3.1 Design Doc: Plan before you build

No studio builds without a design doc. It's your team's agreement about what you're making — and what you're not.

Find Your Spot

Before You Start

One submission per person: Each team member fills out and submits their own one-pager. This is your chance to confirm what the team is building and what you'll personally contribute.
Green

Task 1 — Form your team

Teams are 2–4 people. Your job this task is to:

  1. Find your teammates.
  2. Pick a studio name (or keep the one from your Unit 1 pitch).
  3. Assign roles: Creative Director, Art Lead, Sound Lead, Marketing Lead (in a team of 2–3, people can double up).
Customize this: Is your team just one person? Talk to Ms. Ahoy first.
🟢 Green: your team is formed and you've written down your studio name and each person's role.
Green

Task 2 — Pick your track

Look back at the three tracks on the Unit 3 landing page. Pick what you'd actually play, read, or explore — not what sounds easiest.

Pick what you'd play/read/explore, not what sounds easiest. You'll spend a lot of time with it. A platformer might sound simple, but so does "just a quiz" — and you'll live with whichever you pick.
🟢 Green: your team has chosen one track and can explain why it fits your idea.
Green

Task 3 — Submit your one-pager

Each team member fills out and submits their own one-pager. This is a single-page form that captures your team's game idea and your personal piece. Here's what goes in:

  1. Team info: team name, members, and each person's role.
  2. Game concept: title, track, target audience, genre, and a 3–4 sentence description of the game.
  3. Core mechanics: what does the player/reader/explorer do? (2–5 main actions)
  4. Your piece: what will you build? Be specific about your level, chapter, room, or system.
  5. Success criteria: how will you know your piece is done?
  6. Art & style: describe the visual look and mood.
  7. Inspiration (optional): what games or media inspired your idea?
Each piece must work on its own. Someone should be able to play just one person's level (or chapter, or room) without the others. That's how you know it's truly separate.

Download the one-pager template below, fill it in, save as PDF, and submit it:

Download: One-Pager Template
🟢 Green: you've submitted your one-pager with all sections filled in, including your specific piece and success criteria.
Green

Task 4 — Greenlight pitch

Pitch your idea to Ms. Ahoy in a 3-minute meeting. You don't all have to be there, but bring someone who can speak to:

  • Your one-line pitch (what is this product?)
  • Your audience (who is this for?)
  • The core experience (what do players actually do?)
  • Who's building what (is each piece clear and doable?)
🟢 Green: Ms. Ahoy signs off and you move on to 3.2.
🔴 Red: Ms. Ahoy flags sections to revise (scope is too big, pieces aren't clear, etc.). Revise and re-pitch.
Blue

Blue: Beyond the one-pager

If your team wants to go deeper into planning before you build, try these:

  • Scope checklist: List what you're NOT building. (If it's a platformer, you're not adding a story mode; if it's a story, you're not doing procedural dialogue.) This keeps scope under control.
  • Mood board: Create one in Canva or Pinterest with images, colors, and typography that match your vision.
  • Paper sketch: Sketch the first screen on paper, take a photo, and save it. It helps you see if the idea actually works.
  • Stress test with AI: Paste your one-liner and core mechanics into an AI and ask it: "What could go wrong? What would a player find boring or confusing?" Use the feedback to refine your idea.

Hand It In

Individual submission: Submit your one-pager to your teacher or class portal.

  • Save your one-pager as a PDF or take a screenshot.
  • Make sure all sections are filled in, especially your piece and success criteria.
  • One submission per team member (not per team).