Games Design Document/Game Design Outline

GDD

A Game Design Document (GDD) is like a big plan for making a video game. It helps the whole team understand how the game will work, look, and feel. Here’s a simpler breakdown:

1. Game Overview

• Name of the Game: The name you call your game.

• Quick Description: A short sentence explaining what the game is about.

• Type of Game: What kind of game it is (like a shooter, adventure, or puzzle game).

• Where You Can Play It: Is it for PC, console, or mobile?

• Who Will Play: The kind of people who would enjoy the game (e.g., kids, adults, casual gamers).

2. Gameplay

• How You Play: The basic idea of what players do in the game, like fighting, solving puzzles, or racing.

• Game Modes: Whether the game is single-player, multiplayer, or both.

• Leveling Up: How players get better in the game (like gaining skills, getting stronger, or unlocking new stuff).

• Player Goals: What players are trying to accomplish (like beating a boss, solving a puzzle, or finishing a level).

• Game Flow: How the game starts, what happens in the middle, and how it ends.

3. Story and Characters

• Plot: A simple version of the story the game tells.

• Characters: Who the characters are, what they do, and why they’re important to the story.

4. Art and Graphics

• Look of the Game: The style of the game’s art, like whether it’s realistic, cartoony, or pixel art.

• Characters and Worlds: How characters and environments should look.

• UI Design: How menus and buttons will look and work.

5. Sound and Music

• Sounds: What types of sound effects are in the game (like footsteps, gunshots, or magical sounds).

• Music: The style of music, whether it’s fast and exciting or slow and mysterious.

6. Technical Details

• What’s Needed to Run the Game: Basic technical stuff like how powerful a system or computer needs to be to play the game.

• Controls: How players will control the game (keyboard, controller, touchscreen).

7. Schedule

• Timeline: A rough schedule of when different parts of the game will be done.