We've all thought like that man... I have to tell you though if you're willing to work you can make things quickly. For example I did the Aerial Antics prototype which was a full game of 30 levels on 3 locales and used it to pitch Garage Games and Adrian. That took me about 1 month of non-stop (12 hour a day often) work though.
Of course the final game ... that took another 6 months + another 4 months after launch of refinement. Games are about the most time consuming thing you can do. Sure you can prototype an idea really quick which is what I do all the time. I'll get a gameplay idea and just straight code it. I call it codesketching.
Your 50 page design document will probably go out the window. Quite a few people on Garage Games that have completed published work like Adrian, Joe (Think Tanks) and I were giving advice about those things. Basically, give yourself a 1-2 page outline. Prototype the game concept and see what ends up being fun. Write down the end vision but not in too much detail and then make day to day checklists or worklogs like GFK mentions in his newletter interview. These more managable things will help you get your project done quicker and better than an enormous design doc.
In fact it was agreed in this other debate that a very detailed design document is only good for:
A. Killing the project, stopping it from ever being released or..
B. Making a game that's not fun...
Good luck with your aspirations to making a 'AAA' game. Very similar to what mine were 2 years ago. Check out this project if you want to see where a lot of hard work but lack of experience can get you:
http://www.leadfootproductions.com/Install-True-Vol.exe
I worked for nearly a year on that. The best it ever did was get me noticed so I could get my foot in the door with Garage Games and Adrian. I learned a lot but those super detailed 'AAA' game aspirations get flattened a bit in favor of projects that you can complete, manage, and actually sell online.
Good luck!
Of course the final game ... that took another 6 months + another 4 months after launch of refinement. Games are about the most time consuming thing you can do. Sure you can prototype an idea really quick which is what I do all the time. I'll get a gameplay idea and just straight code it. I call it codesketching.
Your 50 page design document will probably go out the window. Quite a few people on Garage Games that have completed published work like Adrian, Joe (Think Tanks) and I were giving advice about those things. Basically, give yourself a 1-2 page outline. Prototype the game concept and see what ends up being fun. Write down the end vision but not in too much detail and then make day to day checklists or worklogs like GFK mentions in his newletter interview. These more managable things will help you get your project done quicker and better than an enormous design doc.
In fact it was agreed in this other debate that a very detailed design document is only good for:
A. Killing the project, stopping it from ever being released or..
B. Making a game that's not fun...
Good luck with your aspirations to making a 'AAA' game. Very similar to what mine were 2 years ago. Check out this project if you want to see where a lot of hard work but lack of experience can get you:
http://www.leadfootproductions.com/Install-True-Vol.exe
I worked for nearly a year on that. The best it ever did was get me noticed so I could get my foot in the door with Garage Games and Adrian. I learned a lot but those super detailed 'AAA' game aspirations get flattened a bit in favor of projects that you can complete, manage, and actually sell online.
Good luck!