This is the presentation made by Bica Studios at the Microsoft Game Dev Camp 2014 in Lisbon. This document features the evolution of a Game Design Document and The Importance of Testing in the game development scene.

2. GDD more than text,
a visual and organic guide
Nuno Folhadela

3. GAMES MADE WITH ENERGY

4. Platforms:

5. About me
• Game Designer
• 3 Titles on the market
• Worked on almost all fields on the Game Biz

6. Games
Defenders of Law: The Rosendale File - 2009
PC

7. Games
NV Runners – 2013
iOS and Web

8. Other works
Seller | Marketing | Journalist Collaborator | Event Organizer

9. Other works
Seller | Marketing | Journalist Collaborator | Event Organizer
Plus…

10. And even...
Dozens of titles that never saw the light of the day

11. So, what do I know?

12. Nuno Folhadela

13. True! But...
I have learned something about Game Design!

14. True! But...
• It’s more than just having “cool” ideas!
I have learned something about Game Design!

15. True! But...
• It’s more than just having “cool” ideas!
• It’s always evolving according to the
Technology , Social Behaviors and Culture
I have learned something about Game Design!

16. True! But...
• It’s more than just having “cool” ideas!
• It’s always evolving according to the
Technology , Social Behaviors and Culture
• Still, it’s a new and weird job (and AWESOME of course!!!)
I have learned something about Game Design!

17. And…

19. It’s all about the way we go
from a concept to a videogame!

20. The real deal!

21. The structure, the mechanics,
the first step!

23. BUT

24. How do we do that?

25. The Basics
(not saying that it’s easy)

26. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops

27. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops

28. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops

29. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops

30. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops

31. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops

32. Feedback
Logic
ActionObservation
Controls
Core Loops
Repeat!

33. It’s Fun?

34. No?

35. Kill it with Fire!

36. It’s Fun?

37. YES!

39. And now, the most important

40. How we get the TEAM
engaged with a concept?

41. We create a
Game Design Document!

44. My first time…

45. It was a shooter!

46. It had more than 100 pages! Text Pages!

47. It had more than 100 pages! Text Pages!
I believe that I should win a Nobel.

48. It had more than 100 pages! Text Pages!
I believe that I should win a Nobel.
Half of the team read it once.

49. It had more than 100 pages! Text Pages!
I believe that I should win a Nobel.
Half of the team read it once.
And then, I made an update.

50. It had more than 100 pages! Text Pages!
I believe that I should win a Nobel.
Half of the team read it once.
And then, I made an update.
Nobody reads it, of course!

51. It had more than 100 pages! Text Pages!
I believe that I should win a Nobel.
Half of the team read it once.
And then, I made an update.
Nobody reads it, of course!
The project dies!

53. Second time…

54. I started to use Paint to express the
Mechanics and GameFlow!

55. This project dies too!

57. But the Visual Elements worked!
People always wanted to see the next step!

58. So I started to work more with
Visual References
to explain the projects.

59. Smash IT! Adventures example:
For people to get the idea immediately
Visual References

60. Assure that people understand the flow of the game.
Flowcharts

61. The more closer to the final result, the better for you and the team
to have a view of the implementations to do.
MockUps

62. To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.
Step by Steps

63. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

64. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

65. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

66. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

67. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

68. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

69. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

70. Step by Steps
To show the actions In the game and to force us to really imagine
and see how everything will work, step by step.

71. And Videos!

72. What the hell was that?!

73. Was it
Smash IT! Adventures?

75. Yap!
Everything changes!

76. Don’t be afraid of that!

78. It’s our job to make and
keep up with that changes.

79. It’s our job to make and
keep up with that changes.
This is the value of a
Game Designer to the game!

80. About the GameDesigner

81. We need to know (or believe in it)
of why something should happen
and how people will react to it.

82. Plus
We should unite the Team under the same AIM
Game Designer
Programmers
Artists
The Game

83. Game Designer Route
ENDBegin

84. Playtest
The Challenge begins!
• Players don’t see the same as you
• Bugs appear
• You want to put an end to your life  !

85. The Importance of Testing
André Santos

86. THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING
MY BACKGROUND
LOCALISATION
GAME TESTER

87. THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

88. THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

89. THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

90. In the early days, QA was
often conducted by the
programmers themselves.
Atari’s ET was so bad they
had to burry the wasted
copies!
THE EARLY DAYS
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

91. These days, games released with
bugs are more subject to scrutiny
by critics and media channels.
TODAY’S HISTORY
The companies created dedicated
QA teams.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

92. Give developers more time to
focus on game development!
THE BENEFITS
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

93. THE THREE PILARS
BUGS LEVEL DESIGN PLAYABILITY
Everything related to
game play, visuals and
response time.
Functionality and game
flow needs to be
working.
Based on the player
experience.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

94. THE STRUCTURE
FUNCTIONALITY
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

95. Have the basics running.
Define the fundamental
structure of the game.
Can have critical bugs.
Internal only.
Define game features.
ALPHA BETA GOLD
THE STAGES
Should be running as
close as possible to the
retail version.
Reduce impacts to the user.
Can go to a restrict hands-
on of external people.
Get players feedback.
There could still be source
code changes to fix defects,
but…
Cannot add new source
code.
Ready to release unless
significant bugs emerge.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

96. THE DEVICES
What every tester would love to have... The reality...
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

97. ORGANIZE
LOCALISATION OF THE TEXT TEST CASES ORGANIZATION
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

98. PLAY TEST
Do the Mom test!
*Testing Data
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

99. More than 300 changes
and bug fixes!
PLAY TEST
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

100. PLAY TEST
Don’t be afraid to fail!
Keep trying until it works!
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

101. GAME TESTING
Try to start the testing as soon as possible.
Free more time to developers.
Ensure the game is functionality, fun and
also…
MAKE SURE THE MONETIZATION WORKS!
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

102. This is it...
The holy grail of video game QA is that every single detail
in every conceivable scenario of the product is tested.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TESTING

103. And just a quick note!
Players are never stupid!!!
If you believe that
you are the stupid one!

104. Let’s go back to work!
The aim needs to be always clear:
• Have an awesome game!
• Create the best smasher game that the world have ever seen!
• Become profitable – Become a recognizable Brand!

105. Personal Note
• If you are not changing something, why the hell are you doing it?
• Don’t loose your time with morons.
• Be fucking AMBITIOUS!

106. And to finish!
Have the best TEAM at
your side.

108. www.bicastudios.com