Probably you thought about it, heard somewhere, but don’t know what exactly is that damn GDD thing, that “mystery document, a magic scroll of spells, used by Sorcerers of Code in Game Development Guilds”… Erm Studios I meant… ok, that’s too far, let’s focus 🙂
GDD is just an acronym for Game Design Document, a core document for game projects, a bible for the whole project, contains design assumptions, a description of the map, mechanics, plot in general, and specification of the entire environment of your game. Do you have one? Not yet? So it’s high time to create it now!
How it should be composed? Let’s jump right in!
How to Write a GDD Without Going Insane
So you’ve got this great idea for a game. You’ve been brainstorming for weeks, you’ve filled up notebooks with ideas, and you’re ready to start coding. But wait! Before you dive into the abyss of programming, there’s one crucial step you need to take: writing a game design document (GDD).
A GDD is like a roadmap for your game. It outlines everything from the game’s core mechanics to its story and characters. It’s a living document that will evolve as your game develops, but it’s essential to have a solid foundation before you start coding.
I know what you’re thinking: “Ugh, another boring document to write?” I hear you, but trust me, a GDD is not the worst thing in the world. In fact, it can actually be a lot of fun. And it’s definitely worth the effort in the long run.
Does every project need that GDD?
Excluding micro-projects for coding exercises, like a simple snake game? Yes, every one. It’s good practice to keep things written down, to maintain a common vision of the project, and to relieve your brain – remembering and explaining every project’s goals over and over is really exhausting for your brain. For more complex games, especially in team settings, a GDD is a crucial document. It helps the entire team stay on track, saves time, and ensures clear communication between coworkers.
Who should writes GDD?
Usually, drafts of the GDD are written by the team’s lead designer – in solo work, it’ll be just you. In small indie teams, it’s probably the person responsible for the artistic aspect of the game, or the entire team working on it simultaneously.
Regardless, the person who initiates this document should be responsible for updating it, and only that person – to avoid mistakes and responsibility clashes. Furthermore, remember that in teams, everyone will have ideas; you – as a responsible one for GDD – should filter, organize, and synthesize them, focusing on the project’s goal and bearing in mind that the project’s success is more important than your personal ego or individual emotions.
Who should read GDD?
Literally everyone in a whole team. Every members should to know, what you are doing, how it should to look, and what is what, what si where. In general, this is confidential internal document, so care about proper security, but every member have to got free access to up to date version – just in case, if forgot something, and don’t waste you time and don’t irritate your nerve system.
Why I should write that damn GDD?
There are many reasons why you need a GDD, but here are a few of the most important:
- It helps you to organize your thoughts. When you’re first starting out, it can be easy to get lost in all of your ideas. A GDD helps you to put your thoughts down on paper and organize them in a way that makes sense.
- It helps you to communicate your vision to others. If you’re working with a team of developers, artists, and designers, you need a way to communicate your vision for the game. A GDD is a great way to do that.
- It helps you to stay on track. As your game progresses, it’s easy to get bogged down in details and lose sight of the big picture. A GDD can help you to stay on track and make sure that you’re building the game you originally envisioned.
- It helps you to avoid scope creep. Scope creep is when you keep adding new features to your game, even if they don’t really add anything to the overall experience. A GDD can help you to avoid scope creep by forcing you to define the scope of your game early on.
- Documenting the process: A GDD serves as a record of the game’s evolution, from initial ideas to the final product. This document allows you to track changes, choices made, and justifications for decisions, which can be valuable for future projects and analysis of mistakes.
- Facilitating funding: A GDD can be a key element in presenting the project to potential investors or publishers. This document, containing a detailed plan for the game and showcasing its potential, increases the chances of obtaining funding and support.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind:
- Your GDD is a living document. It should be updated as your game evolves.
- Your GDD is not set in stone. It’s okay to change things if you need to.
- Your GDD is a tool to help you make a great game. Don’t let it become a burden.
What should be included in your GDD?
Your GDD should include everything that you need to know in order to build your game. This will vary depending on the complexity of your game, but here are some of the essential things to include:
- Game overview: This is a brief description of your game, including the genre, setting, and main characters.
- Game mechanics: This is a detailed description of how your game works, including the rules, controls, and objectives.
- Game world: This is a description of the game world, including the setting, geography, and inhabitants.
- Story: This is a description of the game’s story, including the plot, characters, and themes.
- Art and audio: This is a description of the game’s art and audio style.
- Technical design: This is a description of the game’s technical architecture, including the programming languages, software tools, and hardware requirements.
- Schedule and budget: This is a timeline for the development of the game, as well as a budget for the project.
How to write a GDD that doesn’t suck
Writing a GDD can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be painful. Here are a few tips for writing a GDD that doesn’t suck:
- Start with a template. There are many GDD templates available online that can help you to get started – you can use one of my template for example.
- Keep it concise. Your GDD should be long enough to be comprehensive, but short enough to be easy to read and understand.
- Use visuals. Use screenshots, diagrams, and other visuals to help illustrate your points.
- Get feedback. Ask others to review your GDD and give you feedback.
- Be iterative. Your GDD is a living document that will evolve as your game develops. Don’t be afraid to update it as you go along.
- Use a light and humorous tone throughout. Writing a GDD doesn’t have to be a dry, technical affair. Inject some personality into your writing and have fun with it! This will make your GDD more engaging to read and will help to keep you motivated as you work on it.
- Don’t be afraid to get creative with your formatting. Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and other formatting elements to make your GDD easy to scan and read. You can also use images, diagrams, and other visuals to break up the text and make your GDD more visually appealing.
- Write in a way that is easy for others to understand. Avoid using jargon and technical terms that your audience may not be familiar with. If you do need to use technical terms, be sure to define them clearly.
- Keep your GDD up to date. As your game evolves, you will need to update your GDD to reflect the changes. This will help to ensure that your GDD remains an accurate and valuable resource for your team.
- Get feedback from others. Once you have a draft of your GDD, get feedback from others. This could include your team members, other game developers, or even playtesters. Feedback can help you to identify areas where your GDD can be improved.
- Don’t be afraid to revise your GDD. As you get feedback, you will likely need to revise your GDD. This is perfectly normal! The goal is to create a GDD that is as useful and informative as possible.
Remember, your GDD is a work in progress. You don’t have to write it all at once, and you don’t have to make it perfect – don’t even try. Just get it down on paper and start refining it as you go. Writing a GDD can be a lot of fun. It’s a chance to really dig into your game and flesh out your ideas. So don’t be afraid to let your creativity shine through! And finally, don’t forget to have fun! Game development is a journey, and your GDD is a part of that journey. So relax, enjoy the process, and make something awesome!
The Nitty Gritty
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the nitty gritty of writing a GDD. Here are some tips for each of the essential sections of your Game Design Document:
1. Game Overview
- Genre: Briefly describe the type of game (e.g. platformer, RPG, strategy).
- Setting: Outline the time period and world where the game takes place.
- Main Characters: Introduce the key players and their roles in the story.
- Unique Selling Points (USPs): Highlight what makes your game stand out from the competition.
2. Game Mechanics
- Core Gameplay Loop: Explain the fundamental cycle of actions players will take within the game.
- Controls: Describe how players will interact with and control the game.
- Objectives & Win Conditions: Detail what players need to achieve to win the game.
- Inventory & Resources: Specify the types of items and resources players can collect and utilize.
- Combat System (if applicable): Explain how combat works, including attack types, enemy behaviors, and rewards.
3. Game World
- Geography & Locations: Describe the layout of the game world and key locations within it.
- Factions & Inhabitants: Explain the different groups and creatures players will encounter.
- Lore & Background: If there’s a backstory to your world, provide a high-level overview.
4. Story
- Plot Synopsis: Summarize the main narrative arc of the game.
- Characters & Relationships: Flesh out the personalities and connections between characters.
- Dialogue & Narration (optional): If relevant, detail how the story will be told (e.g. cutscenes, voiced dialogue, text boxes).
- Themes: Identify the underlying messages or ideas explored in the story.
5. Art and Audio
- Visual Style: Describe the overall look and feel of the game’s art (e.g. realistic, cartoon, pixel art).
- UI/UX Design: Outline the design principles for the user interface and user experience.
- Sound Design: Explain the intended sound effects and music style.
6. Technical Design
- Programming Languages & Tools: Specify the software and technology used for game development.
- Target Platforms: Identify which platforms (e.g. PC, mobile, consoles) the game will be built for.
- Technical Specifications: Outline any specific hardware requirements for players to run the game.
7. Schedule and Budget
- Development Timeline: Create a realistic roadmap for development stages with milestones.
- Estimated Budget: Calculate the projected cost of development and assets.
- Resource Allocation: How will your team’s time and budget be allocated throughout development?
Additional Sections for a GDD
While the above sections are essential, you can include additional sections to further refine your GDD:
- Monetization Strategy (if applicable): If your game involves in-app purchases or other monetization, outline your plan.
- Marketing and PR: Briefly outline your marketing strategy to reach your target audience.
- Risks and Mitigations: Identify potential development hurdles and strategies to overcome them.
- Concept Art & Mockups: Include visual aids to illustrate design ideas for characters, environments, animals, beasts, and UI mockups
- Technical Design Details: For more complex projects, add detailed technical specifications and architecture diagrams.
- Appendix: Use this section for supplemental information like character biographies, detailed level design plans, items descriptions, list of possible achievements or external references.
Additional tips:
- Use a consistent style throughout your GDD.
- Its good to use same template for every your project.
- Proofread your GDD carefully for errors.
- Get feedback from others on your GDD.
Writing a GDD can be a lot of work, but it’s worth the effort. A well-written GDD will help you to create a better game and avoid a lot of headaches down the road, in short words it can save your butt. With well composed documentation, you can go through the code easily, with peace of mind, focused on implementation and code quality, not “what the hell I should put here…” or wondering, where on the map items should be placed, and which mechanic should be used in that damn door. Just get rid of chaos.
If you ever get stuck, just take a break and come back to it later. Writing a GDD is a marathon, not a sprint. – and care about quality, not quantity
The Fun Stuff
Now that we’ve covered the serious stuff, let’s have some fun! Here are some tips for making your GDD more engaging and enjoyable to write:
- Use humor. A little bit of humor can go a long way in making your GDD more fun to read. Don’t be afraid to crack a joke or two, especially if it’s relevant to your game.
- Use visuals. Use screenshots, diagrams, and other visuals to help illustrate your points. This will make your GDD more visually appealing and easier to understand.
- Get creative with your writing style. Don’t just write in dry, technical terms. Use vivid language and descriptive writing to bring your game world and characters to life.
- Tell a story. Your GDD should tell the story of your game, from its inception to its release. This will make it more engaging to read and will help you to stay focused on your vision.
- Make it personal. Let your personality shine through in your writing. This will make your GDD more unique and memorable.
Here are some examples of how you can use humor, visuals, and creativity in your GDD:
- Use a humorous tone throughout your GDD. For example, you could start each section with a funny quote or anecdote.
- Create a custom font or use a fun and quirky font style. This will make your GDD stand out from the crowd.
- Use illustrations or comics to tell parts of your story. This can be a great way to break up the text and make your GDD more visually appealing.
- Write a song or poem about your game. This could be a fun way to express your passion for your project.
- Create a video trailer for your GDD. This could be a great way to showcase your game’s visuals and music.
By using these tips, you can make your GDD a more fun and engaging experience for both you and your readers.
Paper vs. PDF vs. Software
You can stuck in choosing, how to store this documentation – which form to choose. You have to answer for that question by yourself. But I can give you some tips:
For really small games, coded by one developer – you can use just paper, to write down important thing.
If you work in a team – in 99,99% you cooperate online, so physical copy will be hard to use and maintain, so it’s better to use digital form, but there is another question – as a PDF in cloud, or to use a dedicated software? Here I can answer like a lawyer – it depends. For good software, you have to pay, and as a Indie Developer in micro team, probably you can’t afford it, or it’s form over content, and wasting of money. That decision, you have to consider alone. Anyway PDF in team cloud always will be free and fastest option.
Summary
Remember: writing a GDD should be enjoyable, not stressful. So relax, have fun, and let your creativity flow!
Creating a GDD is an investment of time and effort that pays off in many ways throughout the game development process. A well-constructed GDD facilitates organization, communication, project control, and teamwork, leading to the creation of a game that aligns with the original vision and meets player expectations.
I hope these tips help you to write a GDD that is both informative and entertaining.
And remember, if you ever get stuck, just take a break and come back to it later. Writing a GDD is a journey, not a destination.
So what are you waiting for? Start writing your GDD today!
Oh, and remember, have fun!
Good luck!
Download Game Design Document Template
