Lecture 4: Game Design Document

# Creación de Videojuegos

### Game Design Document

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# Game Design Document (GDD)

A living, changing document containing
  
  * Game Pitch ("hook")
  
  * Setting
  
  * Rules (interactions)
  
  * Goals 
  
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# Game Design Document

* GDDs have been described as "obsolete"
  
  * Prototyping has become easier
  
  * There is usually still *some* documentation about a game before it is actually implemented
  
  * GDDs differ from company to company 
  
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# Game Pitch

* The most important part of the GDD 
  
  * You want the reader to become interested ("hooked")
  
  * One approach: Relate to an existing game and provide a twist
  
  * Another approach: Mention a unique idea/setting/mechanic
  
  * In practice, also: Argue using proven concepts
  
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# What's the pitch?

(Tetris)

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# What's the pitch?

(Minecraft)

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# What's the pitch?

(Portal 2)

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# What's the pitch?

(Mario Kart)

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# What's the pitch?

(Guitar Hero)

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# Ideation

* What do you want players to feel/experience?
  * What mechanics do you want to incorporate?
  * What do you see in the world around you?
  * Which games are already fun?
  * Which technology is available?
  * Which art assets, world, IP do you have?
  * Who do you want to play your game?
  * Random page on wikipedia, tvtropes, a dictionary, ...
  
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# Setting

* Characters 
  
  * World 
  
  * Story
  
  * Not applicable to all games (Tetris?)
  
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# Characters

* Personality
  
  * Goals 
  
  * Relationships, conflicts
  
  * Who is the player?
  
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# World

* Time/technological level 
  
  * Location, real or fictional 
  
  * Relevant factions/groups
  
  * Where is the player?
  
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# Story

* Characters want to achieve their goals 
  
  * Conflicting goals result in obstacles
  
  * What does the player need to do?
  
  * How does the player progress through the story?
  
  * Non-linear stories, sandbox games
  
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# Story-telling time!

* Characters 
  
  * World 
  
  * Story 
  
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# Story-telling time

## Game?
  
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# Rules/mechanics

* Objects, attributes, and relationships
  
  * Describes gameplay formally and provides basis for implementation
  
  * What does the player do in the game/how is it challenging?
  
  * Informal description is helpful
  
  * Compare to design in software engineering
  
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# Goals

* What is the player supposed to achieve?
  
  * Is there a win/loss condition, quests, etc.
  
  * Why should someone play the game?
  
  * Not always a clear answer
  
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# Aesthetics

* What should the game look/feel like 
  
  * Art assets (<a href="https://opengameart.org/">opengameart.org</a>, Unity asset store)
  
  * UI Style
  
  * Sound?
  
  * Can provide concept art, prototype screenshots, etc.
   
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# For the project

* Team name, game name 
  
  * Rules and goals for the game 
  
  * Setting/story, if applicable
  
  * Team members and relevant skills

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# For the project

* Team name, game name 
  
  * <b>Rules and goals for the game </b>
  
  * Setting/story, if applicable
  
  * Team members and relevant skills
  
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# For example

## <a href="/CI-2700/assets/pdf/GDD.pdf">Hoverrace</a>

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# From the design document to a game

* Like in software engineering, the design document tells you how to start implementing
  
  * Objects fall into three categories:
  
     - Objects with behavior (code)
     
     - Passive scene objects 
     
     - Abstract objects (buttons)
     
  * In Unity: Create a scene, and populate with objects 
  
  * Add behavior/code step by step
  
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# Hoverrace scene

.right-column[
   
* Player
   
* AI Opponent
   
* Checkpoints 
   
* Terrain, water
   
* UI
   
* etc
]

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# Further notes on game design

* Try to play games with an open eye
  
  * Explicitly identify objects, attributes and relationships
  
  * Think about *why* objects relate in a certain way
  
  * What could you change about the game to keep it the same/similar, what would change it 
  
  * Exploit behavior, find unintended functionality
  
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# Every Frame a Painting

* Don't assume that any detail is added randomly
  
  * Game designers have very particular experiences in mind 
  
  * Compare to films: Very subtle effects are used intentionally by the directors
 
  * Warning: This may change your experience of games (or movies)
  
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# On Monday

* Every group has 10 minutes 
  
  * Introduce yourselves (name, team name)
  
  * Present 3-5 game ideas (one sentence each)
  
  * If you want, you can use slides (email a pdf to me before class or send me a link)
  
  * I will provide feedback on which ideas I think are feasible
  
  * I will also have some of my own ideas, just in case
  
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# Resources

* <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131791/the_anatomy_of_a_design_document_.php">The Anatomy of a Design Document</a>
  
  * <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/LeandroGonzalez/20160726/277928/How_to_Write_a_Game_Design_Document.php">How to write a Game Design Document</a>
  
  * <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Tropes">TVTropes</a>
  
  * <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UE3jz_O_EM">Every Frame a Painting: Shot/Reverse Shot</a>