Impossible mission: estimating (game) development
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Transcript of Impossible mission: estimating (game) development
Impossible
mission:
estimating
(game)
development
Pietro Polsinelli
@ppolsinelli
for Better Software 2016
You: 1. Form a group
2. Pick a game
3. Analyze its development
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I will provide additional “lenses” for your game’ analysis. Marketing is on the side.
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Before the practice
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In ancient times (2010) I decided to explore game development as a
profession
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I was doing web based apps. I thought for games I just had to add
animations
copy
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Six years later and about 10 games completed, I know I was a FOOL.
“That’s not easy
to do, man!”
“Y’all just be
acting like that
s**t is regular.”
Kanye West revelation.
http://kotaku.com/kanye-west-is-really-proud-of-his-new-video-
game-1758599572 8
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Exploring (video) game development has been an amazing learning
experience.
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The best of my life. And I’m 48, with 34 years in programming.
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One of the many dimensions is game mechanics.
Does your solution have a “mechanic”? http://www.lizengland.com/blog/2014/04/the-door-
problem/
Themes that interact with the game loop. 13
Depth dimension – have some depth, maybe not at
all ...
Raph Koster “Teaching to Fish”
http://www.raphkoster.com/games/presentations/teaching-to-fish/
Koster Game Grammars
http://www.raphkoster.com/2015/09/09/paxdev-game-
grammar-talk/
Games are about complexity, because
they are about people.
You may be making systems that are playing with NP hard problems.
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I believe this learning
exploration in complexity is
common to many if not all
development domains. So this
could be an experience useful to
all.
NON GAMEDEV GOAL
- Concept and concept art
- Find the core mechanics
- Narrative / progression
Evaluate how to develop them.
List the screens.
GOAL
EXAMPLE
GAMES 20
Kardashian Hollywood 21
Clash Royale 22
Bioshock Infinite 23
NBA Jam 24
Hotline Miami https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotline_Miami
Firewatch 26
Plants vs. Zombies 27
Flick Kick Football 28
MotorSport Manager 29
Game Dev Story 30
Sunless Sea
80 Days
Prison Architect
Dishonored
Space Team
Pac Man
Hearthstone
You Must Build A Boat
Monument Valley
Kingdom
And more ...
Some
sources
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Piked units defeat cavalry
Cavalry defeats artillery
Artillery defeats piked units
See http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TacticalRockPaperScissors
http://bit.ly/agdArtInt
http://gameinternals.com/post/2072558330/
understanding-pac-man-ghost-behavior
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Wikipedia
definition of
profiles 42
A game designer is a person who designs gameplay, conceiving and
designing the rules and structure of a game.
Development teams usually have a lead designer who coordinates the
work of other designers. They are the main visionary of the game.
One of the roles of a designer is being a writer, often employed part-time
to conceive game's narrative, dialogue, commentary, cutscene narrative,
journals, video game packaging content, hint system, etc.
In larger projects, there are often separate designers for various parts of
the game, such as, game mechanics, user interface, characters, dialogue,
etc.
People you will need: Designer
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A game artist is a visual artist who creates video game art.
The art production is usually overseen by an art director or art lead,
making sure their vision is followed. The art director manages the art
team, scheduling and coordinating within the development team.
The artist's job may be 2D oriented or 3D oriented.
2D artists may produce concept art, sprites, textures, environmental
backdrops or terrain images, and user interface.
3D artists may produce models or meshes, animation, 3D environment,
and cinematics.
Artists sometimes occupy both roles.
People you will need: Artist
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A game programmer is a software engineer who primarily develops video games or related software (such as game
development tools). The game's codebase development is handled by programmers.
Individual programming disciplines roles include:
Physics – the programming of the game engine, including simulating physics, collision, object movement, etc.;
AI – producing computer agents using game AI techniques, such as scripting, planning, rule-based decisions, etc.
Graphics – the managing of graphical content utilization and memory considerations; the production of graphics engine,
integration of models, textures to work along the physics engine.
Sound – integration of music, speech, effect sounds into the proper locations and times.
Gameplay – implementation of various games rules and features (sometimes called a generalist);
Scripting – development and maintenance of high-level command system for various in-game tasks, such as AI, level
editor triggers, etc.
UI – production of user interface elements, like option menus, HUDs, help and feedback systems, etc.
Input processing – processing and compatibility correlation of various input devices, such as keyboard, mouse,
gamepad, etc.
Network communications – the managing of data inputs and outputs for local and internet gameplay.
Game tools – the production of tools to accompany the development of the game, especially for designers and scripters.
People you will need: Programmer –
99% of the effort 45
Level designer
Sound Engineer
Tester
People you may need...
Dimensions
Game feel card
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Scenarios / backgrounds
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UI quality card
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Balancing card
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Animations card
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Audio card
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AI card
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Haptic card
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Main narrative / progression
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Character stories
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Non standard controls card
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Probabilities & chance card
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Deploy on stores / consoles
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Math behind card
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Time limits, timer & tempo cards
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Mod & customization card
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Use cards for ... (Dominions)
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Puzzles and mysteries
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Magic circle logic and coherence
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Game play timeline, short loops and 4 hours
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1D (Kingdom), 1D x n (PlantsVsZomb), 2D,
Parallaxed, 2D with 3D anim, 2.5D (fix side camera, movement in 2D graphic in 3D), Isometric (graphic iso,
movement in 3D), 3D
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Game analytics and game updates
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Icons, palette and
(color) coding
From http://danielsolisblog.blogspot.it
/2015/01/a-quick-guide-to-color-coding-in.html
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Genre and inclusiveness card
(Spelltower game design) 71
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https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Motivation_and_emotion/Book/2011/Flow From By Wesley Fryer – http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/304317777/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17236204
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Use social mechanics
Dimensions ...
NOW DRAW A
LINE:
TOWARDS A
PROTOTYPE 76
After the practice
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FINALE
MORALE 78
How to deal with complexity? The burocratization of work or ... prototypes, short narratives and conversations.
A lot of work... “the game design document”
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My twitter stream is mostly dedicated to
game design
@ppolsinelli
A blog on game design
designagame.eu
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