[GAME NAME]

DESIGN DOCUMENT
VERSION 0.1
APRIL 9, 2010
[Game Name] Design Document 2 of 19

INDEX
VERSION HISTORY............................................................................................................................4
Version 0.1 – April 9, 2009................................................................................................................4
GAME OVERVIEW..............................................................................................................................5
Game logline....................................................................................................................................5
Gameplay synopsis...........................................................................................................................5
GAME DETAILS..................................................................................................................................6
Description......................................................................................................................................6
Game genre?...................................................................................................................................6
Is this single-player or multiplayer game?............................................................................................6
Is this 2D or 3D?..............................................................................................................................6
Where does the game take place? (world)...........................................................................................6
What do I control? How many characters? Can I use vehicles?................................................................6
What is the main focus?....................................................................................................................6
How long the game lasts? Or how long game matches last?...................................................................6
Comparison.....................................................................................................................................6
What is unique?................................................................................................................................6
Why create this game?......................................................................................................................6
AUDIENCE, PLATFORM, AND MARKETING..........................................................................................7
Target Audience...............................................................................................................................7
Platform..........................................................................................................................................7
Top Performers................................................................................................................................7
Feature comparison..........................................................................................................................7
FEATURE SET....................................................................................................................................8
General features...............................................................................................................................8
Multiplayer features..........................................................................................................................8
Level Editor.....................................................................................................................................8
Gameplay........................................................................................................................................8
THE GAME WORLD............................................................................................................................9
Overview.........................................................................................................................................9
Key locations...................................................................................................................................9
Travel.............................................................................................................................................9
Scale..............................................................................................................................................9
Objects...........................................................................................................................................9
Weather..........................................................................................................................................9
Day and night..................................................................................................................................9
Time...............................................................................................................................................9
Water.............................................................................................................................................9
Other elements................................................................................................................................9
CAMERA..........................................................................................................................................10
Overview.......................................................................................................................................10
GAME CHARACTERS.........................................................................................................................11
Overview.......................................................................................................................................11
Character creation..........................................................................................................................11
Enemies and monsters....................................................................................................................11
USER INTERFACE............................................................................................................................12
[Game Name] Design Document 3 of 19

Overview.......................................................................................................................................12
Details...........................................................................................................................................12
OBJECTS.........................................................................................................................................13
Overview.......................................................................................................................................13
Weapons.......................................................................................................................................13
Items............................................................................................................................................13
Equipment.....................................................................................................................................13
Other............................................................................................................................................13
MUSIC AND SOUNDS EFFECTS.........................................................................................................14
Overview.......................................................................................................................................14
Details...........................................................................................................................................14
Music tracks...................................................................................................................................14
Sound effects.................................................................................................................................14
3D sound.......................................................................................................................................14
Other............................................................................................................................................14
ART.................................................................................................................................................15
What kind of style will be used in the game?......................................................................................15
Needed building models...................................................................................................................15
Scenery models..............................................................................................................................15
Character models............................................................................................................................15
Vehicle models...............................................................................................................................15
Particle effects................................................................................................................................15
Other............................................................................................................................................15
SINGLE-PLAYER GAME....................................................................................................................16
Overview.......................................................................................................................................16
Details...........................................................................................................................................16
Story.............................................................................................................................................16
Victory conditions...........................................................................................................................16
MULTIPLAYER GAME.......................................................................................................................17
Overview.......................................................................................................................................17
Max players...................................................................................................................................17
Servers.........................................................................................................................................17
Customization................................................................................................................................17
Is the world persistent or not...........................................................................................................17
Saving and loading..........................................................................................................................17
Scores...........................................................................................................................................17
Chatting........................................................................................................................................17
Clans............................................................................................................................................17
RESOURCES & LINKS......................................................................................................................18
Links to related resources................................................................................................................18
EXTRA MISCELLANEOUS STUFF.......................................................................................................19
Overview.......................................................................................................................................19
Crazy ideas....................................................................................................................................19
[Game Name] Design Document 4 of 19

VERSION HISTORY
Version 0.1 – April 9, 2009
 First version of the document. Template based on link noted in “Links” section
 Removed “Mods” and replaced a few sections are based on the template in Game
Design Workshop by Tracy Fullerton.
[Game Name] Design Document 5 of 19

GAME OVERVIEW
Game logline
[In one sentence, describe your game]

Gameplay synopsis
[Describe how your game plays and what the user experiences. Ideas to discuss:
Uniqueness, Mechanics, Setting, Look and Feel.]
[Game Name] Design Document 6 of 19

GAME DETAILS
Description
[Give a bit longer description]

Game genre?
[Action/Arcade/RPG/RTS/Puzzle/Card/Simulation/Driving/Adventure/Sports/Retrto/
other/combination?]

Is this single-player or multiplayer game?

[single/multiplayer]

Is this 2D or 3D?
[2D or 3D]

Where does the game take place? (world)

[Describe game world in few lines]

What do I control? How many characters? Can I use vehicles?

What is the main focus?

How long the game lasts? Or how long game matches last?

Comparison
[List 3 similar games and tell how this game is different from those]

What is unique?
[what has never been seen in any other game before this]

Why create this game?

[Don't miss this - tell me the reason why you are creating the game]
[Game Name] Design Document 7 of 19

AUDIENCE, PLATFORM, AND MARKETING

Target Audience

Platform
[Give 3 reasons why people would buy this game.]

Top Performers
[List other top-selling games in the same market]

Feature comparison
[Compare your game to competition.]
[Game Name] Design Document 8 of 19

FEATURE SET
General features

Multiplayer features

Level Editor

Gameplay
[Game Name] Design Document 9 of 19

THE GAME WORLD

Overview

Key locations

Travel
[explain how player moves around in the world]

Scale
[Is it a micro world? space? normal?]

Objects

Weather

Day and night

Time

Water

Other elements
[Game Name] Design Document 10 of 19

CAMERA
Overview
[describe they way the camera will work]
[Game Name] Design Document 11 of 19

GAME CHARACTERS
Overview

Character creation

Enemies and monsters

[Game Name] Design Document 12 of 19

USER INTERFACE
Overview

Details
[Game Name] Design Document 13 of 19

OBJECTS
Overview

Weapons

Items

Equipment

Other
[Game Name] Design Document 14 of 19

MUSIC AND SOUNDS EFFECTS

Overview

Details

Music tracks

Sound effects

3D sound

Other
[Game Name] Design Document 15 of 19

ART
What kind of style will be used in the game?
[cartoon? realistic?]

Needed building models

Scenery models

Character models

Vehicle models

Particle effects

Other
[Game Name] Design Document 16 of 19

SINGLE-PLAYER GAME
Overview

Details

Story

Victory conditions
[Game Name] Design Document 17 of 19

MULTIPLAYER GAME
Overview

Max players

Servers

Customization

Is the world persistent or not

Saving and loading

Scores
[What kind of scoring system there will be? And will there be online high scores or
ranks? How do you get points or ranks?]

Chatting
[How do you chat with other players in the game? Is there game lobby? Rooms?
In-game chat?]

Clans
[Can players create clans or tribes in the game?]
[Game Name] Design Document 18 of 19

RESOURCES & LINKS

Links to related resources
Design document based on this template:
HTTP://FORUMS.XNA.COM/FORUMS/T/229.ASPX
HTTP://INDIEPATH.COM/PUBLIC/DESIGNDOCUMENTTEMPLATE01.DOC
A few sections of the document are based on the design template in this book:
Fullerton, Tracy. Game Design Workshop, 2nd Edition: Elesvier Inc, 2008.
[Game Name] Design Document 19 of 19

EXTRA MISCELLANEOUS STUFF

Overview

Crazy ideas
[If you have really crazy ideas - this is the place to put them]