Game Design

Game design is the process of creating and developing the rules, mechanics, and overall structure of a video game.

Games designers are redacting a Game design document (GDD) that covers every information and aspect of the game.

✍️ Do not remove entries from your game design document. Simply strikethrough them, to ensure we keep track of the changes.

Game Planning

Metadata

  • Name, Genre (RPG 🚀, FPS, ...)
  • Short description
  • Target audience: age, country, language, new players/experienced, platforms

Overview

  • What's the goal? What's the plus-value of your game?
  • Why should we play your game?
    • Is it the Hero? It is the story?
    • What feelings are you expecting the player to feel?
  • What makes the game fun to play?

⚠️ You are NOT the player. Ask for feedback a lot of times.

Game Story

  • What's the world of your game? (open-world?)
  • What's the story?
  • What's the goal of your Hero?
    • Short-term
    • Mid-term
    • Long-term
  • What are the obstacles to the goal?
    • Traps
    • Enemies
  • Can the player die? How would he get a "Game over"? Are there "save points"?
  • What kind of graphics are you planning to use? Something realist, or more something fantasist?

📚 Take inspiration from other successful games.

Game Mechanics

Mechanics are the rules of your game. Basically, what the player can do, and what the player can't do.

  • Can the Hero, Jump? Walk? Run? Open a door/chest/...?
  • What are the items? (perks, loot, usage)
  • Is there a looting system? How does it work?
  • How are money, player life, time, etc. handled?
  • Is the user influencing the world? (ex: The Witcher 3)
  • What are the maps? Draw or list each map.
    • Shops
    • Houses
    • Cities
    • ...

You would also have to define the stats of the player

  • Is there HP, MP, ATK, ...?
  • Is there a notion of stamina?
  • Is there an inventory? what's its size? etc.

For instance, if you are making a zombie game, you may add a stat "infected" turning the player into a zombie if the stat reaches 100.

User Interfaces

  • What's shown on the screen?
    • Is there a mini-map?
    • Are there some skills shortcuts?
    • Is there a life/mana/stamina bar?
    • Is there an icon for the settings? the sound?
    • Are there icons for other players?
    • Is there a chat?
  • What are the screens of your game? (draw a mockup)
    • Inventory?
    • Play/Pause/Game Over/...
  • Is there an animation when switching screens? Describe...

Game Development

Technical Specifications

  • How is the user interacting with the game?
    • Full Screen with F12?
    • Settings with Escape?
    • ...
  • Does the user need a keyboard? A mouse?
  • Is a joystick supported?
  • How can the user become strong? (combos/...)
  • What kind of play style should be encouraged? discouraged?
    • are the mobs/monsters respawning?
    • you can prevent the user from accessing some quests/areas

In most games, we are not teaching everything at once. We slowly add tutorials as the users get by with the game.

Development Tools

  • Will you use a game engine? Which one?
  • Will you use a game template? Which ones?
  • Which coding editors will you use?

Others

Release planning

  • Which platforms?
  • Which platforms?
  • Will we release an Alpha? A beta?
  • How can users report bugs?
  • How do we plan to organize tests?
  • Will we add credits? Where?

➡️ See also: xsolla.

Replay value

The replay value or replayability is a score of how much more content the user can discover after completing the game once.

  • Alternate/different scenario
  • New challenges (new locations/classes/difficulties/play styles)
  • Reaching 100% of completion (e.g., all quests, etc.)
  • Add Multiplayer Content
  • Add Achievements
  • ...