making a game design document
DESCRIPTION
Six steps to planning your first game and getting the game documentation right.TRANSCRIPT
Creating a Game Design Document
“Avoid missing ball for high score
1. The Core Statement
“Avoid missing ball for high score
Working title is agenre game about asituation where you have todo stuff to achievevictory conditions.
2. The Feature Set
Verbs, please
jump / travel / collect / make friends / swim / run fly / build / defend / attack / take / cast spells / eat drink / heal / look after / plan / dance / farm gamble /calculate / kill / rescue / learn / develop form alliances / jump / travel / collect / make friends / swim / run fly / build / defend / attack / take / cast spells / eat drink / heal / look after / plan / dance / farm gamble /calculate / kill / rescue / learn / develop form alliances / jump / travel / collect / make friends / swim / run fly / build / defend / attack / take / cast spells / eat drink / heal / look after / plan / dance / farm gamble /calculate / kill / rescue / learn / develop form alliances / jump / travel / collect / make friends / swim / run fly / build / defend / attack / ta
What do players do?
3. Philosophy
What will it say on the game's tombstone?
4. Contents
Try Card Sorting
What are the main functional areas
of the game?
(The functional areasare probably related
to the main feature set.)
Games are organised around verbs.
5. Non-meat items
Put the side-dishes in appendices.
Artwork
Story
Technical
Sounds
Levels
Misc.
6. Put the Game DesignDocument . . .
6. onto a wiki.
Creating a Game Design Document:
Bunchberry & Fern
Find us on the web http://gameify.org Or on Twitter: @gameify
Further reading and image credits:
Images - Blueprint from goatling, Too Many Hammers from Velo Steve, Cock the hammer from Kyle May, Constipated Angel from Mugley, Container ship from mikebaird, Card Sort from Sarah Kennon.
Further reading – Card Sorting, Creating a Game Design Document, 20 reasons to use a wiki, The process of game creation, How to write a game design doc, A practical process for creating great game designs,
Images and InspirationBlueprint from goatling on Flickr.Too Many Hammers from Velo Steve on Flickr.Cock the hammer from Kyle May on Flickr.Constipated Angel from Mugley on Flickr.Container ship from mikebaird on Flickr.Card Sort from Sarah Kennon on Flickr.