Plan your final game project with a professional Game Design Document (GDD)
Lesson 16 of 2275 min session50 XP availableWeek 10 — WedASSESSMENT TASK
XP EARNED:0/ 50 XP
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Assessment Task: This lesson is part of your formal assessment. Your GDD will be graded. Complete ALL sections to the best of your ability. You may continue or refine your GDD next lesson. Submit via Google Classroom by the deadline on your assessment notification.
1
What Is a Game Design Document?
~10 min
+10 XP
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Key Vocabulary
GDD
Game Design Document — a written plan that describes every aspect of a game before development begins
Scope
How big and complex your game is — keeping scope realistic is crucial for finishing on time
Target Audience
The specific group of players your game is designed for (age, interests, skill level)
Core Loop
The main action the player repeats over and over (e.g., run → collect → avoid → repeat)
Unique Selling Point
What makes your game different from all other games (also called USP)
1.1
Why do professional studios write GDDs? Every game — from indie to AAA — starts with a plan:
Communication: Everyone on the team knows what the game IS
Focus: Prevents "feature creep" (adding too much and never finishing)
Scope management: Helps estimate what's achievable in the time available
Decision making: When you're stuck, refer back to the GDD
Real example: The GDD for the original Grand Theft Auto was 55 pages. Hollow Knight's design doc was a shared Google Doc that grew over 3 years. Your GDD will be 1-2 pages — but just as important!
1.2
Your GDD has 11 sections. Each section answers a specific question about your game. You'll complete them in order throughout this lesson. Here's an overview:
1. Game Title — What's your game called?
2. Concept Statement — Describe your game in 1-2 sentences
3. Genre & Platform — What type of game? Where does it run?
4. Target Audience — Who is this game for?
5. Gameplay Description — What does the player DO?
6. Core Mechanics — List the main systems and rules
7. Unique Selling Point — What makes it special?
8. Art Style & Sound — What does it look and sound like?
9. Level Design — Sketch your first level
10. Technical Plan — What Unity features will you use?
11. Development Timeline — When will you build each part?
1.3
Scope check — keep it realistic! You have approximately 4 lessons (4 x 75 min = 5 hours) of development time after this GDD. Your game should be:
Achievable: 1-2 levels, not an entire open world
Complete: A game with menu, gameplay, and game over is better than an unfinished epic
Polished: Sound, particles, and UI make a simple game feel great
Rule of thumb: Think of the simplest version of your game that would still be fun. That's your "minimum viable product" (MVP). Build that first, then add extras if you have time.
✅
Checkpoint: You understand what a GDD is and why it matters. You know the 11 sections. You've thought about keeping your scope realistic.
2
GDD Part 1 — Identity & Concept
~15 min
+10 XP
▶
1. Game Title
Choose a memorable name for your game. It should hint at what the game is about.
Write your game title above. Tips for a good title:
Short and memorable (1-3 words)
Hints at the game's theme or action
Easy to spell and say out loud
2. Concept Statement (Elevator Pitch)
Describe your entire game in 1-2 sentences. If you had 30 seconds in a lift with a game publisher, what would you say?
Example: "Shadow Runner is a 2D platformer where a ninja must escape a collapsing temple by wall-jumping, dashing, and collecting ancient relics before time runs out."
2.2
Write your concept statement. Use this formula: "[Game name] is a [genre] where [player role] must [core action] by [mechanics] to [goal]."
Puzzle Platformer — Platformer + puzzle elements (Limbo, Inside)
Shooter — Player shoots at enemies/targets (Space Invaders, Cuphead)
4. Target Audience
Who will play your game? Be specific — this affects difficulty, theme, and content.
Example: Ages 10-15, casual gamers who enjoy fast-paced platformers with colourful pixel art. Players who liked games such as Celeste and Shovel Knight.
2.4
Define your target audience. Think about: age range, what games they already play, casual vs hardcore, and what would attract them.
✅
Checkpoint: You have completed sections 1-4 of your GDD: Title, Concept Statement, Genre & Platform, and Target Audience.
3
GDD Part 2 — Gameplay & Mechanics
~15 min
+10 XP
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5. Gameplay Description
Describe what the player DOES in your game. Walk through a typical 2-minute play session.
Example: "The player controls a ninja using arrow keys to move and space to jump. They navigate through a temple filled with spike traps, moving platforms, and enemy guards. Collecting relics increases the score. Getting hit costs a life (3 lives total). Reaching the exit portal completes the level."
3.1
Describe your gameplay. Include: controls (keys), player actions, objectives, obstacles, and what happens when you win/lose.
6. Core Mechanics
List every game mechanic (system/rule) in your game. For each one, describe how it works.
Example:
• Movement — Arrow keys, speed 7, smooth acceleration
• Jump — Space bar, force 12, ground check with raycast
• Coin Collection — OnTriggerEnter2D, +10 score each, sparkle particles
• Enemy Patrol — Enemies walk left/right on platforms, damage on contact
• Lives System — Start with 3 lives, lose 1 on enemy hit, Game Over at 0
• Timer — 60 seconds per level, Game Over if timer reaches 0
3.2
List your core mechanics. Think about everything you've learned:
Movement — How does the player move? (Rigidbody2D, speed, jump)
Collection — What can the player collect? (coins, power-ups)
Enemies — How do enemies behave? (patrol, chase, shoot)
Health/Lives — How does the player lose? (lives, health bar, timer)
Scoring — How does the player earn points?
Win/Lose — What triggers Game Over? What triggers winning?
7. Unique Selling Point (USP)
What makes YOUR game different from every other 2D game? This is the ONE thing that makes someone want to play.
Example: "The temple collapses in real-time behind the player — you can see tiles falling away as you run. If you're too slow, the ground disappears beneath you. This creates constant tension and makes every run feel different."
3.3
Define your USP. This could be: a unique mechanic, a creative art style, an interesting story, a twist on a classic genre, or a combination of ideas no one has tried before.
✅
Checkpoint: Sections 5-7 complete: Gameplay Description, Core Mechanics list, and Unique Selling Point. You should have at least 4 mechanics listed.
4
GDD Part 3 — Art, Sound & Level Design
~20 min
+10 XP
▶
8. Art Style & Sound
Describe the visual look and audio of your game. How should it FEEL?
Example:
Art: Pixel art style, 16x16 tiles, dark colour palette (greys, browns, orange accents). Inspired by Celeste's clean pixel aesthetic.
Sound: Fast-paced electronic music. Crunchy SFX for jumps and impacts. Echo effects in cave levels.
UI: Minimal HUD — score top-left, lives top-right, timer centre. Pixel font.
4.1
Describe your art and sound direction. Consider:
Art style: Pixel art, hand-drawn, geometric, minimalist?
Colour palette: Dark and moody, bright and cheerful, neon, pastel?
Music mood: Energetic, calm, mysterious, intense?
SFX: Retro beeps, realistic sounds, cartoony?
Reference games: Name 2-3 games whose visual style inspires you
9. Level Design — Sketch Your First Level
Draw or describe the layout of your first level. Show the player's path, obstacles, collectibles, and enemies.
You can either:
A) Draw on paper and take a photo → attach to Google Classroom
B) Describe in text: "Level starts on the left with a safe platform. Three moving platforms over a pit. Coin trail guides the player. Enemy patrol on the far platform. Exit portal on the right side, elevated."
4.2
Design your first level. Include:
Start position — Where does the player begin?
Path — What route do they follow?
Obstacles — What challenges block the way?
Collectibles — Where are coins/items placed?
Enemies — Where do enemies patrol?
End/Goal — How does the player complete the level?
Level design tip: Remember the principles from L12 — teach through play, escalating difficulty, breathing room between challenges, and visual language to guide the player.
10. Technical Plan
Which Unity features and scripts will you need? This shows you've thought about HOW to build your game.
Example:
• Rigidbody2D + BoxCollider2D for player physics
• Tilemap for level construction
• Animator Controller for player run/jump/idle animations
• SoundManager singleton for audio
• UIManager for score/lives display
• SceneManager for menu/gameplay/game over scenes
• Particle Systems for dust, coin sparkle, enemy explosion
• Prefabs for coins, enemies, platforms
• PlayerPrefs for high score saving
4.3
Write your technical plan. Look back at what you've learned in L04-L15 and list which Unity features you'll use. Be specific about scripts you'll need to write.
✅
Checkpoint: Sections 8-10 complete. You have art direction, a level sketch/description, and a technical plan listing Unity features.
5
GDD Part 4 — Timeline & Final Review
~15 min
+10 XP
▶
11. Development Timeline
Plan what you'll build in each sprint lesson. Be realistic!
Example:
Sprint 1 (L17): Player movement + jump + basic tilemap level + coin prefabs
Sprint 2 (L18): Enemies + scoring + UI (score/lives display) + sound effects
Sprint 3 (L19): Menu system + Game Over + polish (particles, animations)
Sprint 4 (L20): Playtesting + bug fixes + final adjustments
5.1
Plan your development sprints. You have 4 build lessons. Allocate features to each:
Important: If you're building a new game from scratch, Sprints 1-2 are critical. If you're expanding your existing project, you may have more time for polish. Adjust your timeline accordingly.
5.2
Review your ENTIRE GDD. Read through all 11 sections. Check:
Is the scope realistic for 4 lessons?
Are the mechanics clearly described?
Could someone else read this and understand your game?
Does the technical plan cover all the mechanics you listed?
Is the timeline achievable?
5.3
Peer Review. Swap your GDD with a partner. Give feedback on:
Clarity: Can you understand the game from reading the GDD?
Scope: Is this achievable in 4 lessons?
Fun factor: Would you want to play this game?
Missing details: Are there any gaps in the plan?
5.4
Submit your GDD. You can submit in one of these ways:
Option A: Type your GDD directly in Google Classroom (paste from this page)
Option B: Write in Google Docs and link to Google Classroom
Option C: Print this page (Ctrl+P) with your filled-in fields and hand in
If you drew a level sketch on paper: Take a clear photo and attach it to your submission alongside the typed GDD.
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Marking tip: The best GDDs are specific. Don't write "I'll have enemies" — write "Slime enemies that patrol left-right on platforms at speed 3, dealing 1 damage on contact, destroyed by jumping on their head." The more detail, the higher your mark.
✅
Checkpoint: All 11 GDD sections complete. Peer reviewed. Submitted to Google Classroom. Ready to start building next lesson!