The following pages are a template for creating a game design document or GDD. The GDD is skewed towards an action, adventure, platform, RPG, and shooter-style game. However, most of the elements listed in the template can be adapted for any style of game.
Don't feel like you have to fill in every detail of information while creating the GDD, but it is better to have areas of the design roughed out than to not have them at all. I tell the developers I work with that a "TBD" is better than nothing at all.
Remember that a GDD is a living thing: everything in it is liquid and might change due to anything from technology limitations to production time realities.
In the end, use the information in this template in the way that's best for YOU and your team. If you need to draw more pictures, then do so. If you need to break the data up into "one-pagers" then do that. (See Bonus Level 1.)
Document version number (keep this current!)
Written by (your team name here)
Point of contact (producer or lead designer w/phone number)
Date of publishing
Version number
Footer should always have:
Copyright Company Date Page number Current date
Table of contents—remember to keep this current
Revision history—update this with publishing dates and track which author updated the material
Game's "high concept"
The "back of the box" listing of any new/novel mechanics or gameplay features
Include all Internet and wireless features
Story overview—remember to keep this short and frame it in the context of the gameplay. This includes:
Set up—how does the player start the game?
Locations and how they relate to the narrative—how does the player get from one location to the next?
Finale—what is the ending? What is the player expected to be/have done by the end of the game?
Game controls
Overview—list specific moves the player will be doing, but don't go into detail on the actual moves ... yet
Control scheme
Show an image of a controller (controllers if game is on multiple platforms) with corresponding button mapping
Technological requirements—keep this brief as many of these features will be included in the game's technical design document (TDD).
What tools is this game going to use?
How are camera, physics, bosses, and so on going to be done? Implemented by programmer? By designer? Hard coded? Scripted?
What design tools is this game going to use?
Level creation tools
Scripting system
Proposed tools for cheats—include controls for cheats
Level cheat
Invulnerability cheat
Camera cheat
Other cheats (full health, full armor, full money, and so on)
Front end of the game
Indicate what credit screens will be shown when game is first turned on including:
Publisher
Studio logo
Licensors
Third party software manufacturers
Legal screen
Cutscene description (if applicable)—no need to reproduce the entire script here, just give the reader an idea of what it is about.
Attract mode description (if applicable)—give a description of what ingame material will be shown if the game is left idle on the start screen.
Title/start screen—what is the first impression of the actual game? Include:
An image of the title/start screen
Detail of what is presented to the player
Title name and how it appears on screen
Any associated animation/graphics
A list of what selection options are available to the player
How the player interfaces with the options (cursor, d-pad, and so on)
Save/load file—describe how a game file is saved and loaded
How to name/designate a save file—keyboard or other file-naming convention
List details of saved file shown to player
Name
Date
Level location or chapter name/number
Time played elapsed
An image of what a saved game file looks like (if applicable)
Detail any cross-save features
Player options—include image, sound and music, and player interface details. Detail out connecting links to options.
Video settings
Audio settings
Music settings
Subtitle settings
Contrast tool
Alternate control settings (reverse joystick, feedback on/off, and so on)
Other screens—these could be unlockable content accessed from the title screen. Make sure to include image, sound and music, and player interface details. Possible screens include:
Credits
Team photo
Studio images
Bonus material—include image of screens, how will player interact with interface, activate this material? (unlockable, buyable, Easter eggs, and so on)
Alternate costumes or weapons
Cheats
Functional cheats (invulnerability, full health, and so on)
Licensor required cheats (for marketing purpose)
Other cheats (big-head mode, color swap, and so on)
Art/sound/animation galleries
Video player to replay cutscenes, movies, and so on
Trailers for other games/products
Special features
Commentary
Team interviews
Deleted material
Documentary
Gag reels
Game flowchart—show how all the screens from "title/start screen" to "game over" connect to each other.
Loading screen—what does player see when the game is loading? Include:
An image of the pause screen (and indicate if there are multiple images used)
Overview of data presented to player on pause screen (hints, trivia questions, minigame)
Game camera(s)—call out any specific camera types
Image of camera's point of view any of the following applicable cameras:
First person
Third person
Three-quarters view
2.5-D view
Forced scroll
Spline
Locked camera
Description of logic system for camera
Game-specific situations requiring unique cameras
Camera troubleshooting guide—examples of what camera will do when encountering problems
Logic for cheat/screenshot camera
How developer/publisher can access and operate this camera
HUD system—information presented on screen to the player. Include images of all of the following:
Health/status
Lives/continues
Money/score/rank
Power/fuel
Ammunition
Abilities/skills
Timer
Map or navigation system
Options: links to outside screens
Targeting system/reticule/cursor
Speedometer
If a game is HUD-less, describe how the above information is going to be conveyed to the player.
Player character(s)
Character name
Inspirational image or concept drawing of your character
Short description explaining player's motivation and relationships to other major/player characters
Size relationships of player character to other elements/characters in the world
Movement (walk, run, sneak, duck, roll, crawl)
Show metrics
Navigation (jump, swim, fly)
Show metrics
Conditions for navigation moves
Hoist/hang
Show metrics
Context-sensitive moves (push/pull, operate switch, swing, and so on)
Reactions/damage/death
Show examples and metrics
Idles
Player skills
Description of basic skills
List of skill upgrades
Description of skills
Skill modifiers
Player metrics (if applicable)
Player inventory tools (equipment, spells, buffs, and so on)
List of tools
Image of tools
What does each tool do?
Controls for using tool
Inventory screen
Image of inventory screen
How does player access inventory?
How does player select tool from inventory?
Combat: melee combat
Combat moves—include metrics and controls
Combat reactions—include metrics and controls
Block
Dodge
Parry
Grab
Types of effects (damage, knockback, stun, poison, and so on)
Combat progression—how player improves moves
Descriptions of combo moves
Controls for combo moves
Combo progression
Combat gauge
Combat gauge descriptors/combat value modifiers based on descriptors
Descriptions of combo moves
Controls for combo moves
Combo progression
Weapon progression
Technology tree
Weapon inspiration/concept images
Weapon damage and effects
Targeting system details
Lock-on system details
Ammo required
Range
Special attributes (breakable, degrades)
Controls
How does player use weapons
How does player swap weapons?
Power-ups/state modifiers
List of power-ups/state modifiers
Description including image
Effect
Duration
Effect on controls (if valid)
Health
Health (general)
HUD display
How to replenish health
Power-ups and health items
Warning for player when health is low
Alternate states (stunned, poisoned, turned into a baby)
Controls
Show examples and metrics
Lives (if applicable)
How are lives earned?
How are lives lost?
What happens when you run out of lives?
Death
Instant death conditions—(combat, fire, drowning, and so on)
Game over conditions:
Penalty for dying
Game over screen (show image of game over screen)
Continue system
Point values
Bonuses
What gives a bonus?
Leaderboard setup
Image
Elements that contribute to scoring
Achievements
List
Icon image.
Rewards and economy
Monetary system
Shopping interface
Description
Player navigation
What does it buy?
Cost
Vehicles
How does player enter/exit vehicle?
How does vehicle interact with world, enemies, objects, and so on
Vehicle description
Image of vehicle
Vehicle controls
Vehicle metrics (size, speed, and so on)
Attributes (armor, weapons, and so on)
Attribute stats
Special effects
Major characters in story—anyone mentioned in the above story outline, preferably ones that have impact on the story or gameplay.
These include allies/helpers, love interests, rivals/villains
Include visuals
What is their relationship to the player character?
Where do they appear?
Game progression outline
Overview of all game levels—insert game beat chart here. Remember to:
Include story beats to show how gameplay and story intertwine
Indicate if story beat is a cutscene or in game
Indicate progression/reward elements for the player
Show where new skills, abilities, weapons, and collectibles are earned in relation to the story
Gameplay classifications
Descriptions of gameplay types (stealth, battle arena, driving, flying, and so on)
World overview/level select/navigation screen
Image(s) of world overview screen (if applicable)
List of game levels available on World Overview
Description of how information is presented to player
Details on how player will navigate this screen (cursor, character, and so on)
Animation (character and/or elements) required for this screen
Sound and music required for level select screen
Universal game mechanics—list mechanics that will be found throughout the game. Always include images of each mechanic.
Platform mechanics
Description
Metrics in relationship to player
Portal mechanics
Doors
Handle/switch operated
Key operated
Breakable.
Hatch (context-sensitive move)
Teleportals
Description and image
Effects
Navigational aids
Breakable objects (crates, furniture, grass clumps, and so on)
How is item broken
What items are yielded/percentage of yield
Other effects (explosion, timer, switch, and so on)
Non-breakable objects (treasure chests, and so on)
Description and image
What items are yielded/percentage of yield
Other effects (explosion, timer, switch, and so on)
Puzzle objects (pushable blocks, keys, and so on)
Description and image
How does player interact
Switches
Description and image
How does player interact
Climbable/swingable objects
Description and image
How does player interact
Game levels—list out each of the level mentioned in the world overview
Name/title of levels
Short description of level
Player's objective (training, get from A to B, find key, and so on)
Reward of level (level up, magic sword, progression, and so on)
Major gameplay found in this level (stealth, platform, vehicle, and so on)
Sub-game found in level, with description of gameplay and control scheme
Enemies found on this level
Visual style guides for level
Include inspirational and concept artwork
Time of day
Color guide
Music for level
Provide examples/sound files
Hub level
Description/image of hub
List of locations found in hub.
Requirements for travel/unlock
State changes
Save/load options (if applicable)
Training level
Goals of training level
List of training level activities
Level specific mechanics
Hazards (spikes, flame jet, laser fields, and so on)
Description and image
Timing information
Damage/effect
How does it affect player? (Movement, health, and so on)
How does player avoid/thwart?
Special effects or elements needed
Level specific contextual mechanics
Description and image
Timing information
Effect
How does it affect player? (Movement, health, and so on)
How does player interact?
Special effects or elements needed
General enemy rules
Behavior types (patroller, hunter, flyer, and so on)
AI rules and detection metrics
Spawn parameters
Defeat parameters
Reward yield rules
Level-specific enemies
Enemy image
Enemy description—include enemy type
Levels enemy is encountered
Movement pattern—show metrics
Attacks
Damage value
Damage effects (knockback, stun, and so on)
Reactions/damage/death
Idles
Special effects
Reward yield
Bosses
Description and image of boss
Include scale
Call out weak points/attack spots
Interaction with player (will hurt player if collides, only hurt player when in specific state, and so on)
Movement patterns
Show metrics in relationship to player
Warnings
Specific attack
Damage done
Special effects
Reactions/damage/death
Idles
Description of player's experience
Description of intro/cutscene
Include number of rounds
Progression/ramping of action
Description and image of environment
How is the boss defeated?
Reward yield
Non-player characters
Collectibles/object sets
List of items
Images
Level(s) found on
What object or set unlocks (if applicable)
Cutscenes
List of cutscenes
Short outline of each cutscene
Level where cutscene is presented
Music and SFX
List of music
Level where music is needed—don't forget title, pause, options, end credits
Tone/feeling of music
Licensor points and concerns
Appendixes
Player character animation lists
Enemy character animations lists
Sound effects list
Music list
Level location
Cutscene scripts
Cutscene storyboards
VO scripts
Player
Enemies
Bosses
NPC barks
In-game text
Warning screens
Tutorial text
Character dialogue/subtitles
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