How to Build Game Dev Documentation That Teams Actually Use
How to Build Game Dev Documentation That Teams Actually Use
Are you tired of meticulously crafting game dev documentation that nobody reads? Do your carefully written explanations gather dust in a shared drive while your team asks the same questions repeatedly? You’re not alone. Many game developers struggle to create documentation that’s actually useful. This guide will show you how to build documentation that your team will not only read but also actively use, drawing inspiration from a familiar source: game patch notes.
Documentation v1.0: The Patch Notes Approach
Think of your documentation as a living, breathing extension of your game. Document changes, not just features. This approach focuses on what’s new and different, mirroring the structure of patch notes.
Problem: Existing documentation is often overwhelming and hard to navigate. It’s a massive wall of text that no one wants to climb.
Solution: Implement a version-controlled, “patch notes” style documentation system.
Feature: Version Control
Each significant change to your game should have a corresponding documentation update. This is non-negotiable.
New: Implement a version control system (Git, Perforce, etc.) for your documentation alongside your codebase.
Reasoning: Version control allows you to track changes, revert to previous versions, and understand the evolution of a feature. Don’t rely on manually saving multiple versions of the same document.
Implementation:
- Create a dedicated documentation repository or folder within your existing repository.
- Use Markdown or a similar lightweight markup language for easy editing and formatting.
- Commit changes frequently, with clear and concise commit messages.
Feature: Clear Communication of Changes
Don’t bury the lede. Highlight what’s changed and why.
Changed: The “Damage Calculation” document has been updated to reflect the new armor penetration system.
Old: (Vague) Damage calculation is described in detail.
New: (Specific) The new armor penetration system calculates damage reduction based on a percentage of the attacker’s penetration value, modified by the defender’s armor rating. See “Damage Calculation v2” for full details.
Reasoning: People are more likely to read about changes that directly affect their work.
Implementation:
- Start each documentation update with a summary of the changes.
- Use bullet points or numbered lists to highlight specific changes.
- Link to relevant sections or files within your codebase.
Feature: Readily Accessible Information
Make your documentation easy to find and navigate.
Improved: Implemented a search function within the documentation website.
Old: Documentation was scattered across multiple folders and hard to find.
New: The documentation website now includes a search bar that allows users to quickly find relevant information.
Reasoning: If people can’t find the information they need, they won’t use it.
Implementation:
- Create a central location for all documentation. A dedicated website, wiki, or shared document repository will work.
- Implement a search function to allow users to quickly find information.
- Use clear and concise naming conventions for files and folders.
- Link to documentation from relevant code comments and project management tools.
Bug Fixes
Address common documentation pitfalls that lead to team frustration.
Fixed: Addressed the issue where the “Animation System” documentation was out of date.
Problem: The animation system documentation was last updated six months ago and no longer reflected the current state of the system.
Solution: Updated the animation system documentation to reflect the latest changes, including the new blend tree functionality.
Fixed: Clarified the ambiguity in the “AI Behavior” document regarding enemy patrol patterns.
Problem: The documentation didn’t explicitly state whether enemies patrol in a fixed pattern or randomly.
Solution: Added a section to the documentation that clearly explains the enemy patrol patterns and provides examples.
Known Issues
Acknowledge gaps in documentation and prioritize future updates.
Known Issue: The “Sound Effects” documentation is currently incomplete and lacks information on the new sound attenuation system.
Workaround: Contact the audio designer for information on the new sound attenuation system.
Future Fix: The “Sound Effects” documentation will be updated in the next sprint to include information on the new sound attenuation system.
Creative Journaling Exercises to Spark Ideas
Sometimes the hardest part of documentation is figuring out what to document and why. Creative journaling can help.
Exercise 1: “The Elevator Pitch”: Imagine you have 30 seconds to explain a feature to someone completely unfamiliar with the game. What are the core concepts? What problem does it solve?
Exercise 2: “The User Story”: Write a short story from the perspective of a player interacting with the feature. What are their goals? What are their pain points? How does the feature address those pain points?
Exercise 3: “The Debugging Diary”: Document the process of debugging a feature. What were the common errors? What were the solutions? This can be invaluable for future troubleshooting.
These exercises help clarify the purpose and functionality of your game’s systems, making documentation feel less like a chore and more like a natural extension of the development process.
To make this process even easier and more organized, try out our clarity through journaling tool. It’s designed to help you track your game development progress, stay consistent with devlogs, and organize your creative process, ultimately leading to better and more useful documentation. Start documenting smarter, not harder.