3. Game Overview

3. Game Overview

Answer from a high-level perspective: "What is this game? Why build it? What are the goals?"

3.1 Game Concept

• High-level Pitch: (Elevator pitch within 2–3 sentences)
• Core Fantasy: (The core immersive experience/fantasy)
• Core Loop Summary: (One-sentence summary of the core loop)
• Differentiation vs Competitors: (Key differentiators against competitors)

3.2 Product Positioning

• Target Platforms: (iOS / Android / PC / Console, etc.)
• Market Segment: (Genre and sub-genre, e.g., Hyper-casual, Anime Open World, MOBA)
• Monetization Model: (F2P / B2P / Subscription / Hybrid)
• Online / Offline: (Connectivity requirements: Always Online / Asynchronous / Offline)

3.3 Feature Set

List the 5–10 core features most perceptible to players.

• Core Features:
• Supporting Features: (Social, Leaderboards, Events, etc.)
• Nice-to-have Features: (Optional features, prioritized)

3.4 Genre & Inspirations

• Primary Genre:
• Sub-genres: (Hybrid mechanics or sub-genres)
• Reference Titles: (Benchmark games: Voodoo, Tencent, miHoYo titles, etc.)
• Reference Breakdown: (Specific elements borrowed: Numerical structure, Pacing, Economy, UI, etc.)

3.5 Target Audience

• Demographics: (Age / Region / Gender / Device)
• Psychographics: (Motivations: Collection, Competition, Social, Expression, Relaxation)
• Player Segmentation: (Personas for Light / Mid / Hardcore, Paid vs Free users)
• Accessibility Considerations: (Accessibility and low-barrier design)

3.6 High-Level Game Flow

Describe the user path from Install → Onboarding → Daily Play → Long-term Retention.

• Entry Flow: (Path from installation to first game entry)
• Onboarding & First Session: (Tutorial and first session experience)
• Mid-term Loop: (Daily / Weekly loops)
• Long-term Progression: (Long-term growth and goals)

3.7 Look and Feel

• Visual Style Keywords:
• Audio & Music Direction:
• Emotional Goals: (Desired player emotions: Tension, Healing, Exhilaration, etc.)
• Brand Tone: (Serious, Humorous, Youthful, Professional, etc.)

3.8 Project Scope Overview

• Content Volume Summary:
  • Number of Locations:
  • Number of Levels:
  • Number of NPCs:
  • Number of Weapons / Items:
• LiveOps Expectation: (Long-term operation plans, event frequency)
• Localization Scope: (Target languages and regions)

3.9 Success Metrics

Define data goals during the concept phase to guide design and iteration, based on industry best practices.

• Acquisition Metrics: (CPI / CTR, if applicable)
• Engagement Metrics: (Retention D1 / D7 / D30, Session Length)
• Monetization Metrics: (ARPDAU / ARPPU / Conversion Rate)
• Quality Metrics: (Ratings, Bug Rate, Crash Rate, Lag)
• High-level Targets by Milestone: (Targets for Alpha vs Beta vs Launch)

3.10 Design Philosophy

Define the core design philosophy driving the experience (e.g., "Dopamine Concentration" for fast-paced games, or "Experience Purification" for slow-paced strategy/narrative games).

• Core Philosophy:
• Key Design Pillars:
• Experience Goals: (Specific feelings we want players to have)

3.11 Behavioral Design (3B Model)

Use the 3B Framework (Behavior, Barriers, Benefits) to define key user behaviors, especially for D7-D30 retention.

• Target Behaviors: (What do we want users to do?)
• Barriers: (What stops them?)
• Benefits: (How do we incentivize them?)
• 7-Day User Behavior Table: (Day-by-day plan for the first week's experience)

3.12 Habit Formation Model (Genre Specific)

Applicable for serious games, educational apps, or gamified tools.

• Pedagogical/Behavioral Objectives: (What habits or skills are being taught?)
• Trigger Mechanisms: (External and internal triggers)
• Action & Variable Reward: (Core habit loop)