Dev Logs vs. GDDs: Key Differences Explained
Game development is a journey of both creation and refinement. Many indie developers, especially those starting out, often find themselves wrestling with two seemingly similar but fundamentally different tools: Game Design Documents (GDDs) and dev logs. Understanding their distinct purposes and how to leverage them is crucial for efficient progress and valuable feedback.
What is a GDD?
A GDD is a comprehensive blueprint for your game. Its purpose is to define every aspect of your game’s vision, mechanics, art style, story, and technical requirements. A detailed GDD ensures everyone involved, even if it’s just you, has a clear understanding of the project’s scope and direction.
Content in a GDD typically includes core gameplay loops, character designs, level layouts, user interface mockups, narrative outlines, and technical specifications. You should create an initial GDD early in the concepting phase, updating it as your vision evolves. It acts as a living document, a single source of truth for your game’s design.
What is a Dev Log?
A dev log, or game development log, is a regular record of your progress, insights, challenges, and solutions. Its primary purpose is to track game development progress over time, serving as a personal journal, a public communication tool, or both. These entries are dynamic and reflect the ongoing, often messy, reality of development.
Content in a dev log can range from code snippets and art iterations to daily reflections on design decisions and bug fixes. Frequency can vary from daily to weekly, depending on your workflow. The audience for a dev log can be purely personal, helping you maintain a “game dev journal,” or it can be external, sharing your journey with a community to gather feedback.
Key Differences & Common Misconceptions
The core distinction lies in their nature and purpose: GDDs are planning documents, while dev logs are progress and reflection tools. A common misconception is that a GDD is static; while it provides a foundational plan, it should evolve with your game. Conversely, some developers treat dev logs as mini-GDDs, overstuffing them with design details rather than focusing on the journey and lessons learned.
GDDs are for “what” you are building and “how” it will function, providing a high-level overview and granular details where necessary. Dev logs, however, capture “how” you are building it, “what challenges” you encountered, and “what insights” you gained. GDDs inform your development, while dev logs document it and facilitate feedback.
When to Use Which (and How to Combine Them)
For initial concepting, prioritize sketching out a foundational GDD. This helps you solidify your core idea, prevent scope creep, and identify potential hurdles early on. Once you begin active development, regular dev logs become invaluable.
During the alpha stage, a dev log is essential for tracking progress, noting bugs, and reflecting on playtesting feedback. If you are seeking community feedback, a public dev log is a powerful tool to share updates and engage with potential players. You can then reference your GDD to ensure community feedback aligns with your core vision.
Combining them effectively means using your GDD to guide your work, and your dev logs to document the execution and adaptation of that plan. For example, a dev log entry might describe a challenge in implementing a GDD-defined mechanic, detailing the steps taken to overcome it and the lessons learned. This iterative process, documented in your game development log, leads to a more refined game.
Leveraging Feedback for Growth
Dev logs, especially public ones, create a direct feedback loop. Sharing your progress allows others to see your work in its nascent stages, offering insights and encouragement. This feedback is invaluable for growing as a game developer, helping you identify what is working and what needs adjustment.
When you regularly track game development progress, you create a historical record of your decision-making and its impact. This self-reflection, fueled by external input, sharpens your design instincts and technical skills. It helps you recognize patterns in your workflow, optimize your process, and avoid repeating mistakes.
Lessons Learned from Veteran Indie Developers
Veteran indie developers often emphasize a lean approach to GDDs initially, focusing on core mechanics and iterating rapidly. They then use consistent dev logs, often public, to gather early feedback and build a community around their projects. Rami Ismail, co-founder of Vlambeer, famously advocates for “throwaway GDDs” that get refined as development progresses, while their public dev logs keep the community informed and engaged.
Another common thread is using dev logs as a form of accountability and motivation. Seeing tangible progress documented in a “game dev journal” can be incredibly encouraging, especially during the inevitable periods of self-doubt. It’s also a powerful way to look back and celebrate how far you’ve come.
As you navigate the dynamic process of game development, consistent self-reflection and clear communication of your progress are paramount. For many developers, maintaining a log of their daily or weekly insights is a game-changer, acting as a crucial tool for learning from feedback, tracking growth, and keeping projects on track. Start your own journey of disciplined tracking and growth today with our powerful journaling tool: Game Dev Journal.