Write A Game Design Document (Gdd) Like A Professional

Learn how to write GDDs that will stand out for their graphic design quality and engaging delivery.

What you'll learn

Learn how to write Game Design Documents (GDD)

Learn how to write effective, efficient and compelling documents

Create effective 1-pagers and infographics

Use Notion for creating wiki-style documentation using databases

Practice updating the game through several changes like in a real game dev environment

Use Google Docs to create your own templates

Learning different GDD tools and choose the more appropriate one for your own purposes

Requirements

Google Docs, Notion and Figma accounts (all are free apps)

A game will be provided for you, so you don't need to download or buy any game

Description

This course offers a comprehensive guide for creating effective, efficient and compelling GDDs.At the end of this course, you will have the ability to use different tools and practical knowledge to create GDDs in different formats to communicate your game ideas effectively to teams of any size.WHAT YOU WILL LEARNUnderstand different types of GDDsUnderstand how the development ethos affects your GDDUnderstanding the importance of creating an effective, efficient and compelling documentHow to productively use GDD checklists and outlinesUsing word processors to create documents and create your own templatesCreating amazing screen and player flows that will massively improve your game design craftUsing Notion for making complex GDDs look easy using the power of databasesWriting "feature specs"How to create amazing 1-pagers that will impress your teammatesHOW WILL YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNEDA concept game executable will be provided, and you will document this game using each tool taught in the courseThe game will suffer changes during the course, like in a real game development environmentYou will write a Google Docs GDD You will create a Notion GDD using a wiki-style GDD with databasesYou will create a 1-pager to represent one or several systems of your gameYou will have the opportunity to share your documents using the companion website for getting direct feedback from the instructors.What is NOT included in this courseProgramming languagesArt asset creationGame design theory

Overview

Section 1: Setting up for Success

Lecture 1 Welcome

Lecture 2 Socials

Lecture 3 Companion Website

Lecture 4 What is a GDD?

Lecture 5 Why should your document be Effective, Efficient and Compelling?

Lecture 6 How to create a killer document?

Lecture 7 Different Documents for Diverse Development Styles

Lecture 8 What types of GDD do exist?

Lecture 9 1.1. Why documentation is so critical?

Lecture 10 What content should a GDD have?

Lecture 11 GDD Content Checklist

Lecture 12 Is the GDD the final word? Development methods

Lecture 13 Vintage GDD references

Lecture 14 1.2. Changes, changes, and more changes!

Lecture 15 Don't do this while learning how to write a GDD

Lecture 16 Taking notes for analysis (video)

Lecture 17 Taking notes for analysis (graphic)

Lecture 18 Introducing your first document: Character Creator

Lecture 19 1.3. Document a Character Creator

Section 2: Word Processor GDD

Lecture 20 Welcome to Section 2

Lecture 21 2.1. Traffic Cone Racer

Lecture 22 Basic Tools of the Trade

Lecture 23 A Brief Overview of Different Documentation Systems

Lecture 24 Graphic: Different Ways to Document a Game

Lecture 25 Creating an Outline

Lecture 26 Outline Rationale

Lecture 27 Tutor's Example GDD

Lecture 28 Concept GDD: Part 1

Lecture 29 Triple-Documentation Technique

Lecture 30 Concept GDD: Part 2

Lecture 31 2.2. Traffic Cone Racer: Word Processor GDD

Lecture 32 Creating Your Own Templates in Google Docs

Lecture 33 2.3. Modification #1: Your first update

Lecture 34 Congratulations on completing this section!

Section 3: Game/Screen Flows

Lecture 35 Welcome to Section 3

Lecture 36 Different options for creating a screen flow

Lecture 37 Figma "Sticky Notes" Screen Flow Base Document

Lecture 38 Sticky Notes Screen Flow Method

Lecture 39 3.1. Create a Screen Flow of your favourite game

Lecture 40 Integrate Your Screen Flow into your Document

Lecture 41 Congratulations on completing Section 3!

Section 4: Databases & Wikis

Lecture 42 Wikis and Databases as an evolution of the word processor

Lecture 43 Tutor's Example Notion GDD

Lecture 44 What's the right tool for you?

Lecture 45 Notion: Databases Basic Explanation

Lecture 46 Notion: Basic Blocks

Lecture 47 Collaborative Tools and Enhancing your Document

Lecture 48 Notion: Syncing blocks

Lecture 49 Writing a Feature Spec

Lecture 50 4.1. Writing a Feature Spec

Lecture 51 The Hourglass method for writing a feature spec

Lecture 52 Dynamic Images: Figma + Notion

Lecture 53 Congratulations on completing Section 4!

Lecture 54 4.2. Modification #2: Lights, Camera, Action!

Section 5: One-Page Documents

Lecture 55 The Great, Time-Consuming 1-pager method

Lecture 56 Tutor’s Example Figma One-Page GDD

Lecture 57 Figma: Basic Tools

Lecture 58 Theory of Infographics

Lecture 59 Data Visualization: materials, books, references

Lecture 60 Theory of one-pagers

Lecture 61 Sit down and organise the info you have!

Lecture 62 How to distribute the information?

Lecture 63 How and Where to find your theme, art, and icons

Lecture 64 From Macro to Micro: Systems to Mechanics

Lecture 65 Storyboarding

Lecture 66 5.1. Create a 3-panel storyboard

Lecture 67 Creating new Pages: The Power of a File

Lecture 68 Collaborative Tools

Lecture 69 5.2. Modification #3

Lecture 70 Congratulations on completing Section 5!

Section 6: Farewell

Lecture 71 Course survey

Lecture 72 Socials

Lecture 73 Congratulations on finishing the course!

Lecture 74 References

Beginner game designers who want to learn how to write a effective, efficient and compelling GDD,Game designers with industry experience who want to improve their documentation skills,Any type of developer or designer who wants to learn how to communicate effectively through documentation