Game Development Blueprint: Guideline for Crafting Your Own Game Design Document
A Fresh Spin on Game Design Documentation
Let's kick things off with a disclaimer: we've gone ahead and revamped this guide for the year 2023, taking into account the latest insights from industry professionals on the importance of game design docs.
First off, let's clear up a few points that might cause confusion:
- Game Design Documents (GDDs) aren't a thing of the past - they've merely evolved with the times.
- Rather than jumping straight into the game mechanics, give your project some context first.
We'll delve deeper into both topics in future posts. For now, let's dive into today's chat:
- The game industry continually adapts, including the techniques used in creating a GDD. Regardless of what you decide to call your project documentation - GDD, Wiki, Board, etc. - the crucial thing is to have a clear, concise description of your game without plunging headfirst into production.
At Trick, we call them GDDs and use boards (like Trello) to manage tasks. We've learned to break our projects into 2-week milestones, roughly resembling Scrum methodology.
Rather than having a single, monolithic GDD that evolves throughout development, we prefer a document that can serve as a learning resource for team members. Once production begins, we'll make just a few tweaks to account for feedback and ideas generated during the game design phase.
All new ideas go straight onto our project board, with some tagged as "Priority 1" (must-dos), "Priority 2" (wills), and "Priority 3" (nice-to-haves). The remaining ideas go into an "Ideas" column for later evaluation.
- When it comes to if and when you should outline your story in a GDD, it's once again a "it depends" scenario. For games where story elements will have no impact on game mechanics, feel free to jump right into Chapter 4 of your game design template.
However, for games like we used in our example, it makes sense to introduce characters, their abilities, and their conflicts, as this helps establish the game's context and makes it easier for others to grasp what you're trying to achieve. (Our Gnumies can merge, creating a specific gameplay mechanic, and they're fighting German the Germ, which sets the stage for game enemies.)
Ultimately, tailor your approach based on your game's unique requirements and your own style of game design. Just remember that an Introduction section exists where you can briefly explain the overall mechanics, enabling readers to instantly grasp your game's genre and key gameplay elements.
So, how do I document my game project?
You might have stumbled upon this question while dreaming up the next big game hit (let's be real, sometimes none of us are rolling in cash yet). After some research, I couldn't find a widely accepted industry standard or template to help me get started.
After digging into a few game design books (Jesse Schell's "Book of Lenses" is a must-read) and poring over online resources, it was time to create my first GDD. Over the years, I've refined the following template, which we here at Trick use to kick off every new game project.
Below, find a summary of each section included in our GDD template. (You can download the template in format here.)
Project Description
A pithy summary of your game, offering a clear idea of its genre and target audience. Focus on delivering a concise overview that captures your game's essence in one or two paragraphs.
Characters
Start with character descriptions, as they lay the foundation for your game's narrative. Once you've introduced the characters, feel free to skip this section if your game doesn't have a storyline or characters.
Story
The story forms the backbone of your game, setting the stage for your player's journey. Take this opportunity to outline the main events, conflicts, and twists that your player will encounter along the way.
Story Progression
Now that you've outlined the story, it's time to determine how the game will guide the player through the narrative. Consider using various storytelling techniques, such as cutscenes, dialogue, and environmental storytelling, to create an engaging and immersive story arc.
Gameplay
This is typically the most critical section of the GDD, as it outlines your game mechanics and player interactions. Keep in mind that this section can become lengthy, so break it down into sub-sections that make sense for your game design.
Goals
Define the reasons why your player will engage with your game, setting appropriate expectations for player motivation and reward systems.
User Skills
Identify the skills your player will need to succeed in your game, taking into account any limitations imposed by the platform (e.g., touchscreen controls on a mobile game).
Game Mechanics
Clearly define the mechanics that govern your game's physics, actions, and interactions. Remember to include examples and screenshots of your game's prototype to give team members an idea of what to expect.
Items and Power-ups
Take advantage of this section to expand upon your game mechanics, outlining all the power-ups and items that will enhance the player's abilities and gameplay experience.
Progression and Challenges
Detail how the game's difficulty level will increase over time, ensuring a progressive and rewarding player experience. Use this section to introduce any unlockable content, levels, or power-ups that will keep players engaged and motivated to continue playing.
Losing
Outline the game's losing conditions, differentiating between failure modes like time limits, health depletion, and performance thresholds.
Art Style
Describe your game's visual style, including character designs, environments, and overall aesthetic. Include concept art to help bring your vision to life.
Music and Sounds
Document your audio design strategy, covering music, sound effects, and voice acting. Take into account your game's genre, target audience, and narrative to create a sonic experience that complements your gameplay mechanics.
Technical Description
Provide an overview of the platforms you plan to target and the tools and technologies you'll use during development. This section should offer a bird's-eye view of your tech stack, without delving into unnecessary detail
Marketing and Funding
Detail your plans for marketing your game and securing financing, keeping in mind your target audience, distribution channels, and budget constraints. Address questions like:
- Who is your target audience?
- Which platforms will you focus on?
- How will you monetize the game?
- Have you considered localization for different languages and regions?
As you work on your GDD, remember to use it as a living document, iterating on it as ideas evolve and feedback is gathered from team members and playtesters. And don't be afraid to reach out to us at [email protected] for feedback and advice along the way. Good luck, and happy designing!
- In the process of documenting a game project, one important aspect to consider is the inclusion of information about the type of technology that will underpin the project, such as the use of smartphones or various gadgets that might be integral to the gameplay experience.
- Aside from the gameplay and story elements, it's worthwhile to evaluate the role technology will play in the game design documentation, particularly if the game involves the use of smartphones, advanced gadgets, or innovative technology features.
