Digital Game Prgm I Large – Scale Design Process

Formal Design Structure Delays in production cost money A delay in production occurs when the project is not following the projected time schedule. A game design team is given a budget at the onset of a project A budget is a plan that details how much a project should cost. The cost to complete each task is estimated. All the tasks are listed along with their estimated cost and added up to get a final budget total. If a team spends more than they are allotted, they are over- budget.

Formal Design Structure Time-Sensitive Delay Issues are another reason why a production schedule can not be off by even one day. What are some time-sensitive delay issues you can think of?

Formal Design Structure A production launch date has to be met If a game is seasonal or promotional, such as based on a new movie, it has to be out before the season or promotion. A release date may be set to enter the market before a competitor’s game has a chance to hit the market. Major buying time is before Christmas

3-Stage Production Process This production process allows streamlining of production; makes certain the game will get the best ideas and best build; and meets the demand of time, money, and quality.

3-Stage Production Process Concept Stage Brainstorm ideas, get ideas on paper, form the structure of the game, and prepare for production Begins with an idea and ends with a refined idea about how the game will play To build this foundation a designer must answer the 5 essential questions on next slide….

Concept Stage – 5 questions What is the game going to be about? (genre type, basic idea) Who is going to play this game? (audience, age, target market, desired ESRB rating) Who is the player (protagonist) going to be in this game (player role, character type)? What will the player do in the game (victory condition, obstacles, opponents)? What will the world look like in the game (settings, levels, backgrounds, perspective)?

Construction Stage Where the rough idea of the game from the concept stage is refined into something workable. NOTE: you must not change the answers from the concept stage after construction begins because it usually requires a complete rewrite of the game code already created. Higher cost!! A prototype is the first iteration of a game build. Limited features and structures. It DOES NOT contain detailed character designs, backgrounds, music or sounds.

Construction Stage Eight areas of design that bridge from concept to construction are: Gameplay modes Protagonist & character development Game world Core mechanics Mode elaboration Story elaboration Level design Testing & debugging

Assignment – due end of class Copy the table on next slide to spreadsheet software: A. Construct an expense budget for the following game build. Deadline: two weeks (10 days); # of designers: six; Annual salary of designers: $52,000/year (assume a five-day work week); Consumer off the shelf software available: Unity for each designer; Proprietary software build: $4,600 B. How much would the company save if the game build was completed two days before the deadline? C. How much overbudget would this project be if the game took three weeks to complete?

Assignment – due end of class D. The proprietary software can be modified to do its job and the work of the COTS software for $5,000 more. Should the company build the COTS software features into their proprietary software? Why or why not? ItemCost of EachAmt. NeededTotal Salary per day$ days$ Cost of COTS$ licenses$ Cost of Propr software $ licenses$ Total Expense budget$