The Ultimate Blank Game Design Document Template

This Blank Game Design Document Template was designed by Paul Sergio VanNess Eller. I personally prefer to go by Sergio.
UBGDDT, Revision: 0.1.0
(Please leave this credit in. But delete from this line down to the Contents after reading it.)

Due to the lack of a universally recognized format for Game Design Documents within the game development industry, technical debts have often arisen, leading to issues that can delay project release dates. After devoting the last 4 years to studying UX Design, I am proud to present my inaugural version of the Ultimate Blank Game Document Template.

With a focus on readability & ease of completion, I have crafted this template with the aim of setting a new standard for Game Design Documents. The template encompasses a comprehensive overview of the various components that make up the game development process & the critical significance of each element to the overall game design. Simply fill out the document with your own ideas & content, then pitch your game.

To achieve a structured & well-organized layout, I have sourced information from various sources & divided it into 10 sections. These sections are arranged in a logical order for information access rather than a specific completion sequence. I recommend starting with the Overview Summary, followed by Section 6: Company Infrastructure, where you will determine if you plan to operate independently or establish a company. Then, create a project folder for your game, complete with parent folders for each of the ten sections, as well as one for your "Game Pitch" that will house your game overview presentation. By manually filing the sub-folders under their respective parent folders, you will easily familiarize yourself with the system. Once the folder structure is in place, fill out the remaining sections in the order of your preference, though the most expeditious method is to complete Ov, 6, Folder filing, 2, 3, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, & 10. Fill out the entire form first, then create copies of each section. The ultimate objective is to have a comprehensive Game Design Document (GDD), with sub-documents that contain the information for each section, ensuring ease of access without the need for excessive scrolling. To ensure convenient access to all relevant information, compile a complete Game Design Document & subsidiary Game Design Documents that house the details of each section. Your final product should be a comprehensive GDD, with everything documented & sub-GDDs that contain the information for each section for easy access, as scrolling through the entire document every time is impractical.

Additionally, As you will notice, each section in the Contents includes a series of links to educational articles that delve into the specifics of each category. Some sections require separate articles for the categories within them. As of _______, the links lead to copies of the sections, but I plan to update the main document & educational articles as I continuously revise & improve The Ultimate Blank Game Document Template.


Contents

Overview Summary

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-0-overview-summary-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

1. Assets

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-1-assets-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

2. UX Design

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-2-user-experience-design-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

3. Creative Writing

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-3-creative-writing-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

4. Coding

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-4-coding-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

5. Builds

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-5-builds-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

6. Company Infrastructure

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-6-company-infrastructure-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

7. Marketing

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-7-marketing-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

8. Legal Documentation

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-8-legal-documentation-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

9. Data collection & Analytics

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-9-data-collection-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

10. Third-Party

- https://shopping-feedback.today/education/section-10-third-party-libraries-part-1%3C/p%3E%3Cstyle data-emotion-css="14azzlx-P">.css-14azzlx-P{font-family:Droid Serif,Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:1.1875rem;-webkit-letter-spacing:0.01em;-moz-letter-spacing:0.01em;-ms-letter-spacing:0.01em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:1.6;color:#1A1A1A;margin-top:32px;}

Overview/10 page Slide Show Summary
Page 1
(Your Game Title & Logo goes Here)

(Your Name goes here)
(Your Contact Information goes here)

(Your Company Logo goes here)
(Company Name goes here)
(Company Contact Information goes here)

Revision: 0.0.0

Page 2
Theme / Setting / Genre
- (Example:) Competitive, Modern Day Fantasy, First Person Shooter
- Use Clip Art from games that is part of your inspiration on your choices to help draw a better idea visually on what your game might look like at first. Before your first pitch make sure you have replaced the Clip Art with assets from your game. The same goes for the art in the rest of the Overview Summary.

Page 3
Core Gameplay Mechanics Brief. Use concept art.
- (Gameplay Mechanic #1):
- (Gameplay Mechanic #2):
- (Gameplay Mechanic #3):
- (Gameplay Mechanic #4):

Page 4
Targeted platforms
- PC? (Yes/No)
- Consoles? (Yes/No)
- Mobile? (Yes/No)

Page 5
The elevator Pitch
(A one sentence pitch for your game. Pretend that your were pitching your game to a executive standing beside you in the elevator. You have less than 60 Seconds. GO!)

Page 6
What sets this project apart?
- (Reason #1)
- (Reason #2)
- (Reason #3)
- (Reason #4)
- (etc.)

Page 7
Monetization model (Brief/Document)
- Monetization Type? (Premium, Micro-transactions, crowd funding, sponsored, contracts.)
- Link to Monetization Document
(How do you plan to monetize the game?)

Page 8
Project Description (Brief):
(Two Paragraphs at least, three paragraphs max.)


Pages 9-10
Project Description (Detailed)
(Four Paragraphs or more If need be, No more than six paragraphs. This includes necessities list & Inspirations.)

1. Assets Needed
1.1 Concepts
- Concept Artwork
- Character Design
- Player Character
- NPC (non-player character)
- Boss
- Enemy
- Environment Artwork
- UI Artwork
- Logo Artwork
- Storyboards
- Cutscene Artwork
- Animation Artwork
- Texture Artwork
- Prop Artwork
- Effects Artwork
- Lighting Artwork
- Shader Artwork

1.2 Asset Lists
- 3D_Models
- Characters
- Vehicles
- Props
- Textures
- Scenes
- Effects
- Rigging
- Textures
- Characters
- Environment
- Effects
- Furniture
- Terrain
- Structures
- UI
- Skybox
- Rocks
- Trees
- Water
- Clouds
- Weapons
- Texturesets
- Props
- Vehicles
- Lighting
- Reflection
- Particles
- Logos
- Decals
- Post-Processing
- User Interface Design
- Assets
- Buttons
- Audio
- Fonts
- Models
- Prefabs
- Scripts
- Shaders
- Textures
- Animations
- Cinematics
- Materials
- Particles
- Plugins
- Screenshots
- Meshes
- Characters
- Environment
- Props
- Furniture
- Vehicles
- Cloth
- Weapons
- Accessories
- Textures
- Animations
- Materials
- Shaders
- Colliders
- Particles
- Effects
- Particles
- Scripts
- Images
- Sounds
- Sprites
- Animations
- Prefabs
- Resource
- PrefabInstance
- EditorData
- EditorPrefabs
- EditorScripts
- EditorImages
- EditorSounds
- EditorSprites
- Level Design
- Environment
- Open World
- Combat
- Objects
- Characters
- Animation
- Audio
- Textures
- U.I.
- Lighting
- Shaders
- Scripts
- Cinematics
- Builds
- Weather/environmental effects
- Shaders
- Post Process Shaders
- Surface Shaders
- Vertex & Fragment Shaders
- Mobile Shaders
- Raymarching Shaders
- Deferred Shaders
- Particle Shaders
- Atmospheric Shaders
- Light Shaders
- Water Shaders
- Texturing Shaders
- Toon Shaders
- Cel Shaders
- Fur Shaders
- Fog Shaders
- Skybox Shaders
- Procedural Generation Shaders
- Cloth Shaders
- Skin Shaders
- Character Shaders
- Animations
- Idle Animations
- Walk Animations
- Jump Animations
- Attack Animations
- Block Animations
- Dodge Animations
- Death Animations
- Cutscene Animations
- Cinematic Animations
- UI Animations
- Splash Screen Animations
- Menus Animations
- Particle Effects Animations
- Character Customization Animations
- Animations_StateMachines
- Prefabricates
- Characters
- Enemies
- Items
- Weapons
- Vehicles
- Props
- Levels
- Particles
- Audio
- Scripts
- UI
- Materials
- Shaders
- Textures
- Animations
- Cameras
- Lighting
- Prefab Variants
- Audio
- Music
- Ambient Sounds
- Sound List
- Outside
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Etc.
- Inside
- Level 1
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Etc.
- Voice-Over
- SFX
- Sound List (Player)
- Character Movement Sound List
- Example 1
- Example 2
- Etc.
- Character Hit / Collision Sound list
- Example 1
- Example 2
- Etc.
- Character on Injured / Death sound list
- Example 1
- Example 2
- Etc.
- Loops
- Foley
- Dialogue
- Character Voices
- Soundscapes
- Backgrounds
- Intros/Outros
- Musical Cues
- Dramatic Cues
- Animals & Creatures
- Weapons & Explosions
- Foley Art Library
- Sound Effects Library
- Music Library
- Miscellaneous

2. User Experience Design
2.1 Game controls
- Menu Controls
- Player Controls
- Virtual Reality
- 3D Mode
- First-Person
- Third-Person
- 2D Mode
- Side-Scrolling
- Top-Down
- Isometric
- Camera controls
- Virtual Reality
- 3D Mode
- First-Person
- Third-Person
- 2D Mode
- Side-Scrolling
- Top-Down
- Isometric
- Game cheat codes? (Yes/No)
- List of codes
- In-Game Store
- In-Game Currency
- Virtual Currencies
- In-Game Purchases
- Microtransactions
- Subscriptions
- Virtual Goods
- DLC
- Haptic feedback
- Vibration intensity settings
- Joystick sensitivity
- Credits


2.2 Game Menu(s)
- Start Menu Options
- New Game
- Load Game
- Load times
- Game modes
- Training
- Tutorial
- Story Mode/Campaign
- Start Game
- Gallery
- Cutscenes/Cinematics
- Skippable
- Concept Art
- Soundtrack
- Voice Actors
- Credits
- Multiplayer options
- Co-Op
- Split-Screen
- Matchmaking
- Versus
- Tournaments
- Quickplay
- Spectator Mode
- Replay
- Record
- Capture
- Customization
- Characters
- Vehicles
- Weapons
- Equipment
- Maps
- Mods
- Pause Menu
- Save Game
- Settings
- Language Options
- Pick a Language
- Difficulty level (easy, medium, hard)
- Video Settings
- Colorblind mode
- Field of view
- Brightness
- Option to adjust the brightness and saturation of the game's colors
- Contrast
- Gamma
- Text size
- Language
- Subtitles
- Option to toggle subtitles on/off
- Motion blur
- VSync
- Frame rate limit
- Screen resolution
- Fullscreen/windowed mode
- Borderless window
- Render quality
- Dynamic resolution
- HDR
- Ray tracing
- Virtual Reality
- Field of view slider
- Head tracking
- Hand Tracking
- Object interaction
- Model detail
- Texture detail
- Shadow quality
- Water reflection
- Lightening
- Fog
- Particles
- Physics
- Weather
- Time of Day
- Night Vision
- Thermal Vision
- Anti-aliasing
- Anisotropic filtering
- Ambient occlusion
- Haptic feedback
- Audio Settings
- Master volume (mute, low, medium, high)
- Music volume (mute, low, medium, high)
- Voice volume (mute, low, medium, high)
- Sound Effects volume (mute, low, medium, high)
- Ambient Sounds volume (mute, low, medium, high)
- Control Options
- Customizable controls
- Control scheme (keyboard and mouse, controller, touch screen)
- Keybinds
- Controller layout
- Option to switch between mouse and keyboard controls and gamepad controls
- Option to adjust the layout of the gamepad controls
- Vibration
- Crosshair
- Reticle
- Auto-Assist
- Auto-run
- Auto-jump
- Auto-crouch
- Auto-prone
- Auto-melee
- Auto-reload
- Auto-equip
- Auto-aim
- Auto-aim to head
- Auto-aim to body
- Auto-aim to legs
- Auto-aim to arms
- Auto-aim to weak spots
- Touch controls
- Accelerometer controls
- Gyroscope controls
- Mouse sensitivity
- Camera sensitivity
- Invert Y-axis
- Invert X-axis
- Save Settings
- Auto-saving
- Autosave frequency
- Quick saving
- Save slot/Save file location
- Cloud saving
- Automatic updates
- Automatic DLC downloads
- Accessibility Settings
- Online
- Steam Integration
- Xbox Live Integration
- PlayStation Network Integration
- Nintendo Switch Online Integration
- Offline
- Tutorials
- Tips and hints
- Energy saver
- Parental controls
- Violence
- Blood and Gore
- Language filter
- In-game purchases
- Microtransactions
- Data usage
- Game user account system
- Profile
- Friends List
- Challenges
- Daily Quests
- Achievements
- (Clan/Guild/Group)
- Leaderboards

2.3 Game manual
- Player Character
- Character Customization
- Character stats/attributes
- Health/damage system
- Character abilities/skills
- Inventory/equipment system
- Inventory management
- How to equip items
- How to manage inventory space
- AI (artificial intelligence) design
- Progression/level design
- AI (artificial intelligence) design
- Quest/mission design
- Dialog system
- Non-Playable Character(s)
- Friendly
- Natural
- Non-Friendly
- Economy/currency system
- Trading/bartering system
- How to trade items with other players
- Crafting system
- How to craft items
- Recipe list
- Building/construction system
- Vehicles/transportation
- Map system and navigation
- Map options (e.g. waypoints, markers, etc.)
- Fast travel options
- Saving/loading system
- Game objectives
- Game rewards
- Game challenges
- Leaderboards
- Achievements/trophies
- Game tutorials
- Game hints/tips
- Game penalties
- Death/respawn system



2.4 Gameplay mechanics
- Gameplay, Brief
The Summary or TL;DR version.
- Core Gameplay Mechanics
(Detailed. List every single mechanic in descending order of importance. #1 is your most important mechanic. If you can't think of any more start working on other areas, whenever you realize that you are working on a Mechanic or something within something else that is a mechanic, just add it to the list below. You can sort the order of importance after you get them listed.)
- Core Gameplay Mechanic #1
- Details
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less
- How does it work?
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less

- Core Gameplay Mechanic #2
- Details
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less
- How does it work?
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less

- Core Gameplay Mechanic #3
- Details
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less
- How does it work?
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less

- Core Gameplay Mechanic #4
- Details
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less
- How does it work?
Describe in 2 Paragraphs or less

- Mechanics Testing
- Game Flow Diagrams
- In-Game Tutorials

2.5 Quality Assurance
- Game prototypes
- Game usability testing
- Game balance/difficulty curve
- Game replayability
- QA testing
- Cross-platform play
- Cross-save Functionality
- Modding Support
- A/B Testing
- Alpha Acess
- Alpha Testing
- Beta Access
- Beta Testing
- Early Access
- Release testing
- Game feedback system
- User Testing
- Alpha Testing
- Beta Testing
- Trailers
- Demos
- Game player testing
- Game focus group testing
- Game survey research
- Mod support
- Brief Monetization Model
- Free-to-Play
- Pay-to-Play
- Premium Content
- Pre-Order Bonuses
- Post-Release Content
- Season Passes
- DLC

3. Creative Writing, Story, Lore, & Inspirations
3.1 Series Information
- Research required for the story
- Target audience
- Series title
- Series genre
- Setting (time period, location, etc.)
- Point of view (first person, third person, etc.)
- Series concept or premise
- Themes and motifs
- Plot arc for the entire series
- Series length (number of games)
- Titles for each game in the series
- Plot summary of each game in the series
- Main characters & their archetypes
- Cover art and design

3.2 Lore
(Go into as much detail as you can.)
- Worldbuilding and backstory
- Magic system or special abilities
- Technology and science elements
- Politics and social issues
- Religion and spirituality
- Economic and class distinctions
- Race and ethnicity
- Gender and sexuality
- Family and relationships
- Career and work
- Education and knowledge
- Morality and ethics
- Nature and the environment

3.3 Story
- Point of view (first person, third person, etc.)
- Main characters and their characteristics
- Protagonist
- Main Character
- Side Characters
- Companions/Friends
- Animal Companion(s)
- Antagonist
- Rivals
- Villains
- Side Characters
- Minions, Grunts, Henchmen, Goons, etc...
- Miscellaneous Characters
- Reoccurring
- One Off
- Background
- Tone and style
- Symbolism and allegory
- Suspense and pacing
- Chapter titles and organization
- Prologues and epilogues
- Foreword or introduction
- Scene breaks and transitions
- Description and imagery
- Dialogue and voice
- Character growth and development
- Conflict and tension
- Conflict or problem that drives the story
- Climax and resolution

- Story, Brief
The Summary or TL;DR version.
- Story, Detailed.
Go into as much detail as needs be, Spare no details.

3.4 Inspirations
(This is for the future documentation of data to be collected on the progression of art through inspiration & pop culture infrastructures. How art evolves over time. I believe this data will help us better track & understand how important entertainment is as a resource in the progression of society as a whole.)
- Main characters and their characteristics
- Sci-fi elements
- Historical elements
- Contemporary or modern elements
- Mystery or crime elements
- Romance elements
- Humor or comedy elements
- Horror or suspense elements
- Adventure or action elements
- Historical fiction elements
- Mystery elements
- Thriller elements
- Psychological elements
- Military elements
- Superhero elements
- Apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic elements
- Magic realism elements
- Cyberpunk elements
- Space opera elements
- High fantasy elements
- Low fantasy elements
- Epic fantasy elements
- Historical fantasy elements
- Dark fantasy elements
- Sword and sorcery elements
- Urban fantasy elements
- Paranormal elements
- Steampunk elements
- Dieselpunk elements
- Alternate history elements
- Time travel elements
- Portals or gateways elements
- Supernatural elements
- Extraterrestrial elements
- Cryptozoological elements
- Anthropomorphic elements
- Political elements
- Espionage elements
- Military elements
- Postmodern elements
- Noir elements
- Hardboiled elements
- Experimental elements
- Game Easter eggs
- Game references
- Game parody/homage

- Influences
- Influence 1
- name of series
- series media
- Creators of the series
- Release Date of the series

Brief description of what about that series was influential. Explain Why in 1 Paragraph or less.

Explain why this is an influence in 1 Paragraph or less. How did it inspire you?

4. Code
4.1 Scripts
- Core
- Menu/UX/UI
- Leaderboards
- Achievements/trophies
- In-game store
- Microtransactions
- DLC (downloadable content)
- Localization
- Accessibility options
- Parental controls
- Gameplay Mechanics
- Saving/loading system
- Dialog system
- Quest/mission design
- Economy/currency system
- Trading/bartering system
- Crafting system
- Building/construction system
- Vehicles/transportation
- Character Scripts (Player Pawn/Player Controller)
- Camera control
- Character movements
- Character customization
- Character stats/attributes
- Health/damage system
- Death/respawn system
- A.I.
- NPC Scripts
- Character stats/attributes
- Health/damage system
- Death/respawn system
- Animation
- Environment Animations
- Character Animations
- Dialog system
- Events

4.2 Game Assets
- Cutscenes
- Levels
- Audio
- Ambient Scripts (Runs in the background)
- Localization
- Text

4.3 Tests
- Unit Tests
- Integration Tests
- Performance Tests
- Physics/collision
- Physics
- UI
- Graphics
- Sound
- Input
- Android

4.4 Plugins
- Localization
- UI
- Input
- Camera
- Animation
- Shaders
- Audio
- AI
- Rendering
- Networking
- Physics
- Particle Effects
- Video
- Lighting
- UI Effects
- Scripting
- Build Pipeline
- Tools
- Third-Party Integrations
- Documentation


4.5 Programmers Notes
- Game patch notes
- Game support
- Game updates
- Game cheat codes


5. Builds
5.1 Technical Requirements
- System Requirements (e.g. minimum/recommended specifications for hardware and software)
- Game Engine (e.g. Unreal Engine, Unity, etc.)
- Game Performance Optimization (e.g. fps, load times, etc.)
- Game Memory Management (e.g. memory usage, garbage collection, etc.)

5.2 Build Testing
- Prototype Builds
- Early Development Builds
- Pre-Alpha Builds
- Core Feature Testing
- Technical Testing
- Performance Testing
- Alpha Builds
- Feature Testing
- Balance Testing
- Bug Fixing
- Beta Builds
- Playtesting
- User Feedback Collection
- Bug Fixing
- Final Polish
- Release Candidate Builds
- Final Testing
- Bug Fixing
- Final Builds
- Production Builds
- Submission Builds
- Gold Master Builds
- Debug Builds
- Testing Builds
- Developer Builds
- Internal Builds

5.3 Documentation
- Reports
- Game Crash Reporting
- Game Performance Metrics
- Game error reporting
- Game crash recovery
- Patches System
- Patch Notes
- Game update process
- Game compatibility testing
- Game localization testing
- Game accessibility testing
- Game Support Documentation

5.4 Tools
- Scripts
- Textures
- Shaders
- Models
- Particles
- Animation
- Audio
- Plugins
- Documentation
- Cinematics
- Data
- Profiling
- Art
- Prefabricated
- AI
- Testing
- Terrain
- UI
- Visual Effects
- Network
- Debugging tools

5.4 Tools & Assets
- Game Development Tools
- Scripting Tools
- Texturing Tools
- Modeling Tools
- Animation Tools
- Audio Tools
- Plugins & Add-ons
- Documentation Tools
- Profiling Tools
- Art & Design Tools
- Prefabricated Assets
- AI Tools
- Testing Tools
- Terrain Tools
- UI Tools
- Visual Effects Tools
- Networking Tools
- Debugging Tools
- Game Assets
- Scripts
- Textures
- Shaders
- Models
- Particles
- Animation
- Audio
- Cinematics
- Data
- Art
- Prefabricated Assets
- AI
- Terrain
- UI
- Visual Effects
- Network


6. Company Infrastructure
6.1 Legal Documentation Basics
- Coverages
- Jurisdictions
- Local business license
- Fair Use & Parodies

- Legal agreements (e.g. lease agreement, employment contracts)
- Intellectual Property (I.P.)
- Copyrights
- Doesn't protect abstract concepts like themes, game mechanics, or generic ideas.
- Does cover
- Reproduce copies
- Prepare Derivative Works
- Distribution Platforms Copies
- Publically performance
- Publically Display
- Trademarks
- Common Law
- Federal Registration ($~2000 w/ Legal Fees)
- Patents
- Trade Secrets
- Right of Publicity
- Infringement
- Contact Distribution Platforms
- Cease & Desist Letter
- Levels of aggression
- DMCA Take Down Notice
- Lawsuit
- Have to enforce your trademark
- Licenses
- Length of licenses
- Rules of Conduct
- User Generated Content
- Virtual Currencies & Goods Terms
- Age Restrictions
- Limited Liability
- Zombies? (Amazon Web Services Terms: 57.10 Acceptable Use; Safety-Critial Systems.)
- 3rd party language
- End User License Agreement (E.U.L.A.)
- Make sure they actually accept & click-through the EULA, protect yourself. Control your liabilities by Imposing legal obligations on players. Protect yourself.

- Privacy policy

- Data collection
- What types of data is collected?
- Why they are collected & how they're used?
- When & with whom they are shared?
- How users can collect their data & correct it?
- What steps are taken to protect data?
- Government enforcement
- COPPA
- COPPA Safe Harbors
- Reputation
- Data breaches
- Confidentiality

- Revenue/Compensation
- Revenue Share
- Net Revenue?
- At what point is Revenue Shared?
- Scope of Coverages
- Scope of Royalties
- Scope of Work

- Contracts
- Independent Contractor
- I.P. Rights
- Services/deliverables
- Derivative Works
- Reps/Warranties/Indemnification
- Scope Creep
- Boilerplate
- Docontracts?

- Non-Disclosure Agreement (N.D.A.)
- Mutual or One Way N.D.A.
- Definition of Confidential
- Permitted Uses
- Duration & Obligations

- Development Agreements
- Payment plan
- Scope of Work
- Developer Tools
- Change Orders

- Publishing Agreements
- No Gotchas
- Recoupables
- Publishers Obligations
- Detailed marketing campaign
- Travel expenses
- Conference expenses
- Promotional Opportunities

- Draft Operations & Shareholders Agreements
- Invention Assignment Agreements

- Termination Clause
- Non-compete/Solicit

6.2 Taxes
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- State tax registration
- Business bank account
- Payroll systems and processes
- Employee tax withholding and reporting
- Employee compensation and benefits administration
- Employee stock options and equity plans
- Employee performance incentives and bonuses
- Employee recognition and awards programs


6.3 Company Information
- Are you a Independent or Company?
- If company, what is your Business Structure: (e.g. sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), corporation, non-profit organization)?
- Filed for Entity Creation yet?

- Business name
- Business logo
- Business phone number and email address
- Initial registered office address
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Business website
- Business purpose or mission statement
- Principal place of business
- Business permits and licenses
- Business insurance
- Registered agent information
- Names and addresses of directors, officers, members, or partners
- Business cards and other marketing materials
- Articles of incorporation or organization
- Bylaws or operating agreement

6.4 Company handbook
- Business sustainability policies and practices
- Business Policies
- Social responsibility policies
- Corporate social responsibility report
- Environmental policies
- Environmental impact assessments
- Customer service policies and procedures
- Community engagement and support initiatives
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies
- Employee relations policies and procedures
- Performance management policies and procedures
- Employee disciplinary procedures
- Employee exit procedures and exit interviews

- Legal compliance policies and procedures
- IT infrastructure and technology systems
- Data privacy and security policies
- Anti-corruption and anti-bribery policies
- Employee privacy policies and procedures
- Employee data protection policies and procedures
- Employee benefits and compensation policies
- Health and safety policies
- Workplace health and safety procedures
- Employee forums and open-door policies

- Business ethics & values (Practices)
- Business processes and systems
- Employee professional development and career growth opportunities
- Employee diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
- Employee wellness programs and initiatives
- Community involvement and philanthropy initiatives
- Employee retention programs and initiatives
- Employee volunteer programs and community outreach initiatives
- Employee diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Employee engagement programs and initiatives
- Employee mentorship programs and networking opportunities

- Employee benefit programs (e.g. health insurance, retirement plans)
- Employee assistance programs (e.g. counseling services, health and wellness resources)
- Employee recruitment and training processes
- Employee performance evaluation processes and systems

- Employee health and safety training programs and resources.
- Employee training and development programs
- Employee recognition and rewards programs
- Employee referral programs
- Employee volunteer programs

- Feedback and complaint handling processes
- Employee engagement surveys and feedback mechanisms
- Employee satisfaction surveys and feedback mechanisms
- Employee feedback mechanisms and suggestion boxes

- Time and attendance tracking systems

- Business continuity and disaster recovery plans


7. Marketing
7.1 Product or Service Offerings
- Game Marketing/Promotion
- Game Intellectual Property
- Game licensing
- Game distribution
- Game royalties
- Game trademarks
- Game copyrights
- Game patents
- Game legal disputes
- Game Staff/Team
- Game budget
- Game development timeline
- Game milestones
- Game schedule
- Game tasks/to-do list

7.2 Market Research and Analysis
- Game data analysis
- Player engagement
- Player retention
- Player satisfaction
- Player demographics
- Player behavior
- Player feedback
- Player analytics
- Player support
- Player communication

7.3 Target Market and Customer Demographics
- Player demographic data
- Competitor Analysis

7.4 Business Plan
- Game Monetization Strategy
- Monetization model
- Pricing strategy
- Bundle/packaging strategy
- Discount/promotion strategy
- Subscription model
- Free-to-play model
- In-app purchases
- Virtual currency
- Virtual goods
- Advertising revenue
- Partnership revenue
- Sponsorship revenue
- Merchandise sales
- Crowdfunding strategy
- Funding sources
- Budget forecasting
- Financial projections
- Revenue projections
- Profitability projections
- Investment strategy
- Exit strategy
- Incubation strategy
- Accelerator strategy
- Incubator strategy
- Seed funding strategy
- Venture capital strategy
- Private equity strategy
- Crowdfunding campaign
- Funding campaign
- Budget tracking
- Financial tracking
- Revenue tracking
- Profitability tracking
- Investment tracking
- Exit tracking
- Incubation tracking
- Accelerator tracking
- Incubator tracking
- Seed funding tracking
- Venture capital tracking
- Private equity tracking

7.5 Product or Service Pricing and Sales Strategies
- IAP Pricing Strategies
- Microtransactions
- In-game store
- DLC (downloadable content)

7.6 Marketing and Advertising Strategies
- Game Marketing Campaign
- Public relations campaign
- Community management campaign
- Influencer engagement campaign
- SEO (search engine optimization) campaign
- User acquisition campaign
- User retention campaign
- User monetization campaign
- User engagement campaign
- User feedback campaign
- User analytics campaign
- User support campaign
- User communication campaign
- Ad campaign
- Viral marketing campaign
- Referral marketing campaign
- Email marketing campaign
- Content marketing campaign
- Influencer marketing campaign
- Affiliate marketing campaign
- Partnership marketing campaign
- Sponsorship marketing campaign
- Merchandise marketing campaign
- Crowdfunding campaign
- Funding campaign
- Budget campaign
- Financial campaign
- Revenue campaign
- Profitability campaign
- Investment campaign
- Exit campaign
- Incubation campaign
- Accelerator campaign
- Incubator campaign
- Seed funding campaign
- Venture capital campaign
- Private equity campaign

7.7 Product or Service Delivery Methods
- Localization
- Accessibility options
- Parental controls
- Game trailers
- Game screenshots
- Game icon/logo
- Game packaging/box art
- Game manual
- Game website
- Game forums
- Game support

7.8 Game Metrics Tracking
- Game Marketing Campaign
- Player engagement metrics
- Player retention metrics
- Player satisfaction metrics
- Player behavior data
- Player feedback data
- Player analytics data
- Player support data
- Player communication data


7.9 Pitch
- The elevator Pitch
(A one sentence pitch for your game.)
Pretend that your were pitching your game to a executive going to the elevator. You have less than 60 Seconds.
Project Description (Brief):
(Two Paragraphs at least)
(No more than three paragraphs)



Project Description (Detailed)
(Four Paragraphs or more If needs be)
(No more than six paragraphs)

8. Legal Documentation
8.1 Design Documents
Put your GDD here.

8.2 Technical Documents
- System Requirements
- Scripting Documents

8.3 Asset Creation Documents
- Level Design Documents
- Art Assets
- Audio Assets
- Character Design Documents
- Storyline Design Documents
- Interface Design Documents

8.4 Quality Assurance Documents
- Build Notes
- Bug Tracking Documents
- Version Control Documents
- Change Logs
- Release Notes
- User Documentation
- Licensing Documentation

8.5 Project Management
- Project Scope
- Game Time Scale
(How long will it take to make this game?)
- Cost? (How much will it cost?)
- Total Costs with breakdown
- Licenses / Hardware / Other Costs
- Team Size & Positions
- Project leader
- Technical Director
- Game Designer
- UX Designer
- Level Designer
- Art Director
- Composer
- Sound Designer
- Programmer
- Quality Assurance Manager
- Marketing Manager
- Legal Specialists
- Accountant
- Game data analytics team
- Game data scientist
- Game data analyst
- Game data engineer
- Game data visualization specialist
- Game data management specialist
- Game data security specialist
- Game data privacy specialist
- Game data governance specialist


- Core Team
- Team Member name
- What do they do?
- Cost to employ them full time or part time?
- etc.
(List as many core team members as you need to, but there should be a lead for each of the 14 core positions. List who is working for them under their lead and whomever may be under them all the way down the cain of command.)
Example:
- Marketing Team
- Team Leader Name: (Put name here)
- What do they do?
- Cost to employ them full time or part time.
- Etc.
- Team (Supervising Position Title Here) name: (Put name here)
- What do they do?
- Cost to employ them full time or part time.
- Etc.
- Team Member name:
- What do they do?
- Cost to employ them full time or part time.
- Etc.
- Team Member name:
- What do they do?
- Cost to employ them full time or part time.
- Etc.

(List as many marketing team members as you need to)

8.6 Schedule
- Objective #1
- Time Scale
- Milestone 1
- Milestone 2
- Etc.
- Objective #2
- Time Scale
- Milestone 1
- Milestone 2
- Etc.
- Objective #3
- Time Scale
- Milestone 1
- Milestone 2
- Etc.
- Objective #4
- Time Scale
- Milestone 1
- Milestone 2
- Etc.

8.7 Legal Documentation


8.8 Game credits
This is a single document with a list of everyone who works on the project and what their job title was.
Job title(s): persons first & last name.


9. Data Collection & Analytics
9.1 Game Technology & Development
- Game version control
- Game cloud saving
- Game cross-platform play
- Game cross-save functionality
- Game modding support
- Game cheat prevention
- Game anti-piracy measures
- Game server infrastructure
- Game network programming
- Game data compression
- Game data encryption


9.2 Game Performance & Optimization
- Game scalability
- Game load times
- Game memory management
- Game performance optimization


9.3 Game Testing & Feedback
- Game user data privacy
- Game user account system
- Game social media integration
- Game memory management
- Game performance optimization
- Game debugging tools
- Game error reporting
- Game crash recovery
- Game patching system
- Game update process
- Game compatibility testing
- Game localization testing
- Game accessibility testing
- Game QA testing
- Game beta testing feedback
- Game release testing
- Game post-launch support


9.4 Game User Research & Analytics
- Game A/B testing
- Game usability testing
- Game player testing
- Game focus group testing
- Game survey research
- Game analytics platform
- Game data visualization
- Game data management
- Game data security
- Game data privacy
- Game data governance

9.5 Game monetization analytics
- Game pricing analytics
- Game bundle/packaging analytics
- Game discount/promotion analytics
- Game subscription analytics
- Game free-to-play analytics
- Game in-app purchase analytics
- Game virtual currency analytics
- Game virtual goods analytics
- Game advertising revenue analytics
- Game partnership revenue analytics
- Game sponsorship revenue analytics
- Game merchandise sales analytics
- Game crowdfunding analytics
- Game funding source analytics
- Game budget forecasting analytics
- Game financial projection analytics
- Game revenue projection analytics
- Game profitability projection analytics
- Game investment strategy analytics
- Game exit strategy analytics
- Game incubation strategy analytics
- Game accelerator strategy analytics
- Game incubator strategy analytics
- Game seed funding strategy analytics
- Game venture capital strategy analytics
- Game private equity strategy analytics


9.6 Marketing Campaign Analytics
- Game marketing campaign analytics
- Game public relations campaign analytics
- Game community management campaign analytics
- Game influencer engagement campaign analytics
- Game SEO (search engine optimization) campaign analytics
- Game user acquisition campaign analytics
- Game user retention campaign analytics
- Game user monetization campaign analytics
- Game user engagement campaign analytics
- Game user feedback campaign analytics
- Game user analytics campaign analytics
- Game user support campaign analytics
- Game user communication campaign analytics
- Game ad campaign analytics
- Game viral marketing campaign analytics
- Game referral marketing campaign analytics
- Game email marketing campaign analytics
- Game content marketing campaign analytics
- Game influencer marketing campaign analytics
- Game affiliate marketing campaign analytics
- Game partnership marketing campaign analytics
- Game sponsorship marketing campaign analytics
- Game merchandise marketing campaign analytics
- Game crowdfunding campaign analytics
- Game funding campaign analytics
- Game budget campaign analytics
- Game financial campaign analytics
- Game revenue campaign analytics
- Game profitability campaign analytics
- Game investment campaign analytics
- Game exit campaign analytics
- Game incubation campaign analytics
- Game accelerator campaign analytics
- Game incubator campaign analytics
- Game seed funding campaign analytics
- Game venture capital campaign analytics
- Game private equity campaign analytics
- Marketing Campaign Performance Analytics
- Game metrics tracking analytics
- Game data analysis analytics



10. Third Party Libraries
- Third Party Libraries: The Third Party Libraries folder should house all of the external libraries that you will need for game development.

- Scripts: Scripts should contain all of the code written in a scripting language, such as C# or Python.

- Images: Images should contain all of the images used in the game, such as character sprites or background images.

- Sounds: Sounds should contain all of the sound files used in the game, such as music or sound effects.

- License information: Make sure to include the license information for each third-party library used in the project. This includes the type of license (e.g. open source, proprietary, etc.), any restrictions on use, and any attribution requirements.

- Version control: Keep track of the version number of each library used in the project, so that you can easily revert to an earlier version if necessary.

- Updates: Make a plan for regularly checking for updates to the third-party libraries used in the project, and updating them as necessary.
Integration: Document the process for integrating third-party libraries into the game, including any modifications or customization that may be required.

- Testing: Make sure to test the game with each third-party library to ensure that it works as expected and doesn't cause any unintended issues.