The task

For homework James asked us to review and analyse roger's 1- pager games design document, this is a good opportunity to get some more clarity on how to create a games design document for my idea.

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Analysis of rogers 10 pager

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In roger's 10 paper it essentially lays out how to format a games design document, games design document that you write all the necessary materials to help the designers create the game, one of the key elements for a good games design document is for the necessary goals to be realistic and fit with the narrative of the game, one of the key mistakes that many designers do is create these nigh-impossible tasks and ideas for the game development.

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The pager suggests having 10 pages that consist of different things, here is what is to be expected in the games design document:

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Page 1 title page

• In this section you would have the title of the game, also you can the logo design of it as well, though the title page is the first page, for my, I think I'll leave the title page until last because the title should around the narrative of the game, not the other way round.

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Page 2 game outline

• This section of the game design document you'll include the game story summary, which is similar to the pitch of the game in a way because it describes the game in a short sentence.

• Game flow is something that I haven't learnt in class yet but it could use for the hypothetical team I am working with to make my game, the game flow describes the type of actions that the player will interact within the compounds of a location in the game. e.g. to get to the other side of the platform they must avoid the spikes. To help the designer consider what type of game flows do they want in there game they can ask themselves these questions:

• What are the challenges players encounter and the methods by which they can overcome them?

• How does the gameplay tie into the story? Do players encounter puzzles that grant access to new areas when solved? Do players have to fight bosses that bar their progression?

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Page 3 character

• Here is when you include the characters, information of the character e.g. Age, sex, where therefrom? this must include character design sheets, within the character design sheet there must be turnarounds, facial expressions, character information, accessories that could help the character out

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Page 4 gameplay

Here is where you establish the gameplay information of your game, this could include:

• The levels

• Will the game have scenarios?

• What platform the game is going to be on?

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Page 5 game world

• Similarly to the game outline, this section includes information of the world that the game takes place in, to show the designers what the game world could be you can illustrations of the game world's environment.

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Page 6 Game experience

This section uses the gameplay information in the context of the players experience whilst playing the game:

• What do players first see when they start the game?

• What emotions/ moods are meant to be invoked by your game?

• How are music and sound used to convey your game's feel?

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Page 7 Gameplay mechanics

Here details the possible character abilities, items that could power up the player's abilities, also items don't just be used simply to increase the player's abilities but can be used as collectables.

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Page 8 enemies

Essentially the same thing as the characters, what is the function of the enemy, what do they want, what is their personality?

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Page 10 monetization

This Page is not as relevant to my project as it is to other pages because this project is going to publish but it will be useful in the future

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Note: GDD can have a storyboard, diagram or an animatic.

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What can I take from this?

The good thing with this 10 pager is that it gives me more ideas on how to express my idea to its fullest potential, and what type of prototypes do I want to use in my project, there are a lot of pagers that I'll use for my project e.g. character, gameplay mechanics but because my game won't be published I don't think I'll use the monetization page, also I think I am going to leave the title for last because like I said before the title should mould around the game, not the other way round.

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Things to take from the 10 pager:

• Page 2 game outline

• Page 3 character

• Page 4 gameplay

• Page  game world

• Page 6 game experience

• Page 7 gameplay mechanics

• Page 8 enemies

• Page 10 monetization

• Story elements for the level

• Progression: gameplay focus of the level

• Estimated playtime of level

• Colour scheme of level/environment

• Enemies/bosses introduced and used

• Mechanics introduced and used

• Powe-ups found in level/environment

• New abilities, weapons, or gear introduced/ unlocked