v0.3 - Justin Kim - Dec. 17th, 2021
- Continued updating template.
v0.2 - Justin Kim - Dec. 09th, 2021
- Updated with a more developed template based on the Pong GDD example in Games, Design, and Play.
v0.1 - Justin Kim - Oct. 19th, 2021
- Basic template to get the ball rolling.
- Questions are meant to encourage brainstorming and ideation.
What's your game called?
How would you describe your game? Think of it as a summary of the game's overall design. It should be understandable by someone who's never played this game before.
What goals are players trying to achieve in your game? What's the end result?
The "atoms" of the game, they're important elements that gives it a more concrete form.
- How many players are there?
- Who plays this game?
- Is anyone else watching?
- When does the player stop?
- What can the player do to accomplish their goals?
- What does the player interact with?
- Where is the player?
- What can the player do/not do?
What does your game's design prioritize? You should always refer back to these while fleshing out the game.
What can the player do? What do players experience when they play your game? Ex: Mario lets players experience what it's like to be a jumping plumber who rescues a princess.
What's the game about? What ideas, concepts, or arguments is your game communicating to the players?
During gameplay, what do players see, hear, and/or feel? Ex: When playing Mario, what view of the game world do players see? Answer: They see a sideview of the levels Mario jumps through. This can also include POV's such as cultural undersatnding, presentation of information, etc.
What stops the player from achieving their goals without any effort? Are there any constraints that add a dimension of fun?
How are decisions made by players? Do they have to use muscle memory or apply a set of basic principles to a series of new situations?
In what way do these factors impact gameplay? The game experience? How are they all balanced with each other and other elements?
Who are the players? Where do they play this game? When will they play the game? What platform will this game be on?
Ex: Handheld games such as the ones on the Gameboy line had a feature for saving at any point in the game because the Gameboy platform, a handheld console, was meant to be taken on the go and both played and shutdown anywhere, anytime. Target players probably included people who commuted via trains and had a variety of stops depending on the time of day.
What do players feel when playing the game? Fear? Sadness? An irresistable urge to eat gummy bears?
Insert wireframes here -->
Wireframes depicting game screen, information layout and representation, player interaction, etc.
Flow chart showing intended use case(s) along with wireframes.
Each level should be explained by a brief overall summary and annotated map or other way to visualize and point out specific details in it.
The "look, feel, and sound" of the game. Essentially a series of deliverables showing the game's aesthetics.
Example deliverables include:
- Moodboard with annotated photo and sound references
- Concept art
- Sample audio
If the game requires a lot of technical know-how, this is where we give the run-down. While more of an implementation deliverable, the technical overview's still good for giving the development team a sense of how this game will be built (in code, etc).