Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
While starting with the one-sheet summary and then fleshing out your game idea is one approach,
there are times when a simple summary seems elusive. This may be a sign your concept needs more
refinement. If you find yourself stuck, you can always skip to the concept overview section to get your
thoughts organized, and your game idea fleshed out a little, then go back and summarize the result.
The Concept Overview
You caught attention with your one-sheet, and now your audience is turning the page to learn more.
This section of the GDD adds details to the initial content of the one-sheet while still maintaining a
broad perspective. The goal is to keep readers interested without overwhelming them with a mass
of small details. Keep it brief and easy to understand. It is okay to use visuals—images, diagrams,
storyboard or wireframe excerpts, brief Flash animations and the like—if they are pertinent and do a
better job of conveying information. When providing examples of comparative games, use recently
successful titles that are easily recognized.
Core Game Concept
Briefly describe the story outline of your game from start to finish. This should include define the
player's goals (remember, you must have a victory condition), expand on the player character and
other characters, describe the environments, and show how gameplay is integrated into the story
through the use of challenges, rewards, skills, acquisitions, combat, vehicles, and the like.
Player Character and Controller
Here you describe the character, much like a bio but including more about their personality in
addition to stats such as age and gender. You can provide backstory here, along with any character
development through the course of the game. Demonstrate how the character's personality and
bio relate to the gameplay, including unique skills, use of weapons, and any other gameplay the
character implements throughout the game.
Include a diagram that maps out the particulars of the controls for character movement, including
combat moves; how the character interacts with other characters and objects in the world; and the
use of inventory lists, HUDs, and maps as appropriate.
Gameplay Description
“Gameplay” is a fairly general term that includes the smallest game objects and interactions, the
flow from one set of interactions to the next, on up to the larger context of the game in its entirety
based on the three fundamental components of player, rules, and goal. Whether you are looking at
the microscopic view or the bird's-eye view, you should be able to describe what is fun about the
gameplay.
A set piece is that carefully planned high point of a scene designed to awe the player, without which
the game would be incomplete. The goal here is to capture the reader's imagination, so use a set
piece and unique gameplay features here to pull them in and keep them reading.
 
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