All you ever wanted to know about Design Documents, except which font to choose.

[Meowster]

Well, today I was dropped in to town to go job hunting, which was expected to take all day. So my mother said she'd pick me up at around 3pm, same place. Anyway, what actually happened was that I walked about ten steps outside, got offered a job, and then had absolutely nothing to do all day. By the way, I would like to take this opportunity to pledge my allegience to Little Chef, the awesome resturant chain that - get this - single handedly saved the Irish Economy at least five times.

Anyway, that left me with very little to do for the rest of the day, so I decided to walk into a college and use their library and computer facilities. This is great because nobody has worked out that I'm not a student here yet, and they have broadband. So I'm thinking I'll come by this way more often.

But, enough about my illegal activities! Here is what you really wanted to know; In my search through their extensive book collection I found this really awesome book, which, having 6 hours ahead of me, I read from start to finish. It's called Designing 3D Games that Sell! and it's by this nice chap called Luke Ahearn.

In it I found some answers to a lot of questions I had about Design Documents, specifically, "How do you write a design document" and "What font should you use for your Design Document? Should it be a nice font, or a fancy one? Or something simple that just says 'I'm so good, I don't need no fancy pants'?"

I'll illegally post an extract of the said awesome book here, because I know that none of us really know very much about design documents and man, everybody wants to be able to write a design document! In fact, when I get home and quit using other peoples computers illegally, I'll write a design document, just for the hell of it.

Anyway, excuse my spelling errors because I am copying this directly from a book. Illegally, I might add. But I guess that's how much I love you people, huh?


A) Overview/Story
1. Define the game's key ambiance/attitude.
2. Describe the game's overall style.
3. Describe the general world(s) and the state of the world in which the game takes place.
4. Team members who will be working in this area and their spicific duties.
5. Production unit.
B)Characters/Units
1. Thoroughly describe the player characters/units
    - Current status/suituation/ambition
    - Personality traits, history/relevant relationships
    - Abilities, special abilities (Powers and or techniques) and their accompanying animation and effects
    - Weapons or utility items
2. Decribe persistent nonplayer characters/units
3. Describe persistent arch-enemies
4. Team members who will be working in this area and their specific duties; include necessary technological implementation.
5. Production art.
C) Level Description
1. Break the game into manageable sections according to it's genre.
    - Levels (Action/platform)
    - Chapters (RPG/adventure)
    - Geographical areas (RPG/Adventure/action/stategy/sim)
    - Mission (sim/stategy/action)
    - Races/tournaments (Driving/sports)
    - ....Ad infinitum
2. Description of each level
    - Level name (Describe the level in referential terms that everyone can understand: "Blade Runner Metropolis," "Spider King's Lair." etc..)
    - Enviroment (Appearance, geographical features, inactive (background) active (foreground) puzzles/traps/enviromental challenges, key area for artwork, maps may be helpful, team members who will be working in this area and their specific duties; include necessary technological implementation, Production art.)
3. Main goal of level (Explains the purpose of the level, EG Pascal needs to navigate through the hellhole to rescue Auntie Garfungiloop so she can give him the Jewled Monkey Head)
4. Level's relevance to the story (How the results of the player's success or choices in this level affect the overall story, how the level and events portrayed within for into or advance into the overall story, how these elements are related to the character, KEEP TRACK OF SUBPLOTS.
5. Characters/enemies encountered
    - Conversation/dialogue
    - Nonplayer character actions
    - Attack moves
    - Physical appearance
    - Brief character sketch
    - relevance to story
    - Technical description
    - key area for artwork
    - Team members working in this area and their specific duties
    - Production art
6. Actions/animations specific to the level
    - Explicit actions performed by the main character to accomplish level goal(s), defeating a boss, desivering or recovering an artifact, special abilities grantedby powerups etc.
    - Explicit actions performed by other characters.
    - Terms like "run" "Jump" are insufficient; it is important here to describe HOW a character jumps and what he looks like while doing so.
    - Team members working in this area and their specific duties
    - Production Art
7. Music for the Level
    - Technical aspects (event triggers, redbook audio etc.,)
    - Desired effects on the players
    - Purpose of music (EG Ambiance, tension building, clue supplying)
    - Team members working in this area and their specific duties.
    - Production art.
8. Sound effects for level
    - Level of realism
    - 3D aspects of sound
    - Hints provided by cues
    - Scripted dialogue
    - Background ambiance
    - team membes working in this area and their duties
9. Items per level
    - Powerups
    - Weapons
    - Any other items with which the player can interact
    - Key area for artwork
    - Team members in this area and their duties
    - production art.

[Scummbuddy]

The more often you go to their library, the more it will look like you are a student...

I really like this document. Thank you for going through the trouble. I'm sure to adopt an adventure version of this shortly.

[Nine Toes]

Say, Yuf... is there any possiblity that you could get the ISBN of that book for me... I'd like to track down a copy and read it.

[LordHart]

Heh, if they even say anything, just say you don't know english and walk off (even though you're in a library which most likely has all english written books).

I might get that book, if I can find it around here... thanks Yufster!

[Meowster]

ISBN: 1-58450-043-3

Comes with an awesome CD full of awesome stuff.

Has a whole section on how to pitch your idea, how to get a job in the industry etc.

More juicy stuff:


THE ART BIBLE
Your art bible lists all the artwork needed in the game and includes a bit of writing since a great deal of notes should be taken on the overall look and feel of the game. Some of this material could be redundant of the design document, but it will help the artists stay consistent with the mood, ambiance, and atmosphere of the game. Here is where color schemes can be recorded and explained, rules for what colors mean in the game, and other elements that are visually important for the game. This document helps producers, designers and individual artists communicate and create textures and assets that will fit into your game world.
The art bible should also contain lists of things that need to be done, such as the following:

2D ART
MENUS
- Buttons and interfaces
- Background art
- Cursors
- Character icons

CREDIT SCREEN
- Font: Arial Bold
- Screen shots 32a - 36a must be included
One button to quit

The art bible is sometimes useful as a version of the game development as it pertains to the artist. Everyone needs to be up to speed on the entire project and understand how his or her work affects everyone else on the team. Having a schedule focused on one aspect for the artist can help.
The art bible should also take into consideration the publisher and its needs. It is not the developer's responsibility to do package or ad design, but you will be asked for screenshots, high-resolution models and other assets for web page art, sell sheet design, demo splash screens, magazine ads, press art, packaging, the user manual and more. Be prepared and make time for this deliverables in the schedule before going to the publisher. Sometimes a publisher will ask you to take screen shots since you may have the most recent version of the game with a new feature enacted. Take good screen shots can take time.

Also, visit www.godgames.com.

This book is awesome.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A GAME

Year One: Design, research, prototype, proposal.
Year Two/Three: Making the game
Year Four: Testing, replication, packaging, shipping, IN THE CHANNEL.


Just a random interesting titbit.

[Nine Toes]

Mr. Hyde hits Barnes & Noble.com

Kick ass.  Thanks, Yuf... you're a doll.

[jannar85]

Here's a preview of the whole first chapter btw:
http://www.charlesriver.com/books/3dgameschap.html

Seems good!
I'll make the local library order it

[Jay V]

wow. yuffie is the coolest