IMGD 1001 - The Game
Development Process:
Game Development Timeline
by
Robert W. Lindeman ([email protected])
Kent Quirk ([email protected])
(with lots of input from Mark Claypool!)
Outline
Game Timeline (next)
Team Sizes
1
Game Development
Timeline (1 of 5)
Inspiration
getting the global idea of the game
duration: 1 month (for a professional game)
people: lead designer, team discussion
result: treatment document, decision to continue
Conceptualization
preparing the "complete" design of the game
duration: 3 months
people: designer + prototype programmers/artists
result: complete design document
(continued next slide)
Based on notes from Mark Overmars
Concept
• Define game concept
• Define core game features
• Find/Assign developer
• Estimate budget & Due date
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
2
Concept: Van Helsing (1 of 4)
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
Concept: Van Helsing (2 of 4)
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
3
Concept: Van Helsing (3 of 4)
Van Helsing
Pre-Production Video
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
Concept: Van Helsing (4 of 4)
Van Helsing
Finished Concept Video
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
4
Game Development Timeline (2 of 5)
Prototypes
Build prototypes as proof of concept
• Can take 2-3 months (or more)
• Typically done a few months after project start
In particular, used to test game play
Throw prototype away afterwards
• Don't expect it to evolve into game!
• The Pancake Principle (Fred Brooks)
“Plan to throw one away, you will anyway.”
Pitch to Publisher
(Continued next slide)
Based on notes from Mark Overmars
Prototype or 1st Playable
Game Design Document &
Technical Design Document =
"The Bibles"
Production budget & detailed
schedule
Working prototype, with game
mechanics
Focus test
Submit concept to Sony, etc.
Part of "pitch process", next)
You'll do this at the end of
this course!
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
5
The Pitch Process:
Presentation
Key pitch presentation content:
Concept overview & genre profile
Unique selling points
• What makes it stand out from its competitors
Proposed technology & target platform/s
Team biographies & heritage
Outline marketing information, including
potential licensing opportunities
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
The Pitch Process:
Prototype
Key game prototype features:
Core gameplay mechanic
Game engine / technological proficiency
Artistic / styling guide
Demonstration of control / camera system
Example gameplay goals
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
6
The Pitch Process:
Project Schedule & Budget
Schedule & budget must:
Be detailed and transparent
Allow for contingency scenarios
Have several sets of outcomes for different
size publishers
Be realistic
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
The Deal:
Choosing a Publisher Research
Publishers screen Developers
But Developers should also research
prospective Publishers:
Are they financially stable?
Do they have appropriate reach for target?
Do they market / PR their games well?
Is there a history of non-payment of
milestones or royalties?
Have they produced many titles?
Sometimes you take what you can get!
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
7
The Deal:
IP Rights
Intellectual Property Rights include:
Game name
Logos
Unique game mechanics & storyline
Unique characters, objects & settings
Game Source Code including artwork &
associated assets
Unique sounds and music
You may not have much power
And it probably doesn’t matter
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
The Deal:
Payment Negotiation (1 of 2)
Current approximate development costs:
$4-5 million for AAA multi-platform
$2-3 million for AAA PlayStation 2 only
$1 million for A-quality single platform
Royalties
Percentage payments of profits made after recoup of
development costs
Developer royalties range 0% ("work for hire") to 40%
Other considerations:
Rising-rate royalty: more units sold = higher percentage
Clear royalty definition of 'wholesale price' (i.e., including
cost of goods etc.)
Right to audit publishers books
Currency/exchange rate/VAT figures
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
8
Moving Projects Forward
Most Publishers have a "Green-Light Process"
Used to determine which projects go forward
Developers submit to committee at five, mostly
independent stages:
Concept
Assessment
Prototype
First Playable
Alpha
• At each stage, committee:
Decides whether or not to continue funding
o Developers then get next "lump" of money
Evaluates market potential
Adjusts unit forecasts accordingly
Chapter 7.3, Introduction to Game Development
Prototype: Red Ninja (1 of 3)
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
9
Prototype: Red Ninja (2 of 3)
Red Ninja
Pre-Production Video
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
Prototype: Red Ninja (3 of 3)
Red Ninja
Final Production Video
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
10
Game Development Timeline (3 of 5)
Blueprint
separate the project into different tiers
duration: 2 months
people: lead designer, software planner
result: several mini-specifications
Architecture
creating a technical design that specifies tools
and technology used
duration: 2 months
people: project leader, software planner, lead
architect
result: full technical specification
Based on notes from Mark Overmars
Game Development Timeline (4 of 5)
Tool building
create a number of (preferably reusable) tools, like
3D graphics engine, level builder, or unit builder
duration: 4 months
people: project leader and 4 (tool) programmers
result: set of functional tools (maybe not yet feature
complete)
Assembly
create the game based on the design document
using the tools; update design document and tools
as required (consulting the lead designer)
duration: 12 months
people: project leader, 4 programmers, 4 artists
result: the complete game software and toolset
Based on notes from Mark Overmars
11
Other Milestones:
Alpha Definition
At Alpha stage, a game should:
Have all of the required features of the
design implemented, but not necessarily
working correctly
Be tested thoroughly by QA to eliminate any
critical gameplay flaws
Still likely contains a certain amount of
placeholder assets
(Continued next slide)
Alpha Definition
Feature complete
"Localization" begins
Focus test
Play testing
Marketing continues
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
12
Alpha: Crash Bandicoot (1 of 2)
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
Alpha: Crash Bandicoot (2 of 2)
Crash Bandicoot Video
13
Game Development Timeline (5 of 5)
• Level design
create the levels for the game
duration: 4 months
people: project leader, 3 level designers
result: finished game with all levels, in-game
tutorials, manuals
• Review
testing the code, the gameplay, and the levels
duration: 3 months (partially overlapping level
design)
people: 4 testers
result: the gold master
Based on notes from Mark Overmars
Other Milestones:
Beta Definition
• At Beta stage, a game should:
Have all content complete
Be tested thoroughly for bugs and gameplay
tweaks
Be shown to press for preview features
(Continued next slide)
14
Stages of Development: Beta
• Polish, polish, polish
• Game balancing
• Localization continues
• Demo versions
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
Other Milestones:
Gold Master Definition
• At Gold Master stage, a game should:
Be sent to the platform holder/s (where
applicable) for TRC (Tech. Req. Checklist)
testing
Be sent to press for review
Be sent to duplication for production
Be backed up and stored
(Continued next slide)
Based on notes from Mark Overmars
15
Final/GMC/Gold
• The Game is "Done"
• Testing, testing, testing
• Intense pressure
• Submit to console
developers
• Manufacturing timing
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
Post-Mortem
• Analysis of PR, marketing
• Analysis of production, source
Code
• What went right
• What went wrong
• Archive all assets
• Kick-off the Sequel!
Based on notes from Neal Robison, ATI
16
Outline
• Game Timeline
• Team Sizes (next)
Development Team Size
• As late as the mid-80's teams as small as one person.
• Today, teams ranging from 10-60 people.
• Programming now a proportionally smaller part of any
project, artistic content creation proportionally larger
• See Gamasutra, (www.gamasutra.com)
Search for "post mortem"
Game data at bottom includes team size and composition
• But it depends a lot on the genre
Laird and Jamin, EECS 494, Umich, Fall 2003
17
Development Team 1988
• Sublogic’s JET (early flight sim)
Sublogic later made scenery files for
Microsoft flight simulator
• 3 Programmers
• 1 Part-Time Artist
• 1 Tester
Total: 5
Laird and Jamin, EECS 494, Umich, Fall 2003
Development Team 1995
• Interplay’s Descent
Used 3-D polygon engine, not 2-D sprites
• 6 Programmers
• 1 Artist
• 2 Level Designers
• 1 Sound Designer
• Off-site Musicians
Total: 11
Laird and Jamin, EECS 494, Umich, Fall 2003
18
Development Team 2002
• THQ’s AlterEcho o3 Character Modelers and
• 1 Executive Producer Animators
• 1 Producer o1 2d and Texture Artist
• 4 Programmers o1 Audio Designer
• 2 Game Designers o1 Cinematic Animator
• 1 Writer o1 QA Lead and Testers
• 3 Level Designers
Total: 19+
Laird and Jamin, EECS 494, Umich, Fall 2003
Development Teams for
Online Games
• Star Wars online (2003?)
• Development team: 44 people
50% Artists
25% Designers
25% Programmers
• 3 Producers
• "Live" Team (starting at Beta, 6 months before
done)
8 Developers
50-60 Customer support (for 200K users)
1000 Volunteer staff (for 200K users)
Laird and Jamin, EECS 494, Umich, Fall 2003
19
A (Larger) Developer
Company Today
• Designing and creating computer games is
serious business
Large budgets ($10 million+)
Large number of people involved
Large risk
• Wisdom
Use modern software development techniques
• And maybe not the ones we just talked about
Keep creativity where it belongs
• In the design
• Not during the programming
20
