Design Doc Template
by Steven Fletcher · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 08/30/2004 (3:57 pm) · 7 replies
There's been alot of design document templates floating around. I tried to make one that incorportated all the most important features of each template I've seen and didn't include any extra fluff.
It's at www.cowgodgames.com/articles/designdoctemplate.htm.
Please comment on it so that I can try to improve it.
[Edit: updated url]
It's at www.cowgodgames.com/articles/designdoctemplate.htm.
Please comment on it so that I can try to improve it.
[Edit: updated url]
#2
-Jase
08/30/2004 (7:55 pm)
I could also include features for templates, so someone could have a skeleton of the design doc already to go. Much like your template, Steven.-Jase
#3
I put something like this together quite some time ago (it's a resource listed here somewhere) which was based on Chris Taylor's design document. I webified it so anyone could use it as a template for their own site. It's very similar to what you have. You can find it here:
members.shaw.ca/bsimser/webdesign/default.htm
08/31/2004 (12:53 am)
@SteveI put something like this together quite some time ago (it's a resource listed here somewhere) which was based on Chris Taylor's design document. I webified it so anyone could use it as a template for their own site. It's very similar to what you have. You can find it here:
members.shaw.ca/bsimser/webdesign/default.htm
#4
That sounds like a good idea. Having every field be optional is essential. And having the ability to make custom fields is essential too.
Another idea. Instead of including customization for text color, etc. within the program, just let them choose a .css file. .css files are the best place for style information.
@Bill
I actually made this design document for the express purpose of having something different from Chris Taylor's. It just seems more organized this way, at least to me.
Before I posted my design document, I went over Chris Taylor's document, found all the things that weren't in mine but should be, and added them.
There's nothing wrong with Chris Taylor's document, but I think that my template contains more of what I need to create a game. When I used his document, I found myself writing something that was almost an ad.
09/03/2004 (2:35 am)
@JaseThat sounds like a good idea. Having every field be optional is essential. And having the ability to make custom fields is essential too.
Another idea. Instead of including customization for text color, etc. within the program, just let them choose a .css file. .css files are the best place for style information.
@Bill
I actually made this design document for the express purpose of having something different from Chris Taylor's. It just seems more organized this way, at least to me.
Before I posted my design document, I went over Chris Taylor's document, found all the things that weren't in mine but should be, and added them.
There's nothing wrong with Chris Taylor's document, but I think that my template contains more of what I need to create a game. When I used his document, I found myself writing something that was almost an ad.
#5
So what do you think? Right now I'm leaning towards the wxWidgets route. I've never used wxWidgets before, but if I do learn it I can use it for future applications that will be cross-platform as well.
-Jase
09/03/2004 (9:56 pm)
I'm currently trying to decide whether I should use Visual Basic, or MFC for rapid application development. Or learn something new like wxWidgets to make the application cross-platform. The wxWidgets route will increase developement time, as well as the complexity of creating this application.So what do you think? Right now I'm leaning towards the wxWidgets route. I've never used wxWidgets before, but if I do learn it I can use it for future applications that will be cross-platform as well.
-Jase
#6
For some reason, people think that they can't distribute games written in Java. You can. For applets, you just link to them from an html page. For applications, you include the JRE (not the SDK) with the installer. Sun provides something called Java Web Start that is especially good for this sort of thing, though I haven't actually tried using Java Web Start yet. However, I think it would solve alot of the problems I've been having with people not being able to figure out what to download.
Unfortunately, it wouldn't solve the problems I've been having with not having enough time to spend on making the games really good.
I really hate visual development tools. I don't think they really make development any faster, but that's only my opinion. I've tried using them before, but I seem to spend more time setting parameters in RADs than I do writing the code with regular tools.
I think RAD tools are primarily intended for use with standard applications where you use standard gui objects (text fields, radio buttons, etc.) not for games.
It would be best if you posted your question in a new thread because I don't think you'll get much of an answer from within a thread about design documents.
09/04/2004 (7:14 pm)
I always use Java whenever I can. It's cross-platform, powerful, has an API full of useful functions for you to use, and it's free. It's especially good for Internet games.For some reason, people think that they can't distribute games written in Java. You can. For applets, you just link to them from an html page. For applications, you include the JRE (not the SDK) with the installer. Sun provides something called Java Web Start that is especially good for this sort of thing, though I haven't actually tried using Java Web Start yet. However, I think it would solve alot of the problems I've been having with people not being able to figure out what to download.
Unfortunately, it wouldn't solve the problems I've been having with not having enough time to spend on making the games really good.
I really hate visual development tools. I don't think they really make development any faster, but that's only my opinion. I've tried using them before, but I seem to spend more time setting parameters in RADs than I do writing the code with regular tools.
I think RAD tools are primarily intended for use with standard applications where you use standard gui objects (text fields, radio buttons, etc.) not for games.
It would be best if you posted your question in a new thread because I don't think you'll get much of an answer from within a thread about design documents.
#7
I think Visual Basic 6.0, or Visual Studio using MFC would be the quickest route for this kind of application. Since it will mainly consists of GUI elements, and fields of data. Using those fields of data, it would generate the formated HTML document. However, wxWidgets would enable the application to be cross platform. But I with wxWidgets I won't have a visual kind of environment for quick GUI prototyping. I have seen some applications that add this kind of functionality for wxWidgets, but I have to look into them some more.
I'll probably start a forum thread up soon about this application idea to get some more feedback.
-Jase
09/04/2004 (10:26 pm)
Well, I'm not to fond of Java. I'm mainly C/C++. I have used java before and various other languages, but I always come back to C/C++ for major developments. I think Visual Basic 6.0, or Visual Studio using MFC would be the quickest route for this kind of application. Since it will mainly consists of GUI elements, and fields of data. Using those fields of data, it would generate the formated HTML document. However, wxWidgets would enable the application to be cross platform. But I with wxWidgets I won't have a visual kind of environment for quick GUI prototyping. I have seen some applications that add this kind of functionality for wxWidgets, but I have to look into them some more.
I'll probably start a forum thread up soon about this application idea to get some more feedback.
-Jase
Torque Owner Jason "fireVein" Culwell
I'm thinking about creating an application for a design document. You create all the necessary fields and then fill in the information, hit a button and it would generate a formated HTML document for your design document that could be uploaded or tranfered to someone for easy viewing. Of course the formating would be customizable such as the title, heading, and text colours, and table borders and colours. What do you think?
Would anyone else be interested in this?
I think it could possibley speed up the creation of a design document.
I could also create it to output multiple pages with links. Such as having a table of contents and different sections corresponding to each position of the developers on the team.
Any suggestions, or feedback are welcome.
-Jase