Dear Lynck!

I have been reading a book on Game Design lately (it was called "Game Design" ), and I want to share some of the information with you...

How to start a design document?

Well, the first thing you should do is a kind of brainstorming. Just write down everything that comes into your mind! Share ideas, talk with other people what they think about it.
If you -in general- know, how the game should be like (and you should know that exactly!!!), you can sit down in front of your computer, and start typing your design doc.
The technical issues is the last to deal with, at first you have to make the circumstances clear. That means to write down (a simple) background story and describe the hero/heroes of the game. But note to write it clear enough (if you want other people to get involved in your project, they should read your design doc first...and it would be cool if they understood it too ...)
Now that you have described the hero in the game, you should deal with the "bad guys" (if you want to include some...)
Describe them in detail (you can add some things later on, so you don't expect to have a "final design doc" at once ...)
Now that you have described all the characters in the game, turn over to the features. Do you want to give the player(s) weapons, and if, what kind of weapons? Try to explain the equipment and the effects of it.
The next thing is what do you want the player to do. Should he be able to trade, to jump, swim or do you only want him to shoot everything in sight? This issue is linked with the storyline.
Now turn over to the menu design. How to design a good and efficient (main) menu?
Simply imagine an actionpoint system. One mouse movement is one actionpoint, one mouse click is one action point and one keypress is one actionpoint too.
The player should use a maximum of 2-3 actionpoints to use the most important actions, and a maximum of 3-4 actionpoints for the less important actions.
If you want to know more about that, just post another reply, and I'll explain it more indepth ...

At that point your design document has already a big size!
Don't forget to save it on disk too! (In case of another virus......)

Now you can turn to the technical issues (important for the engine coders...)
Explain how you want the screen to look like, talk a bit about the features the engine should support.
Talk about AI (monster behaviour and so on). Talk about the background music and the mood it should
Don't forget to read your design doc, add or delete some things and finally make it "public" (send it to everyone involved in the project).

If there are any questions left, feel free to post a reply or send me mail!

Yours,


Edited by - Indeterminatus on June 9, 2000 9:39:20 AM

Hiya,

Granted that there probably are bunches of people all over this idea, but don''t that make you give up. You *may* get rejected, but you *may* get the nod too. Either way, have fun and enjoy the experience.

Best of luck!

-Krylar

Here''s a sample design document for a game called Shadow Stalkers(yes I realize it sucks):




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SHADOW STALKERS


Midnight. A full moon shines on an ancient castle. Wind rustles through the trees, and somewhere in the distance a wolf howls....
1. Overview

Shadow Stalkers is a single player FPS meets RPG game. Set in the late Feudal Ages, the player hunts vampires and other supernatural things. The player manages items and cast spells like in an RPG, but also has a first (or third, if someone can implement it) person view, and can go around swinging a sword or using a crossbow.
The game resembles Blade meeets Dracula and a touch of Thief.

2. Game Objectives

The player''s first and foremost objective is to hunt down vampires, and particularly one supernatural individual named Deakanis, supposedly the Lord of Chaos and Death among the supernatural. The player can also buy new weapons (for use in FPS mode). You can aquire money by selling things you come across, and also looting those who get in your way.

The player also can gain experience by fighting, and as a result will miss targets less, fight better with a sword, etc.


3. Graphics
The game is mostly played in First Person shooter mode (or Third person) and will be fully 3D. When going through shops, it will use a third person mode where you can talk to shopkeepers and buy things. May have to license an engine.

4. Playing the Game

While adventuring, the game reverts to a default third person view (like in those screenshots or Age of Darkness I keep seeing) but when the player undertakes missions (RPG) it switches to FPS mode.

5. Character Types
(INCLUDE REALLY REALLY LONG LIST OF MONSTERS AND NPCs)

6. Combat
Whenever going into combat, the game switches to First Person mode, and you can either take out your sword and fight with it, or use another weapon. Note that whenever you undertake a mission, the game will switch to First Person mode until the mission is accomplished.
It''s possible to snipe targets with a longbow, and it''s best to kill monsters using an arrow dipped in Holy Water. Silver arrowheads are particularly effective against werewolves.
The combat resembles Thief, as you supposed to sneak in. While the character has a few supernatural powers of his own (like in Blade), it''s best to do things quietly until the character is experienced enough to do open combat.


7. Game World
When missions are over, you can stroll through town, buying things, and living a "normal" life. However, some people may ask you to do certain quests or missions, like hunt for a killer werewolf, or maybe investigate a castle that supposedly has vampires.

8. Mood and theme
(NOTE TO LYNCK: Mood and theme are very important, a game will suck if they''re bad!)
The game resembles something out of Dracula. When in adventure mode, it''s usually daytime, and you stroll through medieval villages and towns (like something out of A Kid in King Arthur''s Court). However, the actual missions always take place at night, or if it''s daytime, inside caves and other dark places. There are foreboding castles, full moons, and the forests are filled with the sound of nocturnal animals.


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That''s it for now. You''ll probably want to include some more things like Story, a list of NPCs, some other game features. What I''ve given you is a bare bones design doc, it probably won''t impress THAT many people. An actual doc is usually 10 or so pages long (or so I''ve heard).

Good luck on your game!

- DarkMage139
"Real game developers don't change the rules. Real game developers don't break the rules. Real game developers make the rules!"
"Originality (in games) is the spice of life!"

To Joviex:

Yeah, well, I find 10 or 15 pages is enough for me. But then again, I''m not doing commercial games. If I were, I wouldn''t be

FLAT BROKE

like I am now...

- DarkMage139
"Real game developers don't change the rules. Real game developers don't break the rules. Real game developers make the rules!"
"Originality (in games) is the spice of life!"

I just started rewriting my design doc for a very complex adventure game and already it''s hit 20 pages (and I''ve just put the basics in, like game objectives, features, and input mapping...I still have to do all of the REAL stuff, like puzzle and level stuff...I''m anticipating that to take a hundred or so pages).

I think the most important thing relating to the design doc is to DO IT, and put as much stuff in as possible, even if you''re too lazy. Just DO IT (not to steal Nike''s slogan ), cause it''s a good habit and it could come back to bite you in the end (especially if you''re working in a team).

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Changing the face of adventure gaming...
Atypical Interactive

Ya, I just finished my 50 page design doc for my upcoming Pong game. Come on guys.