Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Guest Lecture by Fabiano Dalpiaz on Game Production for the Software Product Management course at Utrecht University
Citation preview
2
Outline
1. Just games? 2. Game production overview 3. Pre-production 4. Production 5. Testing 6. Post-production 7. Teams 8. Game engines
Lecture contents
3
1. Just games?
Mario Bros: the original game
4
1. Just games?
The Mario franchise (Wikipedia, 5 Oct 2014)
5
1. Just games?
World of Warcraft
“World of Warcraft" by juanpol is licensed under CC BY 2.0
6
1. Just games?
q The core business of Blizzard Entertainment
q 20 years of history q In 2008, peak of
11.5M subscribers
q Currently, 6.8M (Q2 2014)
q Over 100 million accounts over the game’s lifetime
World of Warcraft as a product
Retrieved from Wikipedia on January 15, 2014
7
1. Just games?
q The original WoW was released in 2004 q Newer versions come as “expansion sets”
§ Additional software (for sale!) that adds new content and features to the game
q Five expansions so far § Burning Crusade (2007) § Wrath of the Lich King (2008) § Cataclysm (2010) § Mists of Pandaria (2012) § Warlords of Draenor (Nov 2014)
World of Warcraft (WoW) as a product – expansions
Retrieved from Wikipedia on January 15, 2014
8
1. Just games?
q Created by Riot games q Free-to-play, micro-transactions q 27M daily players, 67M monthly
… now look at League of Legends
9
1. Just games?
A whole business around games, e.g., eSports
10
2. Game production overview
q The set of activities through which a game idea/concept is turned into a game, its release, evolution, and retirement § Informal definition, but captures the essence
What is it?
11
2. Game production overview
q A publisher provides the resources for a game to be built q A developer creates the game in a way that satisfies the
publisher’s needs
Production model 1: publisher-based
12
2. Game production overview
q No publisher exists q The development team has to find out an effective revenue
model, has to do PR/advertising, takes all of the risks q Getting popular with digital distribution
§ Sell the game through a website § The digital distributer gets a revenue percentage (~30%)
Production model 2: indie development
13
2. Game production overview
q Main responsibility: to ensure that a game is created and that code is released on time
q In other words? § Help converging towards the same vision § Manage/coordinate the development team § Set the deadlines § Monitor progression § Cope with technical problems § Cope with personnel issues § Interact with third-parties (outside the team)
A producer, roughly
14
2. Game production overview
A producer in action
Game development team Producer Management / publisher
Artists Designer
15
2. Game production overview
A producer in action
Game development team Producer Management / publisher
Artists
Sure, the designer should know this is not feasible in a week. How long do you guys need?
Designer
Conflicts
16
2. Game production overview
A producer in action
Game development team Producer Management / publisher
Artists Designer
Why don’t we keep that super-complicated level for the expansion pack in Q2?
Last-minute ideas
17
2. Game production overview
A producer in action
Game development team Producer Management / publisher
It’s not that the team doesn’t like your masterpiece, they are too busy to appreciate now
Artists Designer
Emotions
18
2. Game production overview
A producer in action
Game development team Producer Management / publisher
A penalty? No worries, we will deliver on time.
Artists Designer
Money and deadlines
19
2. Game production overview
Production cycle
20
2. Game production overview
q The production cycle, version by JP van Seventer (managing director of the Dutch Game Garden, 2013-2014 edition of game production)
Production cycle
Degree of freedom / creativity in the team
Time
100% playable milestone
21
3. Pre-production
q Defines the essence of the game § What is the game? § How long will it take to make it? § How many people? § How costly?
q Duration may vary significantly § Estimate: 10-25% of the total development time
q Main outcome: game plan § A roadmap for finishing the game § Two key components of the game plan are
a. game concept b. game requirements
Let’s get the game started!
22
3. Pre-production
q The concept is a solution to a problem q So, what is the question/problem?
§ Would a Formula 1 game in absence of gravity work? § Can we make success with a Fruit-Ninja-like game?
q Who comes up with this? § Publisher, team member, producer, brainstorming, …
q Role of the producer § Help concretize an abstract concept § Goals, main game play elements, genre, platforms, mission § Come up with a prototype § Deliver to studio management and publisher
a. Game concept
23
3. Pre-production
q What features shall the game support? § Art, design, engineering, project constraints, documentation
q Team members should be involved to develop a sense of ownership of the game
q Requirements are prioritized q Milestones and deliverables q Requirements need approval by the decision-makers
§ Studio management § Publisher § Marketing
b. Game requirements
24
3. Pre-production
Some artifacts from pre-production
Game pitch
Game mechanics
Game schedule
Art sketches ���(from Pac-Man)
25
4. Production
q The team begins producing assets and code that will end up being part of the game
q The line between preproduction and production is thin § In some cases, the prototype is not thrown away! § Production starts when the decision-makers approve the
prototype
q If all is well planned in pre-production, then production will go smooth § Really?
The production phase
26
4. Production
q Only for PS3, 92 cancelled games in Wikipedia
Cancelled games
27
4. Production
q Official reports § “The quality was not adequate for our standards”
q Truth § No certainty
q Informed guesses § Too many bugs (some reports exist on that) § Team clashes § Key developers leave § Bad planning (too optimistic) § Bad reception by testers § Others?
Cancelled games: why?
28
4. Production
q The producer communicates the final plan to the team § Make it publicly available § Keep it updated!
q Use a tracking tool to monitor tasks § Good for known knowns § How about known unknowns?
• Is anyone going to leave the team? § How about unknown unknowns?
Planning and tracking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiPe1OiKQuk
29
4. Production
A counterpoint: Scrum
q No complete planning beforehand
q Do a partial planning based on the most wanted features q Conduct a “sprint” where the most urgent features are
implemented q Review the result with the stakeholders
q Do another partial planning…
By far the most popular paradigm in indie games
30
5. Testing
Also known as Quality Assurance
q A critical phase for any software artifact § Even more crucial for games § A buggy game is not going to be bought § A buggy word processor is going to be bought, then fixed § Avoid crash bugs
q A quality assurance team is needed § Continuous check, at every milestone
q Key principles § Testers are disjoint from developers. Why? § Involve external testers on alpha/beta versions. Why?
31
5. Testing
Plan validation
q The QA team’s main responsibilities are to § Write the test plan § Validate the game against the plan
q Test plan based on assets and features in the game plan § If the game plan is outdated, QA cannot derive adequate tests
q Testing shall be conducted in all conditions § For each supported language § Different operating systems, sound cards, video cards
q Duties § Report bugs § Verify bug fixes
32
5. Testing
Code release
q Not a one-shot activity, it is actually a process q Code release shall be scheduled by the producer
§ After all major bugs are fixed § Allowing ample time for the QA to make final checks § Ideally, the entire test plan shall be run against the Code
Release Candidate version § If all right, then release
q If console game, the manufacturer will need to approve
33
6. Post-production
q Post-production is as important as the other phases § Don’t overlook it § Why? Learn from experience
q Conduct a postmortem § What were the strengths of the project? § What were the weaknesses? § Important for everyone in the team § Fundamental for the producer
q Archive the plan § Create a closing kit § This contains documentation, code, art, assets, music, …
We released… aren’t we done?
34
6. Post-production
Some publicly available postmortems
35
6. Post-production
Resident Evil 4 (2005) – what went right
q Cutscene Integration: how to shift playable portions of games into atmospheric pre-rendered movies
q Improved technology: current consoles key enablers for some features of the game, e.g., complex facial animation
q Improved workflow: enabled designers to contribute more frequently and more directly
q …
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/195143/postmortem_resident_evil_4.php
36
6. Post-production
Guacamelee! – what went wrong
q Managing personalities and leadership: § Some personalities were very strong § Some fights in the team § The studio had a too informal structure § The structure was revised while the project was running
q Memes and references offended some people
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/200658/postmortem_drinkbox_studios_.php?
37
7. Teams
Roles on the team
q In a game production project, there are many roles
q Some data about team sizes § 10 to 100 people, for most games § Smaller teams exist for casual games § Larger teams too. Extreme case: GTA V
• 1,000 people • Multiple studios in different countries • Development cost: US$137 Million
38
7. Teams
Cost of US$ 137 Million: so what?
Some updates: - Call of duty: Ghosts – 1 day - Destiny – US$ 500M in 1 day
39
7. Teams
q Producers are in charge of managing the team that develops the game § Keep them happy § Not involved in asset creation § Monitor work § Resolve conflicts § Deal with the hiring process § Track schedules § Manage external relationships
Production roles
40
7. Teams
q Executive producer (5-10 years of experience) § Oversee multiple projects § Focuses on broad production tasks (no scheduling or the alike) § Reports to the vice president or the chief executive officer
q Producer (3-5 years of experience) § In charge of a single game § One of the most visible people on the project § Make sure the game is delivered on time § Facilitates the development process § Works closely with external partners
q Associate producer § Assist the producer with all aspects of the game § Can be in charge of a major element, e.g., localization, music
Producers hierarchy (in large companies)
41
7. Teams
q Developer producer § Manages the development team § Works closely with art, engineering, design, QA leads § Involved in the day-to-day production of the game
q Publisher producer § Represents the publisher’s interests § Oversees non-production departments
• Sales • Marketing • Localization
q These two producers are in tight contact § It is very important that they are in good relationships
Two types of producers
42
7. Teams
q Art § Art director (gives the vision) § Lead artist (the manager) § Concept artist, world builder, level designer, asset artist,
animator, technical artist, marketing artist q Audio
§ Sound designer § Composer
q Engineering § Technical director § Lead engineer § Engineer: network (multiplayer), sound, graphics, tools (for
scripting, localization, engine), Artificial Intelligence
Art, audio, and engineering roles
43
7. Teams
q Design: responsible for a compelling and immersive gameplay
q Different functions depending on the phase § Pre-production: transform ideas into game elements § Production: script missions, write dialogue, play testing
q Main roles § Creative director § Lead designer § Designer: systems, UI, level, script § Writer
q Testing § Lead QA Tester § QA Tester
Design and testing roles
44
7. Teams
Organization: small teams
q Minimal structure q Usually, one person playing more roles
§ E.g., the producer is also the lead designer
45
7. Teams
Organization: large teams, producer-as-a-leader
46
7. Teams
Organization: large teams, with executive producer
47
8. Game engines
q Different games share a lot of commonality § Consist of objects § Have AI, graphics, sound, …
q Since the 80s (but more prominently in the 90s), game studios have been using game engines § A system for the creation of a videogame § Basic functionalities are embedded
• 2D/3D rendering • Physics engine • Sound • Scripting • Animation • AI • Networking • Localization
Don’t build games from scratch!
48
8. Game engines
Illustration
49
8. Game engines
How a game engine works
50
8. Game engines
q Game engines do often make use of scripts § Created using a scripting language § Not compiled, interpreted
q Pros § Ease of development (less technical programming) § Low-level things taken care of (fewer errors) § Faster iteration time (no full re-compile needed)
q Cons § Worse debuggers § Performance § Interface with rest of the game (no “export” primitive)
q Implications on hiring?
Scripting languages
51
8. Game engines
q Game Maker: Studio § Initially developed by a former colleague, Mark Overmars § Widely used to develop 2D games § Targets entry-level programmers
q Unity3D § Fast-growing § Very complete for 3D
q Unreal Engine § (Perhaps) the best for 3D § Gaining popularity due to a 2013
change in its business model
Well-known game engines
52
8. Game engines
q Integrated visual editor q Graphics in DirectX or OpenGL q Asset import q Shaders q Physics q Terrain modeling + vegetation q Audio + video q Scripting q Networking support q Database connectivity q Shadow & Light + particle emitters
What’s in Unity?
53
Wrap up
q Producing games is a serious business (high revenues, challenging task)
q The game producer oversees the process, and takes responsibility for successful completion
q The interdisciplinary process makes things hard
q Reuse is pervasive: game engines
