Toolkit

HOW TO PITCH, BUILD, AND DOCUMENT YOUR GAME

Digital support for game design students and educators.

Welcome to the Game Design Toolkit, your ultimate resource for game design projects in education. Whether you're an educator looking to enrich your curriculum or a student eager to delve into game design, our toolkit is tailored to meet your needs. Designed to empower both educators and students alike, it provides a comprehensive set of tools to enhance game design endeavors at every level.

Structured into three distinct levels—Playbooks, Key Deliverables, and Tools—our toolkit offers a systematic approach to game design. From detailed processes in Playbooks to descriptions of essential design products in Key Deliverables, and practical steps in Tools, each section is crafted to provide clear guidance and support throughout the game creation journey. Don't hesitate any longer! Embark on your game design journey today with the Game Design Toolkit and unlock the full potential of your creative ideas.

Explore the toolkit

ABOUT

The Game Design Toolkit is a collaboration between the lectoraat Civic Interaction Design, Digital Society School, HBO-ICT and CMD at the University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam.

HvA Game Project Playbook

A method of producing a game which let students practice with key aspects of game design and development.

Open tool

Playbooks

Digital Prototype Checklist

When making a digital prototype it’s convenient to have some minimal features built in, which can help with testing and demonstrations. Note: these are suggestions on how you could develop a digital prototype. Feel free to add, ignore or remix the suggested features.

Open tool

Key Deliverables
Game Concept Document

A game concept document is a collection of ideas you and your team have for a game. It could contain impressions, loose thoughts, inspirations and sketches that describes parts of the game.

Open tool

Key Deliverables
Game Design Document

The game design document is an important tool in producing a game. It contains the current state of the design of the game

Open tool

Key Deliverables
Paper Prototype (boardgame) Checklist

When designing for a board game or any table top experience you want to make sure you cover the basics to ensure a smooth demonstration or playtest.

Open tool

Key Deliverables
Pitch document

A pitch is a simple yet alluring description of your game, highlighting its core ideas and unique selling points. It should convince people of the value of your idea, which will help you build momentum and secure resources for your project. In the industry, a pitch is used to sell your game idea to producers […]

Open tool

Key Deliverables
Pitch Presentation

A presentation to highlight and pitch the main elements of your game towards external audiences.

Open tool

Key Deliverables

Agile Statement

Describe in one short sentence what the game is.

Open tool

Tools
Breaking the Game

testing

Understand what your game actually allows its players.

Open tool

Tools
Bring your Theme to Life

Choose a theme and create a plan to integrate it in your game.

Open tool

Tools
Concept Frenzy

concepting

Gather a gazillion ideas in as little time as possible.

Open tool

Tools
Core Mechanics Diagram

Communicate visually the main actions that the player will do in your game.

Open tool

Tools
Create your Manifesto

Stay on track during your design process, especially when creating serious games.

Open tool

Tools
Design Pillars

Establish a few core experiences in your game to guide your process of design and production.

Open tool

Tools
Finding Experts

Collect expert knowledge to improve the quality of your content, especially when creating a serious game.

Open tool

Tools
Following the Game

testing

Understand what your game actually asks of its players.

Open tool

Tools
Game Design Moodboard

Describe gameplay ideas and discuss them with others.

Open tool

Tools
Guerrilla testing

Guerrilla testing is a way to quickly get feedback on your product and to find out if players are using it as you had imagined.

Open tool

Tools
Learning Card

testing

Document your findings after a test session with users.

Open tool

Tools
Learning through Association

WHY USE THIS? Learning becomes more effective when we can connect new information with familiar concepts. Creating associations between different elements in your game helps players remember and understand the content more easily. While traditional learning relies heavily on text-to-text translations, video games offer diverse avenues for association and engagement. GETTING STARTED: Step 1: […]

Open tool

Tools
MDA Framework

Use a structured approach for analyzing and designing games.

Open tool

Tools
Playtest questionnaire

A playtest questionnaire is a set of questions that you will ask players after they have tested your game.

Open tool

Tools
Satellite Mechanics

concepting

Satellite Mechanics expand the gameplay by cleverly modifying its core-mechanic.

Open tool

Tools
Steal Like an Artist

Play and analyse other games for inspiration.

Open tool

Tools
Test Card

testing

The Test Card is a simple template that will help you prepare a test session with users.

Open tool

Tools
The Formal Elements

Define the structure of your game, so you can make sure that you keep all the building blocks in mind

Open tool

Tools

HOW TO PITCH, BUILD, AND DOCUMENT YOUR GAME

ABOUT

HvA Game Project Playbook

Digital Prototype Checklist

Game Concept Document

Game Design Document

Paper Prototype (boardgame) Checklist

Pitch document

Pitch Presentation

Agile Statement

Breaking the Game

Bring your Theme to Life

Concept Frenzy

Core Mechanics Diagram

Create your Manifesto

Design Pillars

Finding Experts

Following the Game

Game Design Moodboard

Guerrilla testing

Learning Card

Learning through Association

MDA Framework

Playtest questionnaire

Satellite Mechanics

Steal Like an Artist

Test Card

The Formal Elements