anything.

How Tool Safety Works

Creator MCP uses scopes and risk classes.

ScopeAllows
mcp:creator:readRead-only project tools such as search, inspect, explain, and validate
mcp:creator:writeReversible creator writes such as creating content, editing dialogue, painting zones, and importing assets
mcp:creator:dangerousHarder-to-reverse project tools such as zone delete or event materialization
mcp:fullFull creator surface for current Enterprise developer keys

Current generated keys use mcp:full. Future key management may let you create narrower read-only or write-only keys.

For more on approval gates and risk classes, see Approvals, Autopilot & Safety.

Recommended Practices

  • Create one key per client or device.
  • Name keys clearly, such as "Claude Desktop" or "Studio team laptop".
  • Revoke keys you no longer use.
  • Do not paste keys into public chats, tickets, screenshots, or repositories.
  • Start with read/inspect prompts before asking the assistant to make broad changes.
  • Review generated content in Studio before publishing your game.

Project Context Tips

Creator MCP works best when the assistant can anchor to real project context. Before asking for large writes, let it inspect the project first:

  • Ask it to review the current zone, quest, or item set.
  • Point it to existing examples to match tone and balance.
  • Tell it what should stay unchanged.
  • Ask for a plan first when touching multiple entities.
This usually produces better outcomes than asking for a large batch blind.

Troubleshooting

ProblemWhat to check
Key is rejectedConfirm the key starts with ed5_mcp_, was copied fully, and has not been revoked
Tools list is emptyConfirm your account or plan has Creator MCP access enabled and the gateway URL is correct
Tool call fails with auth errorRegenerate the key, reconnect the MCP client, and confirm the auth header is set
Tool call cannot find your projectConfirm you are using the correct Studio account and project context
Image generation failsThe server-side image provider may not be configured or may be temporarily unavailable
Writes feel too broadAsk for a plan first, give narrower scope, or request read-only review before changes
Returned results are too genericPoint the assistant to existing entities, zones, or project memory to ground style and balance

Security Boundary

The public endpoint is the Studio Agent Gateway. It is designed for creator/editor control inside your project.

Do not connect to any internal E2E or platform MCP server. Those are for ED5 development and testing only.

Next: Studio Copilot Overview and Approvals, Autopilot & Safety.

Creator MCP & Claude Setup — ED5 MMO Studio Docs | ED5 MMO Studio