Writing the GDD, Step 1: The One-Sheet
The one-sheet is a simple overview of your game. A variety of people will read it, including your teammates and publisher, so you need to keep it interesting, informative, and most importantly, short. It should be no longer than … you guessed it … a single page. You will find two examples of one-sheets in Bonus Level 1. You can create them anyway you’d like, just as long as you include the following information:
- Game title
- Intended game systems
- Target age of players
- Intended Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating
- A summary of the game’s story, focusing on gameplay
- Distinct modes of gameplay
- Unique selling points
- Competitive products
Most of these terms are self-explanatory, but the following sections describe a few you may not know.
ESRB Ratings
The ESRB is a self-regulatory organization that enforces a rating system as well as advertising and online privacy principles for software in the United States and...