Here is a link to a GDD Template that I made for Sanctuary Game Studios. The purpose of this is simply that there is no standardized version of the template. Each one is tailored to your individual needs, but this one should cover most of the bases.
A game design document is basically the skeleton of your game. It is often paired off with the art bible, technical bible, and story bible, which adds the fleshy direction you want the game to go in. It is much much easier to create a game with a GDD than without one, as you would need to be as detailed as possible with this so something like the following doesn’t exist.
Without a GDD:
Note: “In the second scene there is a square that gives a power up.” (Where you mean a blue square, but everyone already knows that right?)
When the designer is creating the scene… “Oh, a square. Lets make it brown, and when it is collected gives super strength to the player.”
With a GDD:
Note: “In the second scene in the lower left corner of the map there is a blue square that when jumped on gives a power up of extra speed to the player.”
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So feel free to download and use it for your own games or designs. Enjoy!
Daydreams that build Worlds 