Hi, Im studying Videogames Design and Development and Im almost launching my first game on Android. As many of us (I guess) I usually have ideas about videogames I would like to make in the future. The point is that I wonder how could I capture those ideas in a document, so that I wont forget it or one day I could show it to someone. I know about GDD, I have some templates but I think they deepen so much and I feel like Im wasting the time.

I dont know if I have explained my question, my English is not so good... Definitely, do you know any simple GDD template or can you tell me what are the most important points that a professional would look for? I know is very unlikely that any of those ideas become videogames, but Ive met some already professional developers before in videogame events and I regretted so much to not have any document project to show... Thanks

3 hours ago, Electroner said:

know about GDD, I have some templates but I think they deepen so much and I feel like Im wasting the time.

do you know any simple GDD template or can you tell me what are the most important points that a professional would look for?

Professionals probably look for the things in the templates you found. What time-wasters have you identified in those templates? Can't you just fill in the non-time-wasting portions of the templates, and delete the time-wasting headings?  

There are a lot of links to templates in this template site: http://www.sloperama.com/advice/specs.htm and also see http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson13.htm

9 minutes ago, Tom Sloper said:

Professionals probably look for the things in the templates you found. What time-wasters have you identified in those templates? Can't you just fill in the non-time-wasting portions of the templates, and delete the time-wasting headings?  

There are a lot of links to templates in this template site: http://www.sloperama.com/advice/specs.htm and also see http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson13.htm

Thanks for your answer. What Im trying to learn is wich points are time-waste and wich are important. For example, points about visual style, music/sound, maps layouts, very deep screenplay... I think those are trivial points when someone is reading your project...  But maybe those could be the most important ones... I will check those links, thanks.

29 minutes ago, Electroner said:

For example, points about visual style, music/sound, maps layouts, very deep screenplay... I think those are trivial points when someone is reading your project...

Visual style helps the reader visualize your game in his mind.

Music/sound descriptions add a layer to the reader's understanding of the game - and of course this part is essential for when you have someone to make the audio for your game.

Maps are necessary when you're getting ready to start executing your game. Maybe you don't need to write a full GDD right now. Maybe you should only write a treatment. What's the purpose for your writing a game design right now? To get your idea across? To whom, and for what purpose? To get teammates interested in working on your game? To get investors to invest in your project? If you know what the purpose of the document is, you know which parts are not necessary at this point in your writing.

Remember that "capturing your idea" is not the same as "specifying the design of the game". These are different documents for different people. You are mostly requiring a 'pitch' or a 'treatment' like Tom says. A GDD is a more detailed document for handing over to developers so that they can make a project plan.

Also, do be aware that most professional developers don't want to read your pitch/treatment. It's not like the TV/film industry where sometimes you can submit a script and get it made; the games industry doesn't work that way. Usually you have to raise the money yourself, or develop the game yourself.

I don't know who to credit for this, but this is what I used when I had to create this for Sony/PS4...
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ct5-qyUZC9cAKn-iLUgtOczDkERmPzNNwPLDfT9Hgjs/preview

That's a useful starting point, but usually we don't contain programming information and design information in the same document. (People who need to know about your design don't usually need to know what classes you'll program the game with, and vice versa.)

Thanks for this thread! I've been looking for a template also!

You're welcome, Ernie, but please don't resurrect long-dormant threads. Locking this one so people don't mistakenly think it's new and start adding to it some more.