Hearthplay
A family gathered around a warm game concept sketch
Concept Planning

Your game idea, shaped into something the whole family can play

A gentle, unhurried planning service that turns a rough idea into a friendly design brief — with age-appropriate mechanics, clear controls, and a tone everyone at the table can settle into.

What This Gives You

A clear starting point for your family game

By the end of this service, you'll hold a short, friendly design brief that describes your game in plain terms — who it's for, what they do, and how it feels to play. No developer jargon, no overwhelming scope. Just a document you can actually use.

A usable design brief

A short, friendly document outlining your game's core mechanics, tone, and audience — ready to hand to a developer or build on yourself.

All-ages thinking built in

Every mechanic suggestion is considered from multiple age perspectives — so younger kids, older relatives, and everyone between can genuinely enjoy it.

A calm, kind scope

No pressure to build something bigger than you planned. The brief reflects exactly what feels right for your project — nothing inflated, nothing hidden.

Sound Familiar?

Having a game idea is one thing. Knowing where to start is another.

A lot of people come to us with something lovely — a sense of the kind of game their family would enjoy, a feeling about what the experience should be. And then they get stuck. Not because the idea is weak, but because the gap between a game feeling and a game plan can feel wider than expected.

There's also something specific about making games for families. Tools and resources for game development tend to assume a single target player. When you're designing for a five-year-old and their grandparent at the same time, the usual advice doesn't quite fit.

"I don't know how to turn my idea into instructions someone can build."

That's a very normal place to be. This is exactly the gap this service bridges.

"I'm worried about committing to a big project before I know if it works."

A concept plan is the smallest, safest step. You get something real and usable before deciding what comes next.

"I want something inclusive, but I'm not sure how to think about multiple age groups at once."

That's where our approach is particularly helpful. Designing for mixed ages is a craft, and we enjoy doing it thoughtfully.

How We Approach It

A conversation-first planning process, shaped around your idea

Rather than starting with frameworks or templates, we start by listening. The concept plan comes from a real conversation about your game, your players, and what you'd like the experience to feel like. Everything that follows is shaped by that.

Age-range mechanics review

We think through each mechanic from multiple age perspectives — making sure nothing requires dexterity or reading levels that would exclude part of your family audience.

Simple control suggestions

We suggest control schemes that feel natural on a phone screen for both a small child and an adult — comfortable, unhurried, and forgiving of small mistakes.

Tone and visual direction

We help you describe how the game should feel — calm, playful, cozy — and translate that into clear language a designer or developer can follow.

Calm scope setting

We keep the brief to a size that actually helps you move forward — not a 40-page document that sits unopened, but a focused, honest outline you can act on.

What Working Together Looks Like

Unhurried, friendly, and at your pace

There are no intake forms to fill before we've spoken, no questionnaires that make you feel like you're missing the right vocabulary. Here's how it usually unfolds:

1

You reach out and tell us a little

A short message about the kind of game you have in mind — no need to have answers yet. We're not grading your idea; we're curious about it.

2

We have a relaxed planning conversation

We go through the idea together — who will play it, what the core activity is, how it should feel at different ages. It's informal. You won't need to prepare anything.

3

We draft the brief and check in with you

A first version comes back to you for review. If something doesn't sound right or you want to adjust the scope, we revisit it together before finalising.

4

You receive your completed design brief

A clear, plain-language document describing your game — mechanics, target ages, tone, controls, and what to look for in a developer. Yours to keep and use however you like.

The Investment

$210 USD — a complete concept planning service

For $210, you receive a full concept planning experience and a finished brief — everything needed to move forward with confidence. Here's what that includes:

Initial planning conversation

A focused session where we explore your idea together, understand your audience, and discuss what would make it work for all ages.

Age-range mechanic review

A careful look at each game element through the lens of different ages — checking suitability and suggesting adjustments where helpful.

Written design brief document

A plain-language brief covering core loop, tone, target ages, control suggestions, and visual direction — ready to share with a developer.

One round of revisions

After you've read the draft, you can ask us to revisit any section that doesn't feel right. We refine it until it genuinely reflects your vision.

Tone and visual direction notes

Short notes on the mood, colour feel, and language style that would suit your game — useful for anyone you bring onto the project later.

Yours to keep and use freely

The document belongs to you completely. There are no restrictions on how you use it, share it, or build from it.

Why It Works

Good planning makes everything that follows easier

A lot of family game projects stall not because the idea was weak, but because the early thinking wasn't quite clear enough when it reached a developer. A thoughtful concept document addresses that before any code is written.

Clarity

A brief that says exactly what the game needs removes guesswork — for you, for anyone you work with, and for the people who'll eventually play it.

Focus

Narrowing the scope early tends to produce better games. A small idea done well is far more enjoyable than a large one stretched thin.

Foundation

The brief works as a foundation you can return to throughout development — a reminder of what you set out to make and who you made it for.

A realistic sense of timeline

Initial conversation usually takes 30–60 minutes, at a time that suits you

First draft of the brief is typically returned within a few days

Final document delivered after your review — usually within a week of starting

Our Commitment

If the brief doesn't feel right, we keep working on it

We include a revision round for a reason. If the first draft misses something important — if the tone is off, or a mechanic suggestion doesn't suit your players — you tell us and we revisit it. The goal is a document you feel genuinely good about, not one you accept because the process ended.

Revision included

One full round of revisions is part of the service — not an extra charge.

Open conversation throughout

If something feels off at any point, say so. We'd rather adjust early than deliver something that doesn't serve you.

Not sure if this is the right service for you? Send us a message — no commitment needed, just a conversation.

Getting Started

Just reach out — the rest is simple

You don't need a polished brief, a prepared pitch, or any game development experience to start. You just need the idea — however rough it is — and we'll take it from there.

1

Send a short message

Use the contact form to tell us a little about your game idea. Two or three sentences is fine.

2

We'll reply and arrange a chat

We respond personally to every message and suggest a time to talk that works for you.

3

We get to work on your brief

After the conversation, we draft the document — you review it, and it's yours once you're happy with it.

Ready to shape your game idea?

The Family-Friendly Concept Plan is a gentle, low-commitment first step. Tell us about your idea and we'll put together something you can actually use.

Get Your Concept Plan — $210 USD

No obligation to proceed beyond this service.

Explore Other Services

Each service works on its own. If you'd like to do more, these are the natural next steps.

Build

Cozy Game Build

Once you have a plan, this service brings a small family title to a playable state — simple core loop, soft difficulty, and kind on-screen language. A natural continuation.

$560 USD See details →
Accessibility

Accessibility Care Pass

A thoughtful review that helps your game feel welcoming to more players — readable text guidance, color contrast checks, and simpler control suggestions done with care.

$310 USD See details →