# [Game Title]: Game Design Document

*Version [x.y] · Last updated [YYYY-MM-DD] · Owner: [name]*

How to use: fill in Part 1 first. Sections 1 to 10 are the same as the one-page GDD, so a one-pager pastes straight in. Add the other parts only once a prototype has proven the core loop, and delete any section your game doesn't need.

Template from https://oryn.dev/blog/game-design-document. Free to use, copy and change.

## Part 1: Vision

### 1. Pitch
One sentence: [Genre] where you [main action] to [goal], but [twist].

Elevator paragraph (3 to 4 sentences): [...]

### 2. Design pillars (3 to 5)
| Pillar | What it means | What it rules out |
|---|---|---|
| | | |

### 3. Player fantasy
[Who the player gets to be, and what they feel.]

### 4. Player and platform
- For: [age range, skill level, for example "fans of X and Y"]
- Plays on: [desktop / web / phone / console]
- Orientation on phones: [landscape / portrait]
- Session length: about [X] minutes
- Reference games: [2 to 4 titles, and what you take from each]

### 5. Core loop
- Moment to moment (seconds): [...]
- Session loop (minutes): [...]
- Long-term loop (days or weeks, optional): [...]

Add a loop diagram.

### 6. Controls
| Action | Keyboard and mouse | Gamepad | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move | | | |
| [Main verb] | | | |

Camera: [side view / top-down / third person / first person; how it follows the player]

### 7. Win and lose
- Win: [...]
- Lose or fail: [...]
- Rules the player must understand: [...]

### 8. Look and sound
- Art: [2D or 3D, palette as hex codes, link to a mood board]
- Audio: [music mood, key sound effects]

### 9. Scope
- In v1: [counts: levels, enemies, items, characters, minutes of play]
- Out of v1 (non-goals): [...]
- Maybe later: [...]

### 10. Open questions and first playable
The prototype must answer:
- [ ] [...]

First playable is done when:
- [ ] [...]

## Part 2: Gameplay detail

### 11. Mechanics
Copy this block for each mechanic:
- Name: [...]
- What it does: [...]
- Inputs: [...]
- Rules and edge cases: [...]
- Serves pillar: [number]

### 12. Game feel and tuning
| Knob | Start value | Range to test | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move speed | | | |
| Jump height | | | |
| Enemy spawn rate | | | |

Keep every tuning value in this one table so it's easy to change after a playtest.

### 13. Progression and difficulty
- How the player gets stronger or gains new options: [...]
- Difficulty curve per level or wave: [...]

### 14. Economy and rewards (if any)
| Resource | How you earn it | How you spend it | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |

### 15. Enemies, obstacles and AI
| Name | Behaviour | Health and damage | First appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |

## Part 3: Content and world

### 16. World and levels
| Level | Goal | New idea introduced | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | |

Add a rough map sketch for each level.

### 17. Story and characters (skip for pure arcade or puzzle games)
- Premise: [...]
- Characters: [name, role, look, one-line personality]
- How the story is told: [text, cutscenes, environment]

### 18. Content and asset list
| Asset | Type (sprite, model, sound, music, UI) | Count | Source (made, licensed, generated) | Licence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | |

## Part 4: Presentation

### 19. Art direction
- Style rules: [outlines yes or no, lighting, scale]
- Palette: [hex codes]
- References: [images or links]

### 20. Audio direction
- Music: [mood, tempo, when it changes]
- Sound effects: [jump, hit, pickup, UI clicks, ...]

### 21. UI, HUD and screens
- HUD: [health, timer, score, ...]
- Screen flow: Title → [menus] → Game → Pause → Win or Lose → [...]
- Phone layout: [thumb reach, safe areas, button sizes]

### 22. Accessibility
- [Remappable controls, subtitles, colour-blind-safe palette, difficulty options, reduced motion]

## Part 5: Production

### 23. Tech
- Engine and version: [for example Godot 4.7]
- Target performance: [frame rate, devices]
- Save system: [...]
- Build targets: [web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS]

### 24. Milestones, risks and business
| Milestone | Done when | Target date |
|---|---|---|
| First playable | | |
| Vertical slice | | |
| Content complete | | |
| Release | | |

- Top risks, and how you'll test each one early: [...]
- Business model (optional): [premium / free / demo / jam]

## Change log
| Date | Change | Why (what playtesting showed) |
|---|---|---|
| | | |