I used to believe in the holy document – the Game Design Doc. The GDD. 42 pages of bulletproof lore, UI sketches, and systems descriptions written like someone else was going to build it.

Nobody was. It was just me.

I spent a week writing it. Felt great. Looked great. Then I opened Unreal, stared at the editor… and froze.

So I Burned It (Metaphorically)

I didn’t need a novel. I needed a node.

So I opened Obsidian, created a new graph, and wrote three lines:

Player wants something
Something’s in the way
System reacts

That’s it. From there, I built what I now call the SPOT method:

Situation – Player – Obstacle – Tool

Every mechanic, every beat, every scene goes through that filter. It’s modular, repeatable, and never bloats. If I can’t explain it with those four, I kill it or simplify.

What I Do Now

I build design docs in motion. Flowcharts in Whimsical. Nodes in Obsidian.
If a system can’t be diagrammed in 30 seconds, I’m overcomplicating it.

I still write things down – just not in paragraphs.
I don’t care about pages. I care about pipelines.

Final Punch:
You’re not writing a pitch deck. You’re wiring a circuit. If it doesn’t spark, strip it back.

10 Reasons to add freedom, loosen up, update, or edit the Game Doc.

1. You’re Avoiding It
If you’re building but never referencing it – it’s dead weight.
2. New Features Don’t Fit
If you’re duct-taping every new mechanic into a system that wasn’t built for change, reset.
3. You’re Over-Explaining
If your doc has more words than working systems, it’s time to cut or modularize.
4. Nothing Emerges From It
If the doc isn’t generating prototypes, scenes, or tasks – it’s noise, not guidance.
5. You’re Rewriting the Same Ideas
If you keep revisiting and restating the same thing, abstract it into a system.
6. Team Can’t Use It
If no one on your team can take action from it, it’s not a tool – it’s a diary.
7. It’s Blocking You
If the doc makes you feel stuck because “it’s not in the plan,” burn it and rebuild.
8. Scope Has Shifted
Big narrative or mechanic changes? The doc must evolve or it’ll create friction.
9. You’re Doing Work It Doesn’t Track
If you’ve shipped 5 features that aren’t even in the doc, it’s way out of sync.
10. It Doesn’t Match How You Actually Think
If your brain works in nodes, not paragraphs – stop forcing yourself to write like it’s a term paper.