Maths & Technologies for Games Production Processes & Asset Management

1. Maths & Technologies for GamesProduction Processes &Asset Management CO3303 Week 10

2. Today’s Lecture • Concept / Preproduction • Early Production • Kick offs: Programming • Art Assets: Planning & Tracking • Asset Approval & Delivery • Audio, Speech, Story, Text • First Playable: Mid-production • Managing Change • Assets Complete: Late Production • Title, Screenshots, Demos • Post-Production

3. Concept • Initial concepts come from: • Publisher: desire for sequel, film license etc • Developer: sequel, original idea, etc. • Concept document goes through several forms: • From overview document • To more detailed conceptual design • Conceptual design contains: • Story, characters, levels, game style, UI • Working title, market research, licensor issues • Requires a green lightfrom publisher stakeholders before preproduction begins…

4. Preproduction • Preproduction is the planning / team building stage • Several requirements: • Produce a Game Design Document (GDD) • Select a developer / team members • Set down a list of milestones, set budgets • Put Non-Disclosure Agreements in place (NDAs) • Negotiate a developer contract • Produce a Technical Design Document (TDD) • The precise order / context depends on use of internal / external development team • Another green light required from publisher & stakeholders before kicking off production proper

5. Early Production: Kick Offs • The early production phase focuses on developing the core code and assets • Different parts of the production are kicked off at different times • Programming and art immediately • Sound effect, speech, text and other assets kicked off later • When each stage is kicked off: • The GDD / TDD is carefully worked through to identify what is needed • A full spec for that aspect is defined • E.g. a full list of sound effect / music and vocal cues

6. Art Assets: Planning/Tracking • The first few milestones usually regard art assets • Since programming takes some time to produce results • An art list is produced from the GDD: • Asset description, name, format, game location / use • Usually in the form of a spreadsheet • Assets are individually or collectively tracked during development: • Responsibility, start date, draft versions, delivery dates • Approval, review status • Implementation status

7. Asset Approval & Delivery • Batches of artwork are delivered per-milestone • Delivery formats specified in TDD • Assets reviewed by art manager first • Then by the producer • Producer feedbacks any review requirements • Only upon approval can assets be properly used in game • And approval usually releases early milestone payments • Prior to this programmers may only be allowed to work with placeholder graphics

8. First Playable: Mid-production • First Playable or Proof of Concept is an important early point in development: • Core game mechanic is implemented • Sufficient assets so that game looks roughly as it should • Game is playable for the first time • Publisher stakeholders take a keen interest here • Their first real impression of the game • This is the start of mid-production • Less new development • Now just adding more detail, levels etc. • Easy to lose momentum at this stage

9. Managing Change • A common effect upon development (and the game) is that many stakeholders start requesting changes: • Publisher execs • Marketing • Licensors, platform holders (Sony, Microsoft) • Because of the executive nature of many of the people involved, some/many of these changes will be given the green light • Can be frustrating for the game designers • Usually a good idea to strike a consensus between design purity and stakeholder needs

10. Assets Complete: Late Production • When asset creation is complete the late production stage starts • Only programming development still ongoing • This stage is often called alpha • The main marketing of the game begins here • Also Quality Assurance (QA) should get their first look at the product now • Mainly for overview / planning - their job begins later • Can be a tricky time for programmers because of competing demands to: • Reach beta • Produce marketing materials

11. Title, Screenshots, Demos • The game may have been using a working title, at this stage the title is finalised • The marketing department will request materials: • Screenshots for magazines • Rolling demos / animations for early release • Playable demos later • Must hit key trade show / seasonal deadlines • Promotional material for the platform holder • Developer interviews • All this while the coding is being finalised

12. Post-Production • When coding is complete, but not formally tested the beta stage is reached and the game enters post-production: • The game will be entered into QA and the testing phase begins • Localisation of text / voice assets • Game ratings will be sought • The box, art & documentation are designed and produced • Once QA is complete manufacturing (operations) begins and the product enters distribution • Developers rarely get involved in (or even informed about) these aspects, and the marketing related to distribution • Yet they play a major role in the public’s perception of a product

13. Post-Production • The programmers still have a long way to go at post-production stage • The QA test cycle • Further support for localisation • Post-release patches • However, many personnel, especially artists, are freed up and move on to different roles • Staggered completion often means teams break up • Last stage in the game life-cycle is a post-mortem • A final meeting to determine what could be learned for future games

14. Endless Productions • Social games/MMOs never reach completion • Constantly cycling through the production stages • The game design detail, code and art constantly develop and evolve • The post-production stage is continuous • Very different feel to the production process once the initial game is out • Can be hard to sustain momentum, • Development teams tend to undergo gradual turnover