Games Production - Game Design Document (1st version)

We were told that we would have to construct a game design document for the game. This would outline what we plan to do with the game and what inspiration we can draw on. The game design document is also essential as it gives us a plan to follow, something that we can stick to or refer back to, if we ever get lost on the project and fall off the path. In this Game Design Document, we are aiming to set out the main premise for our game and this document will act as a template for us to follow.

Example of the game design document (The X, The 4 Pillars, Story).

It was decided that I would write the first Version of the game design document, then our Game Designer, will pick it up and adjust it. This is so that our Game Designer can focus in these first few weeks to get the game going, so that the rest of the team can proceed when it comes round to him constructing the paperwork. There are many aspects to the game design document that have to be included. Below is a section of what is included in the game design document that I constructed.

-Content

-Scope

-Conventions

-The X

-The 4 Pillars

-Story 

-Art Direction 

-System Requirements

-Software

-SDKS 

-The Player/Core Mechanics 

-Controls, World 

-Landscape

-Objects 

-NPCS 

-Sound

-Game Flow 

-The Player

-Setting

-Game Structure  

-Action 

-Objective

-Graphics

-HUD

-Limitations

-Intro

-Menu System

-The Team

-References

System requirements, Software, SDKS.

Update - As the game has now changed from a story based level to a wave based, many aspects of the game design document need to be changed. This includes the "The World" and "Landscape". These are issues that need to be dealt with, as if we fall off track, we cannot follow this document as its a different type of game. When possible, it needs to be updated. Some elements can be kept, where as others cannot.