This document plus the GDD and TDD are the trio of content-creation documents that must be maintained throughout the project. This is where people will look not only for concept pieces, but also for detailed visuals on all aspects of the game.
Game Name
Copyright Information
Table of Contents
SECTION I: ART TEAM (including areas of responsibility and contact info for each individual)
Art Director
Office phone
Home phone
Cell phone
Animators
Modelers
Texture Artists
Effects Artists
CGI Artists
GUI Artists
External Resources
Etc.
SECTION II: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Project Overview from the Art Creation Perspective
Delivery Platforms
PC
Content creation/conversion plan
Console Platform #1
Etc.
SECTION III: BUDGETS (Poly/memory limits for each delivery platform)
Characters
Main character
PC
Console Platform #1
Console Platform #2
Etc.
Allies
Bad Guys
Ultimate Bad Guy
Bosses
Grunts
Other World NPCs
Levels
Weapons
Other Equipment
GUI
SECTION IV: PRODUCTION PATH (A description of how art will be integrated in the game through the following steps)
Requirements
Concept
Model
Skin/Texture
Animation
Integration into the Game
Porting Across Different Delivery Platforms
SECTION V: ART BIBLE (CONCEPT ART/STYLE GUIDE)
Overview
Reference Material
Characters
Environments
Weapons
Equipment
GUI
SECTION VI: FINAL ART (as it becomes available)
Characters
Environments
Weapons
Equipment
GUI
Screenshots, along with a tracking doc that records when each shot was made available, and to whom. This will be especially useful when magazines are requesting exclusive shots that haven't been used before.
SECTION VII: CUTSCENES
Cutscene #1
Storyboard thumbnails
Selected shots from final game
Cutscene #2
Etc.
SECTION VIII: ASSET LIST (This should be maintained in parallel with the list in the game design document)
Model & Texture List
Characters
Player character
Undamaged
Damaged
Allies
Bad Guys
Neutrals
Weapons
Weapon #1
Weapon #2
Etc.
Equipment/Gadgets
Item #1
Item #2
Etc.
Environmental Objects
Object #1
Object #2
Etc.
Animation list
Characters
Character #1
Move #1
Move #2
Etc.
Character #2
Etc.
Mocap List (if applicable )
Actor #1
Move #1
Move #2
Etc.
Actor #2
Etc.
Weapons
Weapon #1
Firing animation
Reload animation
Projectile in flight animation (if appropriate)
Destructible or animated objects in the world
Object #1
Object #2
Etc.
Effects list
Weapon effects list
Firing effects
Hit effects
Etc.
Environmental effects
Decals
Smoke
Sparks
Fire
Explosions
Etc.
Interface Art list
Icons
Buttons
Menus
Windows
Etc.
SECTION IX: SCHEDULING
Task Lists
Man-Month Scheduling
Calendar Month Scheduling
Milestone Schedule & Deliverables
Major Event Planning
Trade Shows
Trade Show #1
Date
Materials needed for event
Demo description and specifications
Trade Show #2
Etc.
Special Publicity Events
Event #1 (such as "Editors Day" to show off game)
Date
Description of event
Demo description and specifications
Event #2
Etc.
PR/Marketing Support
Date when first screenshots will be available
Plan for creating additional screenshots throughout project
Plan for making team available for interviews
Etc.
Sales Support/Team Support
Demo loop for retail outlets
Other materials
Etc.
Prerelease Demo
Date
Scope
Content
SECTION X: RECRUITMENT
Current Personnel
Additional Team Members Needed
Schedule for Hiring Additional Personnel
Risk Plan for Handling Delays in Acquiring Additional Resources
SECTION XI: EQUIPMENT BUDGET AND COSTS
Team Personnel with Hardware and Software Toolset
Team Member #1
Hardware
Development PC
Specs
Console Dev Kit
Add-ons (TV, controllers, memory cards, hubs, etc.)
Debug Kit
Software Tools Needed
2D Art Package
3D Art Package (+ support?)
Plug-Ins and Add-Ons
Tools and Utilities
Mocap Editing Suite
Other Specialized Software
Etc.
Team Member #2
Etc.
Equipment Acquisition Schedule and Costs (Summary of who needs what, when they will need it, and how much it will cost.)
SECTION XII: LOCALIZATION PLAN (Every effort should be made to keep text that must be localized from creeping into graphics. Even so, some territories may require the development of different art packages.)
Territory #1
Customized models, textures, etc.
Territory #2
Etc.