Guided Game Design Document writing using structured templates. Walks through each section of a GDD with system decomposition, mechanics breakdown, and narrative design. Produces a complete, navigable design document.
Create a comprehensive Game Design Document that covers all major systems,
mechanics, narrative, and content, organized for a development team to build
from. Section-by-section guided writing with templates.
🤖 Multi-Platform Notes
Platform
Notes
OpenClaw
Best for multi-section document writing. Creates gdd/ folder with separate section files or one master doc.
Claude Code
Can write markdown files. Generate one master GDD file or split per-section.
Cursor/Windsurf
Good for live editing. Use sections as separate files for navigation.
GitHub Copilot
Can fill in sections if you provide the template. Best for expanding existing content.
Generic LLM Chat
Output each section as a code block or generate progressively. Warn user about length.
Any AI
All can guide section-by-section. For chat-only, produce section-by-section and ask to paste.
"What's the target audience and ESRB/PEGI rating?"
"What platforms and what's the target release window?"
Template:
markdown
# Game Overview
## Title
[working title]
## Elevator Pitch
[2-3 sentences that describe the game's core]
## Genre
[primary genre], [secondary genre]
## Target Audience
[age range, player profile]
## Rating
[ESRB / PEGI / none]
## Platforms
[list]
## Target Release
[date or TBD]
## Inspirations
- [Game A] — [what we're taking from it]
- [Game B] — [what we're taking from it]
Section 2: Mechanics (02-mechanics.md)
For each mechanic, document:
markdown
## [Mechanic Name]
**Verb:** [what the player does]
**Input:** [keyboard/mouse/controller/touch]
**Feedback:** [visual, audio, haptic]
**States:** [active, cooldown, disabled, upgradeable]
### Description
[How it works in plain language.]
### Rules
- [Constraint 1]
- [Constraint 2]
### Edge Cases
- [What happens when...]
- [How does it interact with...]
### Math / Balance
- [Formula or tuning notes]
Ask:
"Let's list every verb the player has. Starting with the most frequent action..."
For each verb, expand into a full mechanic doc section.
Section 3: Systems (03-systems.md)
System decomposition uses input → rule → output:
markdown
## [System Name]
**Purpose:** [why this system exists]
**Owner:** [designer/engineer responsible]
### Inputs
- [data/events this system receives]
### Rules
- [core logic]
### Outputs
- [what this system produces]
### Dependencies
- Depends on: [other systems]
- Depended on by: [other systems]
### Data / State
- [persistent data, save data]
Common systems to document:
Player progression — XP, levels, skill trees
Economy — currency, vendors, pricing
Inventory — items, stacking, categories
Combat — damage, health, status effects
Save/Load — save slots, auto-save, checkpoint
Achievements — triggers, conditions
Settings — volume, graphics, controls
Section 4: Levels / World (04-levels.md)
Ask:
"What's the structure?"
text
1) Linear — sequential levels
2) Hub-based — central hub branches to levels
3) Open world — seamless exploration
4) Procedural — generated content
