248 lines
6.8 KiB
Markdown
248 lines
6.8 KiB
Markdown
# Game Pillars: [Game Title]
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## Document Status
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- **Version**: 1.0
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- **Last Updated**: [Date]
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- **Owner**: creative-director
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- **Status**: Draft / Under Review / Approved
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> **Creative Director Review (CD-PILLARS)**: [APPROVED date / CONCERNS accepted date / REVISED date]
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---
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## Purpose
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This document is the source of truth for the game's creative pillars. It is
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created during `/brainstorm` once the user locks the pillars. The first version
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can be lightweight; later workflows may deepen the cross-department implications
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and validation details as the project matures.
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Pillars are the 3-5 non-negotiable principles that define the game's identity.
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Every design, art, audio, narrative, production, and technical decision should
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serve at least one pillar. If a feature does not serve a pillar, it probably
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does not belong in the game.
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---
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## Core Fantasy
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[What power, experience, or feeling does the player get from this game? This is
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the emotional promise, not a feature list.]
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---
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## Unique Hook
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[Like X, and also Y. The hook should make the game distinguishable from its
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closest comparables in one sentence.]
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---
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## Target MDA Aesthetics
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Rank the aesthetics this game is intentionally trying to deliver.
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| Rank | Aesthetic | How This Game Delivers It |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| 1 | [Challenge / Discovery / Fantasy / etc.] | [Specific delivery mechanism] |
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| 2 | [Aesthetic] | [Specific delivery mechanism] |
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| 3 | [Aesthetic] | [Specific delivery mechanism] |
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| Not targeted | [Aesthetic] | [Why this is not a priority] |
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Reference aesthetics: Sensation, Fantasy, Narrative, Challenge, Fellowship,
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Discovery, Expression, Submission.
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---
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## Pillar Summary
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| Pillar | One-Sentence Definition | Primary Design Test |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| [Pillar 1] | [Falsifiable definition] | [If debating X vs Y, choose __] |
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| [Pillar 2] | [Falsifiable definition] | [If debating X vs Y, choose __] |
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| [Pillar 3] | [Falsifiable definition] | [If debating X vs Y, choose __] |
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---
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## Pillar 1: [Name]
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**One-Sentence Definition**: [A clear, falsifiable statement of what this pillar
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means.]
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**Target Aesthetics Served**: [Which MDA aesthetics this pillar supports.]
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**Design Test**: [A concrete decision this pillar resolves.]
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### Cross-Department Implications
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| Department | This Pillar Says | Example |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| Design | [How it constrains mechanics and rules] | [Concrete example] |
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| Art | [How it constrains visuals] | [Concrete example] |
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| Audio | [How it constrains sound/music] | [Concrete example] |
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| Narrative | [How it constrains story/writing] | [Concrete example] |
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| Engineering | [Technical priorities or constraints] | [Concrete example] |
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| Production | [Scope and scheduling implications] | [Concrete example] |
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### Serving This Pillar
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- [Concrete feature or decision that embodies this pillar]
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- [Another example]
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### Violating This Pillar
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- [Plausible feature or decision that would betray the pillar]
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- [Another example]
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---
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## Pillar 2: [Name]
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**One-Sentence Definition**: [A clear, falsifiable statement.]
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**Target Aesthetics Served**: [MDA aesthetics.]
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**Design Test**: [A concrete decision this pillar resolves.]
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### Cross-Department Implications
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| Department | This Pillar Says | Example |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| Design | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Art | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Audio | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Narrative | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Engineering | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Production | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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### Serving This Pillar
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- [Example]
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- [Example]
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### Violating This Pillar
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- [Example]
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- [Example]
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---
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## Pillar 3: [Name]
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**One-Sentence Definition**: [A clear, falsifiable statement.]
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**Target Aesthetics Served**: [MDA aesthetics.]
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**Design Test**: [A concrete decision this pillar resolves.]
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### Cross-Department Implications
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| Department | This Pillar Says | Example |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| Design | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Art | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Audio | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Narrative | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Engineering | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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| Production | [Constraint or inspiration] | [Example] |
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### Serving This Pillar
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- [Example]
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- [Example]
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### Violating This Pillar
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- [Example]
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- [Example]
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---
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## Optional Additional Pillars
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Use this section only if the game needs a fourth or fifth pillar. Keep the total
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pillar count between 3 and 5.
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---
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## Anti-Pillars
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Anti-pillars define what this game is not. Good anti-pillars block tempting
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ideas that would dilute the core fantasy.
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- **NOT [thing]**: [Why this is excluded, what pillar it would compromise, and
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what it would cost.]
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- **NOT [thing]**: [Why excluded.]
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- **NOT [thing]**: [Why excluded.]
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---
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## Pillar Conflict Priority
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When two pillars conflict, resolve the conflict in this order.
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| Priority | Pillar | Why It Wins |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| 1 | [Highest priority pillar] | [Rationale] |
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| 2 | [Second priority pillar] | [Rationale] |
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| 3 | [Third priority pillar] | [Rationale] |
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**Resolution process**:
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1. Identify which pillars are in tension.
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2. Check the priority table.
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3. Preserve the lower-priority pillar only where it does not weaken the higher-priority one.
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4. If the conflict is fundamental, escalate to `creative-director` for pillar revision.
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---
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## Player Motivation Alignment
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Use Self-Determination Theory as a sanity check.
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| Need | Which Pillar Serves It | How |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| Autonomy | [Pillar name] | [Meaningful choices or agency] |
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| Competence | [Pillar name] | [Mastery, feedback, skill growth] |
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| Relatedness | [Pillar name] | [Connection, belonging, emotional bond] |
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---
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## Reference Games and Inspirations
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| Reference | What We Take From It | What We Do Differently | Which Pillar It Validates |
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| ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
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| [Game 1] | [Specific mechanic, feeling, or approach] | [Our twist] | [Pillar] |
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| [Game 2] | [Specific learning] | [Our twist] | [Pillar] |
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| [Game 3] | [Specific learning] | [Our twist] | [Pillar] |
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**Non-game inspirations**: [Films, books, music, art, real-world experiences.]
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---
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## Validation Checklist
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- [ ] 3-5 pillars total
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- [ ] Each pillar is falsifiable
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- [ ] Each pillar constrains real design choices
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- [ ] Each pillar has a design test
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- [ ] Each pillar has cross-department implications
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- [ ] At least 3 anti-pillars are defined
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- [ ] Pillar conflict priority is explicit
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- [ ] Top MDA aesthetics are covered
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- [ ] Autonomy, competence, and relatedness have been considered
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- [ ] Every pillar traces back to the core fantasy
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---
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## Next Steps
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- [ ] Keep this document linked from `design/gdd/game-concept.md`
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- [ ] Use these pillars when writing system GDDs
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- [ ] Revisit after major prototype learnings or milestone pivots
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---
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This document lives at `design/gdd/game-pillars.md`.
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