Introduction to the Game
Industry
by Michael E. Moore and Jennifer Sward
Chapter 5: The Production Cycle
Chapter 5 Objectives
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Understand the production cycle of electronic
games
Know the tasks of the preproduction phase
Understand the importance of a technical
review
Know the tasks of the production phase
Know the tasks of the postproduction phase
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Chapter 5 Introduction
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Computer games
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Require a great deal of time and effort to create
Large teams
Long schedules
Business model still evolving
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle
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Film
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Development
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Preproduction
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Idea is fleshed out
Staff and locations are secured
Production
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Scenes are filmed
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle cont.
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Film
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Postproduction
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Footage is assembled into coherent movie
Distribution
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Final cuts are sent to theatres
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle cont.
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Computer game
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Preproduction
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Idea is accepted
Design is refined
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle cont.
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Computer game
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Production
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Code creation
Art asset creation
Motion capture
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Digitally tracking a moving body
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle cont.
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Computer game
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Designers
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Create map levels
Develop tables that drive game play
Artists
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Create models of characters and playfield
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle cont.
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Computer game
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Audio staff
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Programmers
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Create music, sound effects, voiceovers
Write the code that creates the modules of the game
Testers
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Look for bugs
Make sure the game is fun
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Phases of the Production Cycle cont.
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Computer game
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Postproduction
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Review production process
Prepare for add-ons
Creation of necessary patches
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preproduction Phase
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Design specification
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Pitch paper
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Short paper explaining the game concept
Game proposal
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Expanded discussion of game mechanics
Financial analysis of how the game will sell
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Design specification
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Game design document
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Created if game is going to be created
Concept game document
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Details of game play
Provides backstory for the game
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Technical review stage
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Starts after official okay (green light)
Company is now committed to creating the game
Programming staff
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Determine what modules are needed
License someone else’s game engine?
Reuse code from a previous game?
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Technical review stage
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Technical design document (technical
specification)
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Modules
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Timelines are created
Modules are assigned to programmers
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Technical review stage
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Art design document (art specification)
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Art staff
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Decide on a graphic style
Identify needed tools
How will the animation work for the characters
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Budget
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Programming tools needed
Create paper prototype of the game
Project timeline created
Manpower requirements
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Selecting a game engine
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Core component of the game
Graphics rendering
Physics of the game
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Selecting a game engine
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Build from scratch
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Can take years
Requires advanced skills
Use or modify an existing engine
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Preproduction Phase cont.
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Selecting a game engine
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Use another company’s engine
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Saves time
Licenses may be expensive
Use a commercial development environment
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Middleware
Can be too generic
Licensing fees
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Production Phase
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Can last for several years
Artists build 3D models
Programmers write thousands of lines of
code
Audio staff add music and sound effects
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Production Phase cont.
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Interactive prototype
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Shows main game play
Placeholder art may be used
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Production Phase cont.
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Designer tools
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Map/level editor
Scripting language
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Used to trigger events in the game
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Production Phase cont.
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Designer tools
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Database
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Contains key values used to resolve game actions
Other tools
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Art tools
Audio tools
Plug-ins
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Production Phase cont.
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User interface
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Needs to feel second nature to player
Controls should be easy to use
Complex games may require complex controls
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Production Phase cont.
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Balancing game play
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No single strategy should always win
Game play should be appropriate for target
audience
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Production Phase cont.
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Debugging
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Quality Assurance (QA) department
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Finds and reports bugs
Beta
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Total focus on finding bugs
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Production Phase cont.
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Marketing
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Begins when game play can be shown
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Demos for reviewers
Continues after product is shipped
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
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Postproduction Phase
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Marketing
Distribution
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Gold master
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Final version of the game
Shrink wrapped versions
Downloaded over the Internet
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
28
Review
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You should now:





Understand the production cycle of electronic
games
Know the tasks of the preproduction phase
Understand the importance of a technical review
Know the tasks of the production phase
Know the tasks of the postproduction phase
©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 5 The Production Cycle
29