Stages Defined

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Overview

Producing electronic games is a complex and expensive process. A developer's goal is to produce the highest quality game within the limits of their resources and budget. The publisher's goal is to produce the best-selling game while limiting their risk by keeping costs low. There is a common interest in producing a successful product between these two parties, and also a conflict of interest in how much money and time that product should require.

Estimating the schedule and budget for a game is a difficult task. There are many variables and uncertainties that make it hard to pin down what the exact timeframe for delivery will be-especially if you are inventing new technologies or tools to get the job done. It's easy for a production to spin out of control or for unexpected costs to crop up, and many developers do not always have the financial expertise to foresee these problems. Conflicts can arise between developers and publishers when productions go over budget or fall behind schedule. If a project is delayed, how much more money will it cost to complete? And if a production goes over budget, who will pay for the overages? The publisher may have added features or delayed the process by requesting changes. Or, the developer may have overpromised, only to find out they now need more time to complete the game.

To combat these issues, the industry has evolved some best practices for producing games efficiently. A core aspect of the process is that a project is developed and approved in stages. Each stage is defined by milestones. Contracts between publishers and developers are typically based on these milestones, and the developer is paid a predetermined amount for each milestone it reaches. Even if you do not plan to be a game producer, as a game designer, you will need to work with a producer and understand these stages of development clearly. In this chapter, we will walk through each of the stages of development and talk about how to create a project plan that takes into account the unpredictable nature of developing games.



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Game Design Workshop. Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games
Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, & Playtesting Games (Gama Network Series)
ISBN: 1578202221
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 162

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