Games GDD: Games Design Document

 This week I learned about Game Design Documents and why they are needed. 

Firstly I read an article (here) about the two important factors considered when creating a GDD: Memory Aid and Communication Aid. I found these interesting because it shows that a lot of thought goes into creating games and many people have worked through what works and what doesn't work.

I learned that Memory Aid has a very important purpose. As game design is a very long process with a lot of thoughts and executions, it is easy to forget what happened in the early stages of design. Memory Aid takes away the need to try remember if a step has already been taken, as you can just log it into the document and go back and check if needed.

Communication Aid is important as there are a lot of people in a team when designing a game. It is easier to have one specific work document / place to work as a team and track the progress together. 

There is also a whole load of different teams in game development so it is important to create different sections in the documentation or have different documentations altogether. These teams vary from the beginning design teams, to engineering, to art, all the way down to the players. 

This first article also gave me good insight into what creates a good design document. There are many different factors that come into play such as your target groups, keeping the document short and not long winded, illustrations, code, format, and lots more insightful tips for creating a worthwhile document. 

The second article I read gave me instant indication that the more you talk about game design and discuss it, the better you become! 

Screenshot of GamaSutra Website

In this article, it was clear to me that game techniques are quick to change and the technology changes and progresses daily. It was recommended to just write, write, and write even more when you get an idea. This was useful information for me. 

This website also gave a fantastic description of how to create your first GDD from scratch, and even gave a template if needed! One heading that I found quite interesting was the "User Skills.' It was informative about what skills the player will need to master to become good at your game. What age gap is the skill set for? I'll need to think about how advanced I want the skills, something I never thought about before. 

Lastly, I watched a video on a creating a simple game design document. The YouTuber who published the video is the owner of Case Creek Media. This sparked ideas in my mind for ideas for a media business name... probably a bit soon but never too early to be ambitious! 

In the video he talked through the different contents needed in a GDD, just like the GamaSutra website. After reading and watching all through this information, I'm nervous to get started on my own as I know it will be hard work.

Nothing worthwhile comes easy though!

Chat Soon!