Lecture 5: The Development Process

# Creación de Videojuegos

### Development process

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# How do you make a game?

## First step: Ideation

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# The whole process

* Pre-production 
     - Ideation (High Concept, Pitch)
     - Concept
     - Early Prototyping
     - Game Design Document
  
  * Production
     - Design 
     - Programming
     - Art asset creation
     - Audio production 
     - Testing
  
  * Publishing
     - Classical: Publisher 
     - Indie games
     
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# Pre-production

* What makes your game different?
  
  * Is this even a viable idea?
  
  * How do you move from the idea to an actual game?
 
  * Game Design Document!
 
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# Production: Design

* World design
     
  * System design (mechanics, rules, interactions)
     
  * Content design (levels, quests)
     
  * Audio design
     
  * UI design
     
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# Production: Programming 
  
  * Graphics, Effects
     
  * Implementation of the mechanics 
     
  * AI
     
  * Physics
     
  * Networking
     
  * Tools for designers

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* Graphic assets 
     
     - 2D
     - 3D
     - User Interface
     
  * Audio 
  
     - Music
     - Sound effects
     
  * Special effects
  
     - Particle effects 
     - Shaders
     - VR?

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# Publishing
  
  * Traditional 
  
    - Developer builds the game
    - Publisher sells the game 
    - Publisher often funds developer during development
     
  * Indie games 
  
    - Mobile platforms (Google Play, AppStore)
    - Steam, Epic Games Store
    - Self-publishing (website)

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# Roles in Game Development
  
   * Game Designer 
   
   * Game Developer
   
   * Artist
   
   * Technical Artist 
   
   * Tester
   
   * Producer
   
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# Game Designer
  
   * Main visionary
   
   * Develops the idea, mechanics, goals for the game 
   
   * This does not mean that no one else has any influence on the mechanics
   
   * Can also consist of a team
   
   * Sometimes prominently displayed as part of branding (Sid Meier's Civilization)
   
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# Pitfalls of a famous designer
  
<img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/daikatana.jpg" width="45%"/>

(Daikatana)

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# Game Developer
  
   * Writes the code
   
   * AAA studios often employ large teams
   
	 - Blizzard alone currently has over 40 *open* positions for developers
	 - Red Dead Redemption 2 had dozens of AI programmers
	 
   * Specializations
     - Engine/Graphics/Audio
	 - Gameplay
	 - AI
	 - UI 
	 - Tools
	
	
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# Artists and Technical Artists
  
* Artists create the assets for the game

- 2D/3D models
	  - UI elements
	  - Sound

* Most artist are not programmers (most programmers are not artists)
  
* <b>Technical artists</b> are trained in art *and* programming, and serve as the connection between the two "worlds"

* Can also be responsible for effects such as animations, cloth, liquids, particle effects

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# Tester
  
* Like regular software testing, game testing reveals software bugs

* There are also other kinds of "bugs"
  
  - Balance issues 
  
  - Gameplay issues
  
  - Narrative inconsistencies
  
  - Exploits
  
* Initially, the game is probably not very fun to play

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# Producer
  
* Project Manager

* Responsible to keep the project on track
  
* Deals with hiring, budget, infrastructure

* Removes obstacles for the team

* Manages stakeholder expectations

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# Alternatively ...
  
<img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/minecraft.jpg" width="95%"/>

(Minecraft)

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# Alternatively ...
  
<img src="/CI-2700/assets/img/stardewvalley.jpg" width="95%"/>

(Stardew Valley)

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# Resources

* <a href="https://www.usgamer.net/articles/gamings-greatest-flops-daikatana">Gaming's Greatest Flops: Daikatana</a>

* <a href="https://careers.blizzard.com/en-us/openings/engineering/all/all/all/1">Blizzard engineering jobs</a>