GDD template and checklist for prompts

a 40-point checklist from Vision→LiveOps to build better games, 359#

Hey Friends, Greetings from Bangalore 💗

Here’s a clean, GDD master checklist. You can use it as a reference or for your prompts:

Title Screen
Vision Statement & Logline
Revision / Update Log
Table of Contents
High Concept

Foundations
» Platform(s)
» Genre
» Target Audience
» Tech Stack
» Network Features

Core Design
» Gameplay Loop
» Mission / Challenge Structure
» Objectives & Player-Experience Goals
» Play Flow & Progression
» Game Mechanics
» Rules & Physics
» Movement
» Actions / Controls
»Difficulty Curve

World & Narrative
» Story Setting
» Game Worlds / Levels
» Characters

Presentation
» Look & Feel
» Accessibility & Localization Plan
» Camera System
» HUD / UI / Full UX Map
» Audio

Systems & Economy
» Game Economy
» Scoring System
» Power-Ups & Upgrades
» Shop / IAP Bundles
» Monetization Strategy

AI & Multiplayer
» AI System
» Multiplayer Framework
» Social & Miscellaneous Features

On-Ramp & Insight
» Tutorial System
» Game Analytics Plan
» Player Profile
» Achievements

Production & Live Ops
» Prototype / Experiment Log
» Asset List
» Milestones & Risk Register
» Design Diary / Decision Log
» Live-Ops & Post-Launch Roadmap

Feel free to copy-paste straight into your template or project wiki.

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Listing a more detailed version of GDD pointers to cover:

GDD SHOULD HAVE

• TITLE SCREEN

• UPDATE LOG

• TABLE OF CONTENT

• HIGH CONCEPT

• PLATFORM

• GENRE

• TARGET AUDIENCE

• TECHNOLOGY

• NETWORK FEATURE

• SCOPE OF WORK

  • PUT THE LINK FOR THE SAME

• FLOW CHART

• LOOK AND FEEL

• GAMEPLAY

  • MISSION/CHALLENGE STRUCTURE (IF ANY)

  • OBJECTIVES – WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME?

  • PLAY FLOW – HOW DOES THE GAME FLOW FOR THE GAME PLAYER

  • GAME PROGRESSION

• GAME MECHANICS

  • RULES TO THE GAME

  • PHYSICS – HOW DOES THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE WORK?

  • MOVEMENT IN THE GAME

  • ACTIONS, INCLUDING WHATEVER BUTTONS/ ACTIONS ARE USED

  • SCREENFLOW -A GRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF HOW EACH SCREEN IS RELATED TO EVERY OTHER AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE PURPOSE OF EACH SCREEN.

  • GAME OPTIONS – WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS AND HOW DO THEY AFFECT GAMEPLAY AND MECHANICS?

• STORY SETTING (IF ANY)

  • INCLUDES BACK STORY, PLOT ELEMENTS, GAME PROGRESSION, AND CUT SCENES.

  • CUT SCENES SHOULD INCLUDE THE SETTING, AND THE STORYBOARD OR SCRIPT.

• GAME WORLDS / LEVELS (IF ANY)

  • DESCRIPTION

  • REFERENCE IMAGES

  • AVAILABILITY CYCLE

• CHARACTER IF ANY)

  • CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

  • REFERENCE IMAGES

  • ALL THE STATS

  • UPGRADES AVAILABLE

  • UNLOCK MECHANICS

• GAME ECONOMY

  • WHAT IS THE ECONOMY OF THE GAME?

  • HOW DOES IT WORK?

• CAMERA SYSTEM

  • VIEW OF THE GAME

  • CAMERA MOVEMENTS/ CHANGES REQUIRED (IF ANY)

  • ZOOM IN ZOOM OUT FEATURE (IF REQUIRED)

• HUD

  • WHAT IS ON IT? WHAT MENUS ARE YOU DISPLAYING?

  • WHAT ALL SCREEN REQUIRE IT

• SOUNDS

  • AUDIO

  • MUSIC

  • SOUND EFFECTS

• AI SYSTEM (IF ANY)

  • AI BEHAVIOUR

  • AI GROWTH SYSTEM / LEVELLING UP

• ASSET LIST

• SCORING SYSTEM (IF ANY)

  • GENERAL

  • MODE SPECIFIC

  • WHEN POWER UP IS ACTIVE

• POWER UPS

  • LIST DOWN ALL THE POWER UPS

  • UPGRADES (IF ANY)

  • AVAILABILITY (IN GAME OR IAP)

  • DESCRIPTION

• SHOP (IF REQUIRED)

  • LIST OF BUNDLES / THINGS AVAILABLE

  • REMOVE ADS OPTION

• TUTORIAL SYSTEM (IF REQUIRED)

  • SCRIPT

  • AVAILABILITY

  • REPLAYABLE

  • INTERACTIVE OR JUST TEXT

• GAME ANALYTICS

  • ALL THE SCENARIOS

  • PROGRAM TO USE

  • DESCRIPTION

• GAME CURRENCY (IF ANY)

  • WHAT’S THE USE

  • ALL THE FUNCTIONS

• GAME DIFFICULTY (IF REQUIRED)

  • GAME PROGRESSION

  • LEVEL BASED

  • LOGIC

• MONETIZATION

  • FREE OR PREMIUM

  • TYPES OF ADS

  • PLACEMENTS

  • REVIVE ADS (IF REQUIRED)

  • IAP, ETC.

• MULTIPLAYER SYSTEM (IF ANY)

  • MECHANICS

  • LOBBY CREATION

  • SERVER DEPENDENCY

  • FEATURE LIST

  • CONDITIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS

• MISC FEATURES (IF REQUIRED)

  • CHAT

  • LEADERBOARDS

  • DAILY REWARDS

  • CLAN/ ALLIANCE

  • SHARE FEATURE

  • THEMES

  • LOG IN SYSTEM

  • PLAYER PROFILE (IF REQUIRED)

    • NAME

    • W/L RATIO

    • GAME RECORDS

    • GAME CURRENCY INFO

    • ALL MODES INFO

    • ICON/ IMAGE

    • CLAN NAME (IF REQUIRED), ETC.

  • ACHIEVEMENTS

    • TOTAL LIST

    • DESCRIPTION

    • REWARD POINTS

    • MECHANICS AND CORRELATION

Check these GDD templates to get an idea of what needs to be covered.
» https://asherv.com/threes/threemails/#theend
» https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-to-write-a-game-design-document
» https://www.gamedevs.org/uploads/grand-theft-auto.pdf

Need a deeper dive into any section—or a sanity check on an in-progress GDD? Ping me and I’ll review, streamline, or even ghost-write the tricky bits.


tCARe, CARtic P
/ iCartic.com