Game Design Document Preview: Pawn Shop (with a twist)
Published on April 28, 2025
Game Design Document (GDD) - Preview
Game Title: Pawn Shop (with a twist)
Vision:
Deliver a dynamic and immersive trading simulation where players bring real or imaginary objects into the game via state-of-the-art 3D modeling, engage in intense negotiations with AI (LLM) and other players, and manage their own pawn shop. Success is measured not just by what you own, but also by your negotiation skills, market sense, and even how you advertise your shop.
Genre: Simulation, Trading, Social Interaction
Platform: PC (Steam)
Target Audience:
A broad player base seeking in-depth interaction and strategy, who enjoy simulation, trading, and creativity-oriented games.
Unique Selling Points (USPs):
- Boundless Creativity (Webcam/Text-to-3D): An evolving system where players can scan their physical items by rotating them or generate state-of-the-art 3D models from text prompts.
- LLM-Powered Deep Negotiation: AI characters with distinct personalities enable tough and natural bargaining, going beyond price—storytelling, bluffing, and persuasion are all in play.
- Realistic Open Market Economy: All item values are determined entirely by player demand/supply and bargaining skill, balanced with resources like "Brand/Gem Power" for a dynamic market.
- Real-World Ad Integration: Players can select real-world brands to display in their shop, adding both to atmosphere and, potentially, in-game income—a novel mechanic.
- Comprehensive Social Interaction: Visit other players' shops, trade both real-time and asynchronously, and even dispatch LLM-powered staff to other pawn shops.
Core Gameplay Loop:
- Create/Acquire: Scan objects, generate via text (costly: in-game money + limits + optional cloud GPU microtransactions), or buy from the market.
- Appraise/Prepare: Spot potential, use upgradeable expertise systems, add special traits (with "Brand/Gem Power"), set price and item "lore."
- Negotiate & Sell: Display items in your shop, negotiate with LLMs or real players, and sell for the best price.
- Manage & Grow: Upgrade your shop (security, aesthetics, expertise), hire staff, and display real-world ads.
- Dominate: Multiply your capital and become the ultimate merchant.
Technology:
Unity engine, SOTA LLMs, Text/Img-to-3D models (local/cloud adaptive), real-time/asynchronous network infrastructure.
Monetization:
Primarily very low-cost microtransactions to cover cloud-based 3D modeling service expenses. (No DLC planned at this stage.)
Visual Style:
An accessible, appealing aesthetic inspired by popular "Life Simulator" games (e.g., Supermarket Simulator).