How do you create and maintain a game design document that guides your development process?

1 Start with a high-level overview

The first step is to write a high-level overview of your game that summarizes its genre, theme, target audience, platform, and unique selling points. This should be a short and catchy paragraph that captures the essence and goals of your game. Think of it as your elevator pitch that you can use to pitch your game to potential partners, publishers, or investors.

2 Define your core gameplay loop

The core gameplay loop is the main activity that the player repeats throughout the game, such as exploring, fighting, crafting, or solving puzzles. It is the foundation of your game design and should be fun, engaging, and rewarding. You should define your core gameplay loop in terms of the actions, challenges, feedback, and rewards that the player experiences. You should also explain how the loop evolves and changes over time, such as introducing new elements, increasing difficulty, or adding variety.

3 Outline your game features and mechanics

The next step is to outline your game features and mechanics, which are the specific systems and rules that govern your game. For example, your game features might include character creation, inventory, dialogue, quests, combat, leveling, or achievements. Your game mechanics might include movement, collision, physics, AI, camera, or input. You should describe each feature and mechanic in detail, including how they work, why they are important, and how they relate to each other and to the core gameplay loop.

4 Create your game art and sound style

Your game art and sound style is the visual and auditory expression of your game that creates its mood, atmosphere, and identity. You should create your game art and sound style by defining your art direction, color palette, lighting, animation, UI, music, sound effects, and voice acting. You should also provide references, sketches, mockups, or prototypes that illustrate your style and show how it supports your game vision and theme.

5 Plan your game scope and schedule

Your game scope and schedule is the realistic estimation of what you can achieve with your resources, time, and budget. You should plan your game scope and schedule by breaking down your game into milestones, tasks, and deliverables. You should also prioritize your features and mechanics according to their importance, feasibility, and risk. You should also set deadlines, assign roles and responsibilities, and track your progress and issues.

6 Update and revise your GDD regularly

Your GDD is not a static document that you write once and forget. It is a living document that you update and revise regularly as your game evolves and changes. You should update and revise your GDD whenever you make significant decisions, add new features, remove old ones, fix bugs, or receive feedback. You should also share your GDD with your team and stakeholders and make sure they are aligned with your vision and goals.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?