3 minutes ago, Scouting Ninja said:

This only works if you point it out to the team members and only if they take the time to read it. When ever a topic arises like a character you should work in your details into the conversation.

For example:

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Artist: So for the underground city we make a huge steel door. (You like the steal door but want to remind them what the city atmosphere)

You: That is a good idea. But because the city is so deep underground(Pointing out where it is) and the magic mist (Pointing out a key design factor) you could work some rust into the metal from the moisture. What do you think?

Example 2:

Coder: So we make them walk on the map to this point, then what happens?

You: This is where they find the long path down to the labyrinth that is filled with magic mist. They will then have to navigate the hazy corridors.

Artist: What color is the haze? 

You: Light green and as it dissipates it should reveal the blue glow if the city. Like in this image: (Link to image)

 

See the whole time you need to guide and remind your team of the atmosphere of the game. Also use any excuse to get extracts from your design documents. Just the paragraphs that is important to the moment.

 

 

Perfect. That is pretty much exactly how I have been doing my brainstorming sessions and they have been pretty productive thus far. 

After I get this GDD revised I will definitely be referencing it much more.

1 minute ago, Kavik Kang said:

Unless it is relevant in some way, there is no reason to worry about art details in a design document.  All that is needed from the designer in that regard is to set an atmosphere for the artists to work within.  They are the ones with a superior sense of aesthetics.  I don't even consider that to be a part of "design", although the design of the game can sometimes influence the art/look.  The more you have worked out ahead of time, the more the game will be like you wanted it too be in the end.

I'm not saying this to be annoying, just to point this out, but in the hobbyist game industry the phrase "design by committee" literally translated too "the worst possible way of making a game".  That was one of the most well-known mantras of that era.

 

I can see the merit in your words here. I fully agree that setting the atmosphere is important, and that the artists will likely have a superior sense of aesthetics (I am not a great artist myself, although I am learning). I would agree with Ninja though on the point that things you DO care about should be set in stone. Whether in the GDD or another medium, if I want the sky to be purple and stormy the artists should know this, especially if it is essential to fit in with the story of this particular area. 

So far I have not had much issue with artists' ideas, as they usually base their concepts on what I have already created in the wiki with the details I care about, but then again, there could be times when I have an idea for something, but it is not fully fleshed out and I later add edits when I work it out. 

For example, in this area with the purple stormy sky I added there are smokestacks rising from a part of the city that is producing the haze, and that the buildings are made mostly of metal for functional purposes.

By the way, what do you guys think I should do with what he already contributed to the project? Since he never signed any sort of agreement or anything I guess I am a bit concerned it could become a legal issue later.

The only thing he contributed that I intend to use is a weapon mechanic he suggested. In the final product its not going to work how he described it, and only the basic idea of it is his, but the similarity is there. He had also put some reference pictures on the wiki for an ice area he found on Google, and helped a bit with developing one of the characters.

Not a huge loss if I don't include any of it, but I don't want it to bite me later.

45 minutes ago, steelstrung said:

By the way, what do you guys think I should do with what he already contributed to the project? Since he never signed any sort of agreement or anything I guess I am a bit concerned it could become a legal issue later.

This is always a problem.

First, when someone uploads the files to your project, there work automatically gets copyright protected by what is known as "the poor mans digital copyright".

If they worked from a concept that you designed and uploaded to them, then you own the IP but they own the copyright.

This is a problem for you even with content creators who are working willingly, because the only way to pass the copyright and IP legally is with a contract.

Sometimes a digital contract isn't even accepted. Then you have to send a physical contract by courier to have it signed. This happened once when the team gave the developer the assets for free.

Buying the assets from your team members makes things much easier, as most countries have some way people can trade over the internet. You can use this by paying a small amount for the work if the team member agrees.

So legally, you are actually borrowing the assets created by the others and they can remove them from the project at any time.

So deleting everything he added from the site would probably work best?

It wouldn't be a crippling loss, that's for sure, but it would I suppose it complicates things

On 12/16/2017 at 12:08 AM, steelstrung said:

So deleting everything he added from the site would probably work best?

Ask him if he would be willing to hand it over, then make a legal contract. If you can't make contact with him then yes it would be best. The last thing you want is to have him show up when the game is making profit and then trying to take legal action against you.

Chances are he will give it to you because if it's based on your ideas you own the IP, so he can't use it without your permission. Maybe allow him to use the content in there portfolio and in return you can use it in the game; that way you both get something.

Any person is allowed to leave your project, they aren't wrong for doing it and it doesn't make them a bad person. Dealing with these problems in a respectful manner will leave a good impression, it often happens that members return to the project.

With that said the person isn't the only one who is going to leave the project, you should have some way of transferring the files legally.

Getting legal advice isn't expensive and it helps a huge amount.

there are 9 billion people on this planet who can come up with ideas. and there are probably 10000 who can actually make it. it was a deadly mistake from you to beleive they will submit theyself below your absolutism, in fact you dont even pay for them and you are easily replaceable. make a conclusion, and accept the will of others next time.