Before, I recite my idea, does anyone have any GDD templates for very in depth games(highly modifiable too)?

I am taking all the steps to create a game of large scale. I plan to be the main programmer/designer. My background is modest coding and an extremely handsome amount of story telling. My company is project return. I've recently just bought the domain projectreturngames.com and expect the site to be up and running in a hard 5 months. I plan to make a great game.

High Concept Line: An intelligent boy gets into mischief when he develops a time machine conflicting the future that will begin chasing him around in a highly technology advanced world.

I will create the world and really design a future that is completely new and loveable. I plan to have an open world that is epic in multiple facets. A very detailed non-level-based system. Graphics are still debateable. A weird art style is in the work with the "scheme" of time travel.

I have yet to read any design books but plan to do so. I'm also diving into a lot of coding. This is completely a hobby project to play with code. I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't finish the game, but that doesn't mean I won't try or am not capable.

Since you seem already aware that approaching a large project alone without experience is an irrationally optimistic endeavour, I'll just point out less fatal issues:

• You might be underestimating your difficulties with English vocabulary and grammar (a time machine "conflicting" the future, a "highly technology advanced world", a "loveable" future, "reciting" your idea, and so on): a potential major problem for in-game dialogue, for promotion of your game, and possibly for collaboration with others.
  You have studied English well enough to make your native language not obvious, but much remains to be acquired. Read more English books and articles.
• You don't appear to be starting your game design process from the beginning.
  For example, you mention "a very detailed non-level-based system", but details and levels of what? I can guess you mean, in a RPG context where the "intelligent boy" is the protagonist, character details and the traditional design pattern of experience levels, but the mentioned premise of a time-traveling boy in trouble is suitable for many different types of game.
  Even worse, how can you tell you want character details and you don't want experience levels before you establish the design objectives of your game rules and at least a vague idea of what the player would do with them?

Excellent reply. Thank you LorenzoGatti. Don't doubt my english abilities. I'm quite sure I'm at a collegiate level, as I've scored well on collegiate


technologically advanced world.

scheme meaning design/plan which is probably my only incorrect usage.

I have a little bit of experience making games. I've made a card game before for studying purposes. And other completed and unfinished games of no significance.

I haven't started the GDD yet. That's where I'm looking for help... finding template(s) to study.

If this is just a hobby, why is it irrational? and even if it wasn't why would it be irrational? I never even stated that I was doing it by myself. I said "main" programmer... as in I take on most responsibility. I don't have all the lingo of the gaming world thus far, so I can't spar with you on all the terminology to explain properly. But, as my schedule is full, I can probably go more into detail in a thorough way in a few weeks if you're at all interested.

Looking for templates, hmm? If you go back out to http://www.gamedev.net/forum/17-game-design/ and look at
the right side, you'll see the forum "Getting Started" FAQ. That's for starters.
Also, there's a list of templates at http://www.sloperama.com/advice/specs.htm (at the bottom of the page).

Awesome. Thanks for the resources.

I never even stated that I was doing it by myself. I said "main" programmer...

Until someone actually helps you, you are alone. In particular, you need to develop your project alone until it becomes sufficiently promising to attract contributors.

But this is how hobby projects work in any case, and caring about writing a good GDD is a step in the right direction.

I will create the world and really design a future that is completely new and loveable. I plan to have an open world that is epic in multiple facets. A very detailed non-level-based system. Graphics are still debateable. A weird art style is in the work with the "scheme" of time travel.

If this is just a hobby, why is it irrational? and even if it wasn't why would it be irrational? I never even stated that I was doing it by myself.

I am taking all the steps to create a game of large scale.

One of the steps should be to make one or more much smaller games. If you try and jump ahead to making a large, open world game, you are just setting yourself up for frustration. It doesn't seem like that would end up being an enjoyable hobby for long.

One hybrid solution is to make a very small game that implements a small part of what you want in the larger game, set in the same universe. You would gain valuable experience, hopefully will have some reusable code, and have a better idea how to tackle the larger game. Over time, your goal of making a large, high quality game could transform from very unrealistic to very realistic, as long as you don't get in over your head and give up.

I think the goal of creating an in-depth GDD is not the best goal. I think you would be better served by developing a few small systems and iterating on them, without trying to implement a bunch of detailed stuff you documented before doing code prototypes.