codex-game-studios/references/studio-docs/templates/game-pillars.md

Game Pillars: [Game Title]

Document Status

• Version: 1.0
• Last Updated: [Date]
• Owner: creative-director
• Status: Draft / Under Review / Approved

Creative Director Review (CD-PILLARS): [APPROVED date / CONCERNS accepted date / REVISED date]

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Purpose

This document is the source of truth for the game's creative pillars. It is created during /brainstorm once the user locks the pillars. The first version can be lightweight; later workflows may deepen the cross-department implications and validation details as the project matures.

Pillars are the 3-5 non-negotiable principles that define the game's identity. Every design, art, audio, narrative, production, and technical decision should serve at least one pillar. If a feature does not serve a pillar, it probably does not belong in the game.

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Core Fantasy

[What power, experience, or feeling does the player get from this game? This is the emotional promise, not a feature list.]

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Unique Hook

[Like X, and also Y. The hook should make the game distinguishable from its closest comparables in one sentence.]

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Target MDA Aesthetics

Rank the aesthetics this game is intentionally trying to deliver.

Rank	Aesthetic	How This Game Delivers It
1	[Challenge / Discovery / Fantasy / etc.]	[Specific delivery mechanism]
2	[Aesthetic]	[Specific delivery mechanism]
3	[Aesthetic]	[Specific delivery mechanism]
Not targeted	[Aesthetic]	[Why this is not a priority]

Reference aesthetics: Sensation, Fantasy, Narrative, Challenge, Fellowship, Discovery, Expression, Submission.

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Pillar Summary

Pillar	One-Sentence Definition	Primary Design Test
[Pillar 1]	[Falsifiable definition]	[If debating X vs Y, choose __]
[Pillar 2]	[Falsifiable definition]	[If debating X vs Y, choose __]
[Pillar 3]	[Falsifiable definition]	[If debating X vs Y, choose __]

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Pillar 1: [Name]

One-Sentence Definition: [A clear, falsifiable statement of what this pillar means.]

Target Aesthetics Served: [Which MDA aesthetics this pillar supports.]

Design Test: [A concrete decision this pillar resolves.]

Cross-Department Implications

Department	This Pillar Says	Example
Design	[How it constrains mechanics and rules]	[Concrete example]
Art	[How it constrains visuals]	[Concrete example]
Audio	[How it constrains sound/music]	[Concrete example]
Narrative	[How it constrains story/writing]	[Concrete example]
Engineering	[Technical priorities or constraints]	[Concrete example]
Production	[Scope and scheduling implications]	[Concrete example]

Serving This Pillar

• [Concrete feature or decision that embodies this pillar]
• [Another example]

Violating This Pillar

• [Plausible feature or decision that would betray the pillar]
• [Another example]

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Pillar 2: [Name]

One-Sentence Definition: [A clear, falsifiable statement.]

Target Aesthetics Served: [MDA aesthetics.]

Design Test: [A concrete decision this pillar resolves.]

Cross-Department Implications

Department	This Pillar Says	Example
Design	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Art	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Audio	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Narrative	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Engineering	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Production	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]

Serving This Pillar

• [Example]
• [Example]

Violating This Pillar

• [Example]
• [Example]

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Pillar 3: [Name]

One-Sentence Definition: [A clear, falsifiable statement.]

Target Aesthetics Served: [MDA aesthetics.]

Design Test: [A concrete decision this pillar resolves.]

Cross-Department Implications

Department	This Pillar Says	Example
Design	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Art	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Audio	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Narrative	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Engineering	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]
Production	[Constraint or inspiration]	[Example]

Serving This Pillar

• [Example]
• [Example]

Violating This Pillar

• [Example]
• [Example]

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Optional Additional Pillars

Use this section only if the game needs a fourth or fifth pillar. Keep the total pillar count between 3 and 5.

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Anti-Pillars

Anti-pillars define what this game is not. Good anti-pillars block tempting ideas that would dilute the core fantasy.

• NOT [thing]: [Why this is excluded, what pillar it would compromise, and what it would cost.]
• NOT [thing]: [Why excluded.]
• NOT [thing]: [Why excluded.]

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Pillar Conflict Priority

When two pillars conflict, resolve the conflict in this order.

Priority	Pillar	Why It Wins
1	[Highest priority pillar]	[Rationale]
2	[Second priority pillar]	[Rationale]
3	[Third priority pillar]	[Rationale]

Resolution process:

1. Identify which pillars are in tension.
2. Check the priority table.
3. Preserve the lower-priority pillar only where it does not weaken the higher-priority one.
4. If the conflict is fundamental, escalate to creative-director for pillar revision.

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Player Motivation Alignment

Use Self-Determination Theory as a sanity check.

Need	Which Pillar Serves It	How
Autonomy	[Pillar name]	[Meaningful choices or agency]
Competence	[Pillar name]	[Mastery, feedback, skill growth]
Relatedness	[Pillar name]	[Connection, belonging, emotional bond]

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Reference Games and Inspirations

Reference	What We Take From It	What We Do Differently	Which Pillar It Validates
[Game 1]	[Specific mechanic, feeling, or approach]	[Our twist]	[Pillar]
[Game 2]	[Specific learning]	[Our twist]	[Pillar]
[Game 3]	[Specific learning]	[Our twist]	[Pillar]

Non-game inspirations: [Films, books, music, art, real-world experiences.]

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Validation Checklist

• 3-5 pillars total
• Each pillar is falsifiable
• Each pillar constrains real design choices
• Each pillar has a design test
• Each pillar has cross-department implications
• At least 3 anti-pillars are defined
• Pillar conflict priority is explicit
• Top MDA aesthetics are covered
• Autonomy, competence, and relatedness have been considered
• Every pillar traces back to the core fantasy

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Next Steps

• Keep this document linked from design/gdd/game-concept.md
• Use these pillars when writing system GDDs
• Revisit after major prototype learnings or milestone pivots

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This document lives at design/gdd/game-pillars.md.