Slides of a workshop on learning game development estimation through practice.

1. Impossible
mission:
estimating
(game)
development
Pietro Polsinelli
@ppolsinelli
for Better Software 2016

2. You:
1. Form a group
2. Pick a game
3. Analyze its development
2

3. I will provide additional
“lenses” for your game’
analysis.
Marketing is on the side.
3

4. Before the practice
4

5. 5
In ancient times (2010) I decided to
explore game development as a
profession

6. 6
I was doing web based apps. I
thought for games I just had to add
animations
copy

7. 7
Six years later and about 10 games
completed, I know I was a FOOL.

8. “That’s not easy
to do, man!”
“Y’all just be
acting like that
s**t is regular.”
Kanye West revelation.
http://kotaku.com/kanye-west-is-really-proud-of-his-new-video-
game-1758599572 8

9. 9
Exploring (video) game development
has been an amazing learning
experience.

10. 10
The best of my life. And I’m 48,
with 34 years in programming.

11. 11
One of the many dimensions is
game mechanics.

12. Does your solution have a “mechanic”?
http://www.lizengland.com/blog/2014/04/the-door-
problem/

13. Themes that interact with the game loop.
13

14. Depth dimension – have some depth, maybe not at
all ...

15. Raph Koster “Teaching to Fish”
http://www.raphkoster.com/games/presentations/teaching-to-fish/

16. Koster Game Grammars
http://www.raphkoster.com/2015/09/09/paxdev-game-
grammar-talk/

17. Games are about
complexity, because
they are about people.
You may be making
systems that are playing
with NP hard problems.
17

18. I believe this learning
exploration in complexity is
common to many if not all
development domains. So this
could be an experience useful to
all.
NON GAMEDEV GOAL

19. - Concept and concept art
- Find the core mechanics
- Narrative / progression
Evaluate how to develop them.
List the screens.
GOAL

20. EXAMPLE
GAMES
20

21. Kardashian Hollywood
21

22. Clash Royale
22

23. Bioshock Infinite
23

24. NBA Jam
24

25. Hotline Miami
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotline_Miami

26. Firewatch
26

27. Plants vs. Zombies
27

28. Flick Kick Football
28

29. MotorSport Manager
29

30. Game Dev Story
30

31. Sunless Sea

32. 80 Days

33. Prison Architect

34. Dishonored

35. Space Team

36. Pac Man
Hearthstone
You Must Build A Boat
Monument Valley
Kingdom
And more ...

37. Some
sources

38. 38
Piked units defeat cavalry
Cavalry defeats artillery
Artillery defeats piked units

39. See http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TacticalRockPaperScissors

40. http://bit.ly/agdArtInt
http://gameinternals.com/post/2072558330/
understanding-pac-man-ghost-behavior

41. 41

42. Wikipedia
definition of
profiles
42

43. A game designer is a person who designs gameplay, conceiving and
designing the rules and structure of a game.
Development teams usually have a lead designer who coordinates the
work of other designers.They are the main visionary of the game.
One of the roles of a designer is being a writer, often employed part-time
to conceive game's narrative, dialogue, commentary, cutscene narrative,
journals, video game packaging content, hint system, etc.
In larger projects, there are often separate designers for various parts of
the game, such as, game mechanics, user interface, characters,dialogue,
etc.
People you will need: Designer
43

44. A game artist is a visual artist who creates video game art.
The art production is usually overseen by an art director or art lead,
making sure their vision is followed.The art director manages the art
team, scheduling and coordinating within the development team.
The artist's job may be 2D oriented or 3D oriented.
2D artists may produce concept art, sprites, textures, environmental
backdrops or terrain images, and user interface.
3D artists may produce models or meshes, animation, 3D environment,
and cinematics.
Artists sometimes occupy both roles.
People you will need: Artist
44

45. A game programmer is a software engineer who primarily develops video games or related software (such as game
development tools).The game's codebase development is handled by programmers.
Individual programming disciplines roles include:
Physics – the programming of the game engine, including simulating physics, collision, object movement, etc.;
AI – producing computer agents using game AI techniques, such as scripting, planning, rule-based decisions, etc.
Graphics – the managing of graphical content utilization and memory considerations; the production of graphics engine,
integration of models, textures to work along the physics engine.
Sound – integration of music, speech, effect sounds into the proper locations and times.
Gameplay – implementation of various games rules and features (sometimes called a generalist);
Scripting – development and maintenance of high-level command system for various in-game tasks, such as AI, level
editor triggers, etc.
UI – production of user interface elements, like option menus, HUDs, help and feedback systems, etc.
Input processing – processing and compatibility correlation of various input devices, such as keyboard, mouse,
gamepad,etc.
Network communications – the managing of data inputs and outputs for local and internet gameplay.
Game tools – the production of tools to accompany the development of the game, especially for designers and scripters.
People you will need: Programmer –
99% of the effort  45

46. Level designer
Sound Engineer
Tester
People you may need...

47. Dimensions

48. Game feel card
48

49. Scenarios / backgrounds
49

50. UI quality card
50

51. Balancing card
51

52. Animations card
52

53. Audio card
53

54. AI card
54

55. Haptic card
55

56. Main narrative /
progression
56

57. Character
stories
57

58. Non standard controls
card
58

59. Probabilities &
chance card
59

60. Deploy on stores /
consoles
60

61. Math behind card
61

62. Time limits, timer &
tempo cards
62

63. Mod & customization
card
63

64. Use cards for ...
(Dominions)
64

65. Puzzles and mysteries
65

66. Magic circle logic and
coherence
66

67. Game play timeline,
short loops and 4 hours
67

68. 1D (Kingdom), 1D x n
(PlantsVsZomb), 2D,
Parallaxed, 2D with 3D
anim, 2.5D (fix side camera,
movement in 2D graphic in
3D), Isometric (graphic iso,
movement in 3D), 3D
68

69. Game analytics and
game updates
69

70. Icons, palette
and
(color) coding
From
http://danielsolisblog.blogspot.it
/2015/01/a-quick-guide-to-
color-coding-in.html
70

71. Genre and
inclusiveness card
(Spelltower game design)
71

72. 72
https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Motivation_and_emotion/Book/2011/Flow
From By Wesley Fryer –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/304317777/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17236204

73. 73

74. 74
Use social mechanics

75. Dimensions ...

76. NOW DRAW A
LINE:
TOWARDS A
PROTOTYPE
76

77. After the practice
77

78. FINALE
MORALE
78

79. How to deal with complexity?
The burocratization of work or ...
prototypes, short narratives and
conversations.

80. A lot of work...“the game design document”
80

81. My twitter stream is
mostly dedicated to
game design
@ppolsinelli
A blog on game design
designagame.eu
81