Hi, My game design group is currently about to start a new project, and I read a very interesting article on gameDev about the Seven Deadly Sins of a Startup Game Company. Although I am not in a professinal company it was a great article, and one of the topics was on making a great Design Document. I read that it is essential to have a well laid out, almost complete Design Document before even starting the game. At least 80% complete the writer of the article said, exactly. The Design Document has many purposes, but a few of the most important was that it was a well laid out document about every aspect of the game. This way it every programmer, artist, sound composer, etc, knew exactly what his/her job was and also knew what each other's jobs were too. The second most important aspect of the Design Document had to be that it is essential to have as many ideas as possible from all the team members about the game, but it is just as important to discuss the ideas ahead of time, before the Design Document is complete in group meetings. This way the development time is not compromised due to the members of the team changing different aspects of the game during production, and delaying the game extensively. It also stops all the team members from arguing to one another about ideas for the game, since all the aspects of the game are complete (at least 80% for a little growing room) and everyone has the same exact knowledge of how the game WILL be made, exactly. It is great to come up wit ideas before production, but once production starts, its time to suck it up and listen to your bosses and do what you are told, and follow the Design Document to a tee. I know the major problem with game companies and there worker (from what I've read) is also production time because of delays. And enough delays equal no finished game. He said since it is possible to patch games now-a-days, the game doesn't even have to be perfect. Just in working order, it can be patched later. It is always better to have a near-finished game out there, to get your name out and some cash-flow, then having no game out there, no prior released titles, and then an impossibly harder time finding a job as a game designer with a big company. So please post about your take on the importance of the Design Document or any aspect of the Design Document that you think is important. Also, please post about the development timeline or how an unfinished Design Document or a well-done Design Document can effect production time. My group is about learning and teaching one another, so I would be very grateful to have a few people respond to this post so I can or other people can learn about the importance of the Design Document and Production Time. I can then post an article to my group after reading everyones response and spread the knowledge and great importance of these two, intertwined topics. Thank you, -Nate

One things I wish I had done was plan how all my code was going to fit together. However, I have not worked out a way that works for me for doing this. All I know is, that I have to constantly add new variables, update code etc. as I realise that a function won't work with another one.

I think a design document is important if you have a team. However, if it is just you, sometimes it can take more time than it is worth - you are not likely to argue with yourself. However, planning, even if you are playing all the roles, is vital. You need deadlines to work towards and goals to achieve.

You you're definitely right,
The design document is important in a team environment,
but not so much when you are working by yourself as a jack-of-all-trades,
It's definitely worth planning the game when you're working by yourself,
but you don't have to worry about arguing with yourself, lik eyou said, lol,

Good post.