Guiding Development


Funding is not the only benefit that a good publisher provides during development. Others include help fine-tuning the game design for maximum market impact, securing approved developer status from console manufacturers, equipment loans (those console development kits are expensive), better exposure in the press, and any number of morale-boosting fringe benefits such as free games and invitations to exclusive parties at industry trade shows.

Perhaps most important of all, the publisher will assign an internal producer to your project [McGilvray03]. This person's job is to make it as easy as possible for you to complete the project on time; the producer might provide services such as getting the publisher to pay for an external testing studio, obtaining extra equipment, organizing special training, or applying a little pressure to get your game certified by a console manufacturer in time for a November release. The best internal producers will even shield you from sources of stress emanating from their own companies!

Case Study 1.4.2: How a Publisher Selects a Team for Contract Development

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For NewKidCo, a small publisher of console and handheld games based on licenses that appeal to children 4 to 12 years old, choosing a development partner involves considerations of technology, expertise, and cost.

"Since we're small, we have limited financial resources," says Seth Rosenfeld, a producer at NewKidCo. "We also try to match games to developers based on their capabilities. For example, if we want a platform game based on a cartoon license, we will approach a company with strong animation skills and an appropriate 2D or 3D engine."

It is also crucial that developers deliver products carefully tailored to the specific development cycles. "Often, developers make promises that they are unable to fulfill due to schedule or budget restrictions. Tight schedule management, including bi-weekly or even weekly build reviews, will insure that any slippage will be noticed immediately. Developers should be candid with their publishers with regard to risk, so that potential problems can be dealt with at the earliest opportunity."

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Secrets of the Game Business
Secrets of the Game Business (Game Development Series)
ISBN: 1584502827
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 275

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