Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create a GDD (Game Design Document)
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create a GDD (Game Design Document)
Starting from zero to create a Game Design Document (GDD) is a fantastic and crucial first step! A GDD is essentially the blueprint for your game. It helps you organize your ideas, define your vision, and communicate it effectively to anyone who might work on the project (artists, programmers, sound designers, or even just yourself in the future).
Part 1 How to Create a Brain Test–Style Puzzle Game in Unity (Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners)
Game Title: (Come up with a working title, e.g., "Tricky Logic Puzzles," "Mind Maze," "Brain Tease Challenge")
1. Core Vision & High Concept
Game Genre: Puzzle, Tricky Puzzle, Brain Teaser High Concept Statement: (A single sentence or two describing the game's essence) Example: "Brain Tease Challenge is a mobile puzzle game that tests players' lateral thinking through a series of unexpected and often humorous interactive levels, designed to challenge conventional logic."
Target Audience: (Who are you making this for?) Example: Mobile casual gamers, puzzle enthusiasts, players who enjoy "Brain Test" or "Who Is?" games, ages 10+.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP): (What makes your game stand out from others in the genre?) Example: "Our game will feature unique hand-drawn art, culturally relevant scenarios, and integrate device features in novel ways beyond just shaking."
Platform(s): Android, iOS (or just Android to start)
2. Gameplay Overview
Objective: What is the player trying to achieve in the game? Example: "The player's primary objective is to solve a series of increasingly difficult and unconventional puzzles by interacting with on-screen elements to find the correct solution for each level."
Core Loop: (What's the repetitive action the player performs?) Example: "Player enters a level -> Reads the question/scenario -> Interacts with objects -> If correct, progresses to next level -> If incorrect, tries again or uses a hint."
Player Actions/Interactions: (How does the player interact with the game?) Tap: Tapping on objects, buttons, characters. Drag & Drop: Moving objects to specific locations or onto other objects. Swipe: (If applicable for certain puzzles). Pinch/Zoom: (If applicable for finding details). Device Interactions: Shaking the device, tilting, using volume buttons, covering the camera/sensor (be creative!). Text Input: (If any puzzles require typing, less common in Brain Test but possible).
Win/Loss Conditions: How does a player win a level? Is there a loss condition, or just repeated attempts? Example: "Winning a level is achieved by performing the correct sequence of interactions to solve the puzzle. There are no 'loss' conditions, only repeated attempts until the solution is found or a hint is used."
3. Mechanics (The "How It Works")
Puzzle Structure: How many levels are planned? (e.g., "50 levels in initial release, with plans for more updates.") Are levels linear, or can players choose? (e.g., "Levels are linear, requiring completion of the current puzzle to unlock the next.") How is difficulty handled? (e.g., "Difficulty gradually increases, introducing more complex interactions and misleading elements.")
Hint System: How do players get hints? (e.g., "Players can watch a rewarded video ad or spend in-game currency to get a hint.") How many hints per level? (e.g., "One hint per level, revealing a critical piece of information but not the direct solution.") Is there a "skip level" option? (e.g., "Yes, after a certain number of failed attempts or by spending premium currency.")
Interactive Elements: Object Properties: (e.g., "Each interactive object will have properties like isDraggable, isTapable, isCombinable, requiredTarget, correctAction.") Collision Detection: How will the game know when objects are in the right place? (e.g., "Using 2D colliders and trigger events for drag-and-drop mechanics.")
Progression System: (Beyond just unlocking levels) Are there stars, scores, or achievements? (e.g., "Players earn 'Brain Points' for completing levels, with bonus points for solving without hints.") Unlockables? (e.g., "New avatar customization options unlock at certain point thresholds.")
4. Art & Aesthetic
Art Style: (e.g., "Cartoonish, 2D, hand-drawn, vibrant, minimalist, realistic") Example: "Clean, 2D vector art with a slightly whimsical, cartoonish style. Characters should be expressive but simple. Bright, inviting color palette."
User Interface (UI) Style: (e.g., "Minimalist, intuitive, playful, modern") Example: "Clean, intuitive UI with large, easy-to-tap buttons. Font should be clear and readable, but with a touch of fun. Consistent iconography."
Key Visual Elements: (Any recurring motifs, character designs, environments?) Example: "Each level will feature a distinct background relevant to the puzzle's scenario. Recurring characters for tutorial/hint delivery."
Sound & Music: Music Style: (e.g., "Upbeat, quirky, lighthearted, instrumental, calming") Example: "Upbeat, slightly whimsical background music that isn't distracting. Music should change subtly upon correct/incorrect answers." Sound Effects (SFX): (e.g., "Satisfying tap sounds, distinct correct/incorrect sounds, subtle UI sounds, character vocalizations") Example: "Crisp, satisfying 'ding' for correct answers, a comical 'bonk' or 'buzzer' for incorrect. Subtle sounds for dragging and tapping."
5. Technology & Tools
Game Engine: Unity Programming Language: C# Art Software: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Krita, GIMP, etc. Audio Software: Audacity, FL Studio, Logic Pro, etc. Version Control: Git (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) - Highly recommended even for solo projects to track changes.
6. Monetization Strategy (Optional but important for F2P)
Free-to-Play (F2P) Model: Rewarded Video Ads: For hints, extra attempts, or skips. Interstitials: Full-screen ads between levels (use sparingly to avoid annoying players). In-App Purchases (IAP): Remove Ads. Purchase hint packs. Buy premium customization items. "Starter packs" for new players.
Premium Model (Paid Game): Less common for this genre, but an option.
7. Level List / Puzzle Examples
Puzzle Number/Name: Level 1: "The Hungry Cat" Scenario/Question: "Help the cat find its food!" (Displayed to player) Visual Description: (What does the level look like? Objects, characters, background) Example: "A cartoon cat sits forlornly next to an empty food bowl. A bag of cat food is on a high shelf. A small mouse hole is visible on the wall."
Interactive Elements: (What can the player tap, drag, etc.?) Example: "Cat, food bowl, bag of cat food, shelf, mouse hole."
Solution/Logic: (The actual way to solve it, and why it's tricky) Example: "The trick is to drag the cat food bag to the mouse hole. The mouse will appear, drag the food off the shelf, and then the player drags the food to the cat's bowl."
Tricky Element/Misdirection: Example: "Players might try to drag the cat to the food, or tap the food repeatedly. The mouse interaction is the unexpected part."
Hint: (What would the hint say?) Example: "Sometimes, the smallest creatures can be the biggest helpers."
How to Approach Writing Your GDD:
Don't Overthink the First Draft: Just get your ideas down. It's okay if it's messy. Start Broad, Then Detail: Begin with the Core Vision, then move to Gameplay, then to Mechanics, and finally, specific Puzzle Examples. Use Bullet Points: They make the document much easier to read and absorb. Use Visuals (if helpful): If you can sketch a UI layout or a puzzle idea, include it! Review and Refine: Once you have a draft, read it critically. Is anything unclear? Are there contradictions? Have you missed anything important? It's a Living Document: Your GDD isn't set in stone. It will evolve as you develop the game and discover what works and what doesn't. Update the version number and date whenever you make significant changes.
Bonus: What tools are required to create a Game Design Document (GDD)
1. Word Processors / Document Editors
Google Docs: Pros: Excellent for collaboration (real-time editing, comments, suggestions), cloud-based, accessible from anywhere, good for sharing with external partners. Free. Cons: Can become unwieldy for very large, complex GDDs with many images/assets, limited advanced formatting compared to dedicated desktop apps. Professional Use: Very common, especially for indie studios and remote teams, due to its collaborative features.
Microsoft Word: Pros: Powerful formatting, robust features, good for complex documents with tables, images, and cross-references. Industry standard for many corporate documents. Cons: Collaboration features are not as seamless as Google Docs (though improving with Office 365), desktop app can be expensive. Professional Use: Still widely used, particularly by larger studios with existing Microsoft infrastructure.
Pages (Apple): Pros: Clean interface, great for visually appealing documents, good integration with other Apple services. Free for Apple users. Cons: Limited cross-platform compatibility, collaboration is less universal than Google Docs. Professional Use: More common in smaller Mac-centric studios.
2. Wiki / Knowledge Base Tools
Confluence (Atlassian): Pros: Industry standard for many tech companies. Highly customizable, powerful search, robust linking capabilities, integrates well with other Atlassian tools like Jira (for task management). Excellent for organizing vast amounts of information. Cons: Can be overkill for a small indie project, requires setup and can have a learning curve. Not free. Professional Use: Very common in mid-sized to large game studios for comprehensive GDDs, technical design documents, and general project knowledge.
Notion: Pros: Extremely versatile. Can function as a wiki, database, project manager, and document editor all in one. Highly customizable pages, excellent for linking and organizing diverse information, good collaboration. Free tier available. Cons: Can take time to set up and configure to your specific needs, the sheer flexibility can be overwhelming initially. Professional Use: Gaining significant traction in game development, from indies to larger teams, for its all-in-one capabilities.
Obsidian: Pros: Markdown-based, powerful local knowledge base. Great for creating a "second brain" with extensive linking and graph view. Free. Cons: Primarily local, collaboration is less built-in (though possible with shared folders/syncing), steeper learning curve for non-developers. Professional Use: More popular with individual designers or small teams who prioritize robust linking and local control.
3. Project Management / Task Tracking Tools (Used for GDD components)
Jira (Atlassian): Pros: Industry standard for agile project management. Great for breaking down GDD concepts into actionable tasks, tracking progress, and assigning work. Integrates with Confluence. Cons: Not designed for long-form documentation itself, primarily a task tracker. Can be complex. Professional Use: Almost universally used in mid-sized to large studios to manage development from the GDD.
Trello / Asana / Monday.com: Pros: More visual and user-friendly for task management. Good for organizing feature lists and tracking their status. Cons: Similar to Jira, not for writing the GDD itself, but for managing the implementation of its components. Professional Use: Common in smaller teams or for specific parts of a project for task organization.
4. Diagramming Tools (for visual elements within GDDs)
Miro / Mural: Pros: Online collaborative whiteboards. Excellent for brainstorming, flowcharts, user journeys, and visual representations of game systems. Cons: Not for text-heavy documentation. Professional Use: Widely used for collaborative brainstorming and visualizing complex systems that are then referenced or embedded in the main GDD.
Figma / Adobe XD: Pros: For UI/UX design, mockups, and interactive prototypes. Cons: Specialized for UI, not for general documentation. Professional Use: Used by UI/UX designers, and mockups are embedded in the GDD.
Comments
Post a Comment