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The following guide could proof to be useful for anybody willing to take their game idea a step further. It formalizes your game idea, checks to see if you have thought about the basics and may even help you promote your game idea.

This guide is written with Sony and Microsoft guidelines for concept approval processes in mind and should therefore meet high standards. I’ve used the knowledge I gained during my education and work experience to write this guide and I hope you’ll find it useful.

What is the concept document?

The goal of the concept document is two fold. On the one hand it helps you explore your game idea, checking to see if you have all the important bits. While on the other hand it helps you promote your idea, to team members, project co-ordinators, gamedesigners or maybe even publishers.

The concept document itself should be a short document that describes the core idea of your game, leaving out the less important details. A short document has several advantages. Adjustments are easily made if you need to improve your concept and reviewers will read your document sooner and faster.

Basically there are three parts to the concept document; its content, its structure and its presentation. All three of these are important and work together to provide a clear document that helps the reviewer of your document imagine the game.

Content

To be able to communicate your game idea the best way that you can, you should analyze your idea and be able to answer questions about it. Questions like, what are the games unique features? Why does the player care about your game more than about others? What is the so called ‘hook’ of your game? What keeps player playing? As far as you are concerned, the game already exists, albeit in your head.

To help you answer tough questions like these I made a list of important elements that you need to be aware of. If you can fill in the following information about your game you can write the concept document quite easily.

The premise
In your game, what will the player strive for? Are they going for world domination or rid the land of evil-doers? Maybe they will save the princess or are the striving to have job, home, wife and kids? The premise of your game is the ultimate goal of your game and is intrinsically linked to the gameplay of your game. While explaining the premise, try to answer the following questions as well. Who is the player? Where is the game set? What does the player want to achieve?

The gameplay
The gameplay is what the player needs to do in order to fulfil the premise. Do they strategically outsmart their enemies or just barge in and shoot everybody in sight? Do they need to run through two dimensional levels while jumping on top of enemies or do they need to manage their avatars social lives? The gameplay provides a way for your players to reach the goal set by the game’s premise.

Progression
In order for any game to be fun, the player needs to make continuous progress, not only in getting closer to the premise but also in the means of getting there. The gameplay itself should progress with the player in order to sustain a constant level of interest. How does you game facilitate progression?

One of the many ways to think about progression is through the famous ‘risk versus reward system’ of your game. Is a player free to take more or less risk in your game and is she rewarded for taking more risks? Will the player become better at overcoming risks, making them less risky in the process?

Progression is one of the most difficult elements you need to figure out if you want your game idea to be any good. The reviewer of your concept document should see the fun of playing your game, which usually also means that she can imagine ways of progressing through the game, to imagine getting better at it, to learn from it.

The Hook / USPs
There are several elements that a game concept document should include. An important one being the hook as Microsoft calls it; “why will players care about your game?” Notice that the answer to this question can be very broad; it could be the unique gameplay or graphics, or unbelievably innovative use of audio, strange input device, or whatever.

Similar to the hook is the USP (unique selling point). Sony describes a USP as; “what is the thing that your game allows the player to do that no other does?” Again the answer can be very broad, but as with the hook the answer to this question is fundamental for your idea to have a chance to become more than just the idea.

Explain the in your view most important USP and provide some examples of this USP in a game context, described in a scenario for example.

Structure

Now that we have researched and analyzed the game idea it is time to write it all down in the concept document. The concept document should follow a particular structure to keep it tidy and to provide the right information in the right time. Your readers have a particular interest in your idea and don’t necessarily read the whole document, even when you manage to keep it short.

The structure should provide essential information fast and go into some detail later on. While writing the concept document you could follow the structure as outlined by this chapter (and the template) or, naturally, you can use your own structure and use this guide as a reference.

The title
Think of a good sounding title for your concept; pretend that it’s a game already. Try to give the title a tagline. A tagline is a phrase that captures the spirit of your game idea. An appropriate title and tagline will be remembered better by your target audience and helps set the mood for the rest of your document.

The Introduction
The introduction is the most important piece of text in the concept document; it should sound exciting and describes your game in a nutshell. Try to make the introduction as short as one or two sentences; this helps to grab the attention of your audience fast and to keep them exited to read the rest of the document.

The introduction should include the main goal of your game (the premise) and how the player will be able to get to that goal (gameplay). Use your game’s USP(s) to make your idea sound exciting.

It can be easier to write a good and exciting introduction when you write the rest of the document first, so all the ingredients (premise, gameplay and USP(s)) for the introduction are already described in your concept document.

Background Information (optional)
Only use background information if your game idea uses existing licensed material or continues on existing IP. If so, shortly describe what the benefits of the license or IP are. If your game idea continues on an existing game, like a sequel, it could be useful to describe what elements could be re-used from its predecessor (technology, art assets).

Description
Describe your game in a few paragraphs. To make your game idea come alive, you can use the second-person perspective; “You align your gun to the head of your enemy,…” This technique places the reader inside your game and makes imagining the game easier.

Include the premise and gameplay of your game. Use your game’s hook or USP(s) to make it sound exciting. Try not to go into details of how to use the controller or mouse, but only describe the exciting parts, you should however have a vague idea of how the game can be played by the player if questions should arise.

Also try to include the environment of the game, does your game take place in outer space? In somebody’s mind? A tropical beach? Icy wastelands? In other words, what is the setting of your game?

Another nice approach taken from the Xbox 360 concept submission is the sixty second walkthrough. Try to describe a typical sixty second walkthrough of your game, what will the player be doing and where does (s)he do it? If you choose to use this method of game description, your game description chapter could be less detailed. You can also opt to make the sixty second walkthrough a separate chapter.

Unique Selling Point(s)
This should be a bullet list of the things that makes your game unique. See the “The Hook / USP(s)” section in the content chapter for a description of what these USP(s) could be.

Genre
Describe the genre to which your game belongs. Here are some options; sports, real-time strategy, first-person shooter, puzzle, racing simulation, adventure, role-playing game, flight simulation, racing shooter, god simulation, strategy, action-strategy, turn-based strategy, side-scrolling shooter, edutainment, or flight shooter. Just naming the genre should be enough information at this point.

Platform
Describe the intended target platform you envisioned your game to be made for, for example: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Mobile Phone, Nintendo DS, Playstation Portable, PC, or other.

Target group
Describe your intended audience. How old do you think your audience is going to be and of what gender. What are the interests of your audience, do they have the newest gadgets the first; the so called early adopters? Or do they have an interest in RPG’s only or maybe they do not play games at all, but will your game make them play for the first time. Target audience information is beneficial for the marketing side of game development and provides one way of guessing return profit. Place your findings in a short bulleted list. Also try to provide some high level data from your target audience to back up your opinion.

Similar products / Competition
List some products including their publisher and year of publishing that are similar to your game. You could also think about competition information of other development studios that are specialized in the same genre (for example Epic for FPS or Capcom for beat ‘m ups) and list them here.

Risks
Be honest in the risks that you can already foresee and place your concerns in a bulleted list. This section also shows that you are serious and mature enough to realize your game is not perfect and that you have a clear idea about the inevitable risks your project is going to encounter. Place your concerns in a bullet-list.

Opportunities
It is wise to also add the opportunities that your game idea may have. To end the concept document with fruitful opportunities is also a way to end on a positive note. Maybe your game will have the benefit of offering extra content via an online service and generate extra income that way, for instance. Again place your findings in a bullet-list.

Presentation

Now that you have the content and structure figured out there’s still one thing you can do to improve your document, and that is to take care of the presentation side of your document.

People are emotional beings and our emotions tend to influence our perception greatly. With a concept-document, you are not only selling your concept but you are selling the concept document itself as well. A concept document that is well designed and nicely laid out will affect perception from the reviewer positively. Not only will (s)he think that the document itself is pleasant but it influences the way we perceive the game idea.

Imagine you had to read several concept-documents a day, which idea would stand out at the end of the day? The document that you had the most fun when you read it would probably stick the best.

“Even when other ideas were better?”

Yes, because a well presented document puts the reader in a positive mindset, which makes it easier for the reader to think positive about your idea. The document shows that you care, about your idea and especially your audience.

By putting all your enthusiasm for your concept into the document, it will carry over to the reader and improves the chances that your idea will materialize.

Layout & style
Create an attractive lay-out and consider the importance of every text and paragraph. Use a table of content or index at the beginning of your document if it has more then two or three pages.

Use consistency throughout your document; don’t use all sorts of heading sizes and strange fonts. Use just one style to put emphasis on words, for example do not use “quotation marks” one time and the other time italic, stick to one style.

Use white space between paragraphs as it will make your document easier to read.

Use page numbers. Also use a header or other way to show the title of your document at each page. This makes it easier to have your document complete if it is messed up.

Big documents benefit from chapters that start at a new page; this will make your document more tidy and more enjoyable to read.

Better then words
Sometimes pictures are far better than words, don’t describe settings, environments and the look of characters when you can provide pictures. Keep words for the things that can not be explained otherwise.

Sometimes flowcharts, schemas and diagrams are more enlightening then words. Make sure that you present the information the best way you possibly can.

When describing your game, a visual storyboard would really make it come alive. You want your audience to be able to visualize your game and help their imagination.

Try to be flawless
Try not to make any type or spelling mistakes, as it is enormously distracting and can get across as being lazy or careless, which will put your game idea in a lesser position.

Keep it short
I can not stress this enough. Try to keep the concept-document as short as possible. The faster the reader is convinced the better. Focus only on the broad picture and don’t go in too many details. If you wish to include details mention them as examples only and only use one example at a time. If you think one example is not enough to explain a point, try to think of a better example instead of giving more examples.

Short documents are read by more people, more easily. They also have the benefit that they are easily adjustable so changes can be easily implemented. You do not want to change twenty pages of your document, but one or two paragraphs are manageable.

Considerations

Be focused
Focusing on one main element, gameplay, graphics, story or other element of your game has several main advantages; it streamlines your thinking process, it sends a clear message about your game when you are communicating your idea to others and leaves room for other ideas to flow naturally from your point of focus.

Focus in a game idea -and concept document- is even more important when the game is very innovative. Because of the unique character of your game, all your attention should go to that thing that makes it unique. Focusing on to many other elements of your game and the unique innovation could become buried underneath them.

But even if your game is like other existing games, it has to do something better then the competition. The focus should then be on that element that makes it stand out from the competition.

Try to limit yourself in the amount of ‘cool stuff’ you present in your document, do not try to make ‘the game that rules them all.’ A game idea that innovates or improves on every part is not likely to be taken seriously; the perfect game does not exist.

“But I have a dozen cool things that I want to put in my game, that’s a good thing right?”

Well, it seems like a good idea, but it can be very confusing. You can have a dozen of cool ideas, but they should all support your main focus point in the game.

Be realistic
You should be realistic about your game idea. If you work in a game development studio, could your game idea be made there? What available technology could your game use? Name that available technology as it is an advantage for the studio. Is there enough staff to produce your game available? Is the staff qualified to do the job? Are there enough funds for your idea to ever be developed? Take these points into consideration when developing your game idea, unrealistic game ideas are a waste of your time as well as that of the reviewers.

If your game idea is very good but the studio does not have the means to make it themselves, sometimes that idea can be outsourced to another studio, but then too should your concept be realistic.

Be consistent
In everything. Try using name conventions. Try to use the same chapter outlining. Don’t make a puzzle out of your document.

Consistency makes you document more understandable and easier to read, it shows that you know your content and that you care about it.

Be creative with names
Name your idea as if it were the name for the final product. Do not simply call it “Concept for X sport game”, if it’s a sport game, or “Shooter concept” when your game is a shooter game.

If your game uses new features and things that do not have names, name them, and try to make them sound cool. This will stick with the reader and shows that you really have thought about all the details.

Don’t be too ambitious
I’ve seen lots of concepts and lots of those were very ambitious, they would be ambitious for the biggest development studios around. Thinking big isn’t difficult but actually developing a big product is. Try a subtle idea instead, one that’s about a single core game concept that could be quickly prototyped and improved on. The very best games were born small and focused to become bigger and better during development.

Template

I’ve also written a concept document template to complement this guide; it provides the basic structure that is mentioned in this guide as well as some quick comments. You may use this document as reference, a starting point or use it as it is. If you choose to use it I will appreciate it if you could sent me an email or comment to the guide. Download it here or check out the resources page.