Hello all, I have been looking around the net, and have found a few good examples of the paperwork that goes into designing a game. So far, I have been trying to create all the documentation needed to start my project, but I would like to know what information is generally needed to start out on the right foot. So far, the documentation I plan to create is:

Game Pre-Design Worksheet: General concepts and goals
Design Document: A general overview of everything to do with the game (story, gameplay, features, ect.)
Level Design Doc.: Mini design document for each level (more specific)
Model Design Doc.: Mini design document for each model I design (more specific)
Artwork Design Doc.: Mini design document to coordinate artwork (more specific)
Coding Worksheet(s): A worksheet outlining all major scripts, their purpose, and how they interact with eachother.

I know that this is not the most in-depth description of what I am doing, but if there is anything that strikes you as missing from this list of documents, please let me know, I would really appreciate it.

Regards,
DeKO_Mania

To my mind the most important one is missing,
The Game Engine and its pros and cons as well as a list of editors and their pros and cons.
You can go around making the most awesomest docu trail ever but its absolutly useless if you do not know what you will be using to create this masterpeice.

Secondly, there is no listing of resources, people you could draw from for experience, ideas, jobs etc.
Third, you need a development timeline if you are serious about using this route with probable checkpoints, milestones et all and reviews.
Lastly, you need a budget ! Got to have a BUDGET!

By knowing your dev engine you also know what it can and cant do and so you have parameters set for you. You also need to know if further costs are to be added (licensing issues) or if you need to write dynamic link libraries, plugins etc. to get around some of the shortfalls the engine may have in its present state.

Hope this adds some thought to the pool,
Later...

It really depends for whom you are making the design document-- just for yourself? or to show to a producer/publisher?

Ok, at this point I have kind of run into a catch 22 impass... This being my first project, I really dont know exactly what I am doing (...go figure). At the same time, I am trying to create paperwork outlining all the information I dont know about the game I dont know how to design... .

Would it be a better idea to create these documents as I go, so that for the future, I will know what I will need to know? Obviously this project is not going to be showroom quality, so maybe make this project a large expierement just to get my feet wet?

Regards,
DeKO_Mania

Hey there, yes, create the template as you go and refine it as needs be is a good way as it is based on experience.
Still, grab what you can of outlines, why's and whatfor's when compiling docs as well as why you are doing it to get a respectable one all proto'd out.
Another plus is that you get a lot of fun out of going back and forth plus a record of what you did when you did it (complemetry documents of course... ad infinitum)