I've been making small games as a side project, and every time I start one, the same thing happens: the "design doc" is either a 40-page template I never finish, or a couple of scattered notes that don't survive contact with week 3.
So I put together a one-document GDD template sized for solo and small-team projects -- the kind of thing you can actually fill in an afternoon, not a semester.
What it covers
11 sections: Overview, Elevator Pitch, Core Mechanics, Game Loop, Controls, Characters, Levels & Progression, Art & Audio Direction, Scope & Cut List, Roadmap & Milestones, Risks & Open Questions.
The one I'd flag: Scope & Cut List. It's the section most first-timers skip, and skipping it is exactly how a two-week prototype turns into a six-month grind. Writing down what you're deliberately NOT building is as useful as writing down what you are.
Worked example included
Rather than ship an empty template and a wall of instructions, the pack includes a full worked example -- a tiny fictional arcade game called "Ember Drift" -- with every section filled in, so you can see what "done" looks like for a small project before you write your own.
Format
Markdown (.md) + PDF. Works in any text editor, or drop it into Notion, Obsidian, or Google Docs.
Repo with the full section breakdown: https://github.com/VincentChabran/game-design-document-template
Full template + PDF + worked example: https://vincentdu2a.gumroad.com/l/galfj
(Built with AI assistance, reviewed and edited by hand before release -- disclosed on the product page.)
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