What the Hell is GDD, and why do we need one?
Proper Game Design Document is what makes the game design easier
Hi, it’s Mike!
I've always been a big fan of game design. There is something addicting about creating new worlds and mechanics. Until recently, I was unaware of game design processes that make you develop games better and faster. Mostly because I was a solo developer. Everything was chaotically stored in my head and changing constantly. But what happens when a team - even as small as two people - is involved in the process?
GDD is what becomes the backbone of the process. It is a staple in any game development project and can significantly impact the quality of your finished product. Also, when you learn about GDD, you will want to use it even as a solo developer.
So, what is GDD exactly?
GDD stands for game design document.
The GDD is a comprehensive outline of the game, including how you'll design it and the functionality you expect it to have. It's written in plain words, so even if you don't know how to code yet or aren't a design expert, you can still understand what needs to be done.
The GDD helps with communication between everyone involved: developers, designers, artists, and testers all need access to this document to work together as one unit toward achieving common goals.
It's an important part of any game development project and helps with communication between everyone involved.
GDD is integral to any game development project and helps communicate with everyone involved. It's how we keep everyone on the same page about what they are doing and when it needs to be done. By having a GDD document for each project, you can ensure that all team members are working towards the same goals. Having this document also ensures that everyone knows what is expected from them, which will help prevent confusion or mistakes.
For example: if there was an error in one area of your GDD (or even multiple areas), then someone could look at their copy of the document instead of trying to figure out where those errors were located - because they'd already been identified! This would save time overall and reduce stress levels because this can happen during production makes me feel better about using GDDs myself.
Your GDD should start with a summary of your game and what kind of mood or experience you want players to have while playing it.
Here are some examples:
"My game is about a young boy who wants to fly like his hero but doesn't know how."
"This game is about creating the perfect garden so people will love it when they see it."
It then lists everything that goes into making that happen - story elements, characters, settings, mechanics...everything!
You'll want to think about what goes into making your game.
That's the whole point of this exercise: make sure you've got a good idea of how many elements are in your game so that when it comes time to write the GDD (and all those stories and characters and settings), you'll know exactly what's going into them!
Once you've mapped out all these elements, it's time to put together a document that explains them more fully. This is your GDD (Game Design Document). It contains everything you need to know about the game--the design decisions behind its mechanics, how they function, what kind of challenges they'll present, and so on.
A good GDD should include the following:
The main character(s) or player avatar(s) who will be playing through the game
Their relationships with other characters in the story (if any)
The setting where this story takes place
A detailed explanation of how each element works within your system
This document answers specific questions about how each element will work in practice so you can iterate on them effectively until you're satisfied with their implementation.
The GDD is a living document. As you make changes, it will be updated and improved. This keeps everyone on the same page about what's going on with your project, which makes it easier to discuss issues when they arise. The GDD also serves as a tool for managing complexity. While many things can go wrong with any project, knowing how much work has already been done can help prioritize tasks and manage risk effectively.
You can't make a good game without having a Game Design Document
The GDD is a living document that changes as the project evolves. It's not just a list of features and ideas, it's also an opportunity to communicate your vision for the game so that everyone involved understands what you're trying to achieve.
The GDD serves three main purposes: it helps keep everyone on the same page, it provides useful information for deciding what needs fixing later on (or not), and last but importantly--and this might be its most important role--it allows you as creator(s) of a game project to think through how everything fits together before any coding begins!
Conclusion
So there you have it. I've covered the basics of game design documents and why they are important to successful game development. Now that you know what they are, I hope you'll consider making one yourself!