production-gdd-generator

name	production-gdd-generator
description	Generate comprehensive Game Design Documents for full production games. Use this when transitioning from prototype to full game, or when planning a complete game from scratch.
domain	design
type	generator
version	1.0.0
allowed-tools	["Read","Write"]

Production GDD Generator Skill

This skill generates comprehensive Game Design Documents for full production games, covering all systems, content, progression, monetization, and long-term design vision.

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When to Use This Skill

Invoke this skill when the user:

• Says "create a full GDD" or "write a production game design document"
• Asks "how do I document the full game?"
• Transitioning from validated prototype to full production
• Planning a complete game from scratch (not just a prototype)
• Needs documentation for a team or publisher
• Says "expand prototype GDD to full game design"

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Core Principle

Production GDDs are comprehensive blueprints:

• ✅ Cover ALL game systems in detail
• ✅ Define complete content scope (not just MVP)
• ✅ Include progression, economy, monetization
• ✅ Document design vision and pillars
• ✅ Serve as reference for entire team
• ✅ Living document updated throughout production

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Difference from Prototype GDD

Aspect	Prototype GDD	Production GDD
Purpose	Test core questions	Document complete game
Scope	Minimum viable features	All planned features
Timeline	Days to weeks	Months to years
Detail Level	High-level mechanics	Detailed specifications
Audience	Solo dev or small team	Full team + stakeholders
Systems	1-3 core systems	All game systems
Content	Placeholder/minimal	Complete content plan
Polish	Not required	Quality bar defined
Monetization	Not covered	Fully documented
Meta-progression	Often excluded	Fully designed

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Production GDD Structure

# [GAME TITLE] - Game Design Document

**Version:** [X.Y.Z]
**Status:** [In Production / Pre-Production / Planning]
**Lead Designer:** [Name]
**Team Size:** [Number]
**Target Platforms:** [Platforms]
**Target Release:** [Quarter Year]
**Last Updated:** [Date]

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## EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

### Vision Statement
[1 paragraph: What is this game and why does it exist?]

### Elevator Pitch
[2-3 sentences: Genre + core mechanic + unique hook]

### Target Audience
[Who is this for? Demographics, psychographics, player motivations]

### Unique Selling Points (USPs)
1. [USP 1]: [Why this matters to players]
2. [USP 2]: [Why this matters to players]
3. [USP 3]: [Why this matters to players]

### Core Pillars
**[Pillar 1 Name]**
[3-5 sentences explaining pillar and how it manifests in game]

**[Pillar 2 Name]**
[Same format]

**[Pillar 3 Name]**
[Same format]

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## 1. CORE GAMEPLAY

### Core Loop
[Detailed breakdown of minute-to-minute, session-to-session, and long-term loops]

**Minute-to-Minute Loop:**

1. [Player action]
2. [System response]
3. [Feedback]
4. [Decision point] → Repeat

**Session-to-Session Loop:**

1. [Start session with goal]
2. [Make progress on goal]
3. [Unlock/earn something]
4. [Plan next session] → Return tomorrow

**Long-Term Loop:**

1. [Weeks 1-2: Early game experience]
2. [Weeks 3-4: Mid-game experience]
3. [Months 2+: End-game experience] → Mastery and retention

### Primary Mechanics
[Detailed documentation of each core mechanic]

#### [Mechanic 1 Name]
**Description:** [What is it?]
**Player Input:** [How player interacts]
**System Response:** [What game does]
**Feedback:** [Visual/audio/haptic feedback]
**Depth:** [How mechanic creates mastery]
**Example:** [Concrete example of mechanic in action]

#### [Mechanic 2 Name]
[Same format]

### Secondary Mechanics
[Brief documentation of supporting mechanics]

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## 2. GAME SYSTEMS

[Document each major system in detail]

### [System 1 Name] (e.g., Combat System)

**Purpose:** [Why this system exists, what player fantasy it fulfills]

**Core Components:**
- [Component 1]: [Description]
- [Component 2]: [Description]

**Player Interactions:**
- [How player uses this system]

**Progression:**
- [How this system evolves over game]

**Balance Levers:**
- [Variable 1]: [How it affects balance]
- [Variable 2]: [How it affects balance]

**Edge Cases:**
- [Edge case 1]: [How system handles it]

**Visual Design:**
- [UI mockups, screen layouts, feedback design]

**Technical Requirements:**
- [Special tech needed, performance considerations]

### [System 2 Name] (e.g., Progression System)
[Same format for all major systems]

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## 3. PROGRESSION & ECONOMY

### Player Progression

**Level Curve:**
- Total levels: [Number]
- XP curve: [Formula or table]
- Level-up rewards: [What players get each level]

**Skill Tree / Upgrade Paths:**
[Detailed breakdown of upgrade trees, branching paths, synergies]

**Unlock Sequence:**
[Order in which content/features unlock, with justification]

### Economy Design

**Currencies:**
1. **[Currency 1 Name]** (e.g., Gold)
   - Earn rate: [Amount per hour at different progression points]
   - Sinks: [What players spend on]
   - Sources: [How players earn]
   - Soft cap: [Maximum useful amount]

2. **[Currency 2 Name]** (e.g., Premium Gems)
   - [Same format]

**Resource Flow:**
[Diagram or description of how resources flow through economy]

**Monetization Integration:**
[How F2P/premium currency connects to progression]

---

## 4. CONTENT SCOPE

### Content Breakdown

**Total Content Volume:**
- Levels/Maps: [Number]
- Enemy Types: [Number]
- Player Abilities/Weapons: [Number]
- Boss Fights: [Number]
- Narrative Beats: [Number]
- Cinematics: [Number]

### Content Production Plan

#### [Content Type 1] (e.g., Levels)
**Total:** [Number]
**Themes:** [List themes/biomes]
**Production Time:** [Hours per asset]
**Dependencies:** [What's needed before starting]
**Quality Bar:** [Example reference or description]

#### [Content Type 2] (e.g., Enemies)
[Same format]

### Content Roadmap
- **Months 1-3:** [What content is created]
- **Months 4-6:** [What content is created]
- **Months 7-9:** [What content is created]
- **Launch Content:** [What ships at 1.0]
- **Post-Launch Content:** [What comes in updates]

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## 5. PLAYER EXPERIENCE

### First-Time User Experience (FTUE)

**Onboarding Goals:**
1. [Goal 1]: [Teach X in Y time]
2. [Goal 2]: [Teach X in Y time]

**Tutorial Flow:**
- **Step 1:** [What player does, what they learn]
- **Step 2:** [Same]
- **Step 3:** [Same]

**Pacing:**
- First 5 minutes: [Experience]
- First 30 minutes: [Experience]
- First 2 hours: [Experience]

### Difficulty Curve

**Difficulty Philosophy:** [How game challenges players]

**Progression:**
- Early Game (Hours 0-2): [Difficulty level, teaching vs challenging]
- Mid Game (Hours 2-10): [Difficulty level]
- End Game (Hours 10+): [Difficulty level]

**Difficulty Options:**
- [Mode 1]: [Description, target audience]
- [Mode 2]: [Description]

### Session Design

**Session Length:** [Target minutes per session]
**Session Goals:** [What player should accomplish per session]
**Stopping Points:** [Natural places to pause]
**Return Hooks:** [Why player comes back tomorrow]

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## 6. NARRATIVE & WORLD

### Story Overview
[High-level narrative arc]

### World Design
**Setting:** [Where/when game takes place]
**Factions:** [Major groups, conflicts]
**Lore:** [Background worldbuilding]

### Characters
[Key characters, motivations, arcs]

### Narrative Integration
[How story integrates with gameplay, not just cutscenes]

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## 7. ART & AUDIO DIRECTION

### Visual Style
**Art Direction:** [Description, reference images]
**Color Palette:** [Primary colors, mood]
**UI/UX Style:** [Interface design philosophy]

### Audio Direction
**Music Style:** [Genre, mood, reference tracks]
**SFX Approach:** [Realistic vs stylized, reference games]
**Voice Acting:** [Scope, style, languages]

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## 8. TECHNICAL DESIGN

### Technical Requirements
**Engine:** [Engine and version]
**Target Platforms:** [Platforms with technical constraints]
**Performance Targets:** [FPS, load times, memory]

### Architecture
**Core Systems:** [High-level technical architecture]
**Networking:** [If multiplayer, network architecture]
**Save System:** [What's saved, how, cloud sync?]

### Tools & Pipeline
**Required Tools:** [What team needs to build/edit content]
**Asset Pipeline:** [How assets go from creation to game]

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## 9. MONETIZATION & LIVE OPS

### Monetization Model
**Primary Model:** [Premium / F2P / Subscription / Ads]
**Revenue Streams:** [How game makes money]

**IAP Structure** (if applicable):
- [IAP 1]: [Price, contents, value proposition]
- [IAP 2]: [Same]

**Battle Pass** (if applicable):
[Structure, seasons, rewards]

### Live Operations
**Update Cadence:** [Frequency of updates]
**Content Drops:** [What new content, how often]
**Events:** [Seasonal events, limited-time modes]
**Community Management:** [How you engage players]

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## 10. PRODUCTION PLAN

### Development Phases

**Pre-Production** (Months 1-2):
- [Milestone 1]
- [Milestone 2]

**Vertical Slice** (Months 3-4):
- [Features included in vertical slice]

**Production** (Months 5-12):
- [Major milestones with dates]

**Alpha** (Month X):
- [Feature complete, internal testing]

**Beta** (Month Y):
- [Content complete, external testing]

**Release** (Month Z):
- [Launch]

### Team Structure
**Required Roles:**
- [Role 1]: [Responsibilities, headcount]
- [Role 2]: [Responsibilities, headcount]

### Risk Assessment
**Major Risks:**
1. [Risk]: [Likelihood, impact, mitigation]
2. [Risk]: [Same]

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## 11. SUCCESS METRICS

### Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

**Engagement Metrics:**
- DAU/MAU target: [Number]
- Session length target: [Minutes]
- Retention D1/D7/D30: [Percentages]

**Monetization Metrics:**
- ARPU target: [Amount]
- Conversion rate: [Percentage]
- LTV target: [Amount]

**Quality Metrics:**
- Metacritic target: [Score]
- Player satisfaction: [Survey score]
- Bug rate: [Bugs per 1000 players]

### Post-Launch Support Plan
**Year 1 Roadmap:** [Major updates planned]
**Long-Term Vision:** [Where game goes in years 2-3]

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## APPENDICES

### Appendix A: Detailed Feature Specifications
[Link to individual feature spec documents]

### Appendix B: Balance Spreadsheets
[Link to external balance documents]

### Appendix C: Narrative Bible
[Link to narrative documentation]

### Appendix D: Art Bible
[Link to art style guide]

### Appendix E: Technical Design Documents
[Link to technical specs]

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**END OF GAME DESIGN DOCUMENT**

This document is a living reference. Update regularly as design evolves.

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Interactive Questioning Workflow

Phase 1: Vision & Scope

Ask about:

• Game vision and design pillars
• Target audience and platforms
• Production timeline and team size
• Monetization model
• Competitive landscape

Phase 2: Core Systems

Ask about:

• All major game systems (combat, progression, economy)
• How systems interact
• Depth and mastery elements
• Balance philosophy

Phase 3: Content & Progression

Ask about:

• Total content scope (levels, enemies, abilities)
• Progression curve (hours to complete)
• Difficulty curve
• Content production plan

Phase 4: Production & Business

Ask about:

• Development phases and milestones
• Team structure and roles
• Monetization integration
• Live ops plans (if applicable)
• Success metrics

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Output File Naming

Save to: docs/[game-name]-production-gdd.md

Versioning:

• Use semantic versioning (e.g., v1.0.0, v1.1.0)
• Update version in document header
• Keep changelog of major revisions

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Important Guidelines

Comprehensive but Focused

• Cover all systems, but prioritize detail on core systems
• Link to external docs for deep dives (balance sheets, narrative bible)
• Keep main GDD readable (not a 200-page document)

Living Document

• Update as design evolves
• Version control for major changes
• Track decisions and rationale

Team Communication

• Write for the whole team (designers, programmers, artists)
• Use clear language, avoid ambiguity
• Include visual mockups where helpful

Production-Ready

• Include enough detail for implementation
• Define success metrics and KPIs
• Document risks and mitigation

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Example Invocations

User: "Create a full production GDD for my roguelike" User: "Expand prototype GDD to production GDD" User: "Write a complete game design document" User: "I need a GDD for the full game, not just prototype"

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Workflow Summary

1. Determine if user has prototype GDD (if yes, read it)
2. Ask Phase 1 questions (vision, scope, audience)
3. Ask Phase 2 questions (core systems in detail)
4. Ask Phase 3 questions (content scope and progression)
5. Ask Phase 4 questions (production plan and business)
6. Generate comprehensive production GDD
7. Save to docs/[game-name]-production-gdd.md
8. Remind user this is a living document to update regularly

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This skill creates the blueprint for full game production, going far beyond prototype testing to document every aspect of the complete game vision.