the post-production cycle - game software project management
DESCRIPTION
A lecture I gave at Sheffield Hallam University for the BSc (Honours) Games Software Development module Game Software Project Management about the Video Game Post-Production Cycle.TRANSCRIPT
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*Video Game Post-Production
© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Phases
Production
Dev. Post Productio
nRelease
Quality Assurance
Marketing
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Quality Assurance
*Testing game
*Why?
*Ensure expectations are met
*When?
*Continuously
*Who?
*Automated
*Developers
*Sponsors
* Internal QA
*External QA
*Publisher QA
*1st Party QA
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Bug Classes
*A – Critical
*Crashes, features inaccessible, progress bugs
*B – General Bug
*Non-Blocking
*C – Cosmetic
*“Text is difficult to read on some screens”
*D – Wishlist
*“Player should be able to fly a unicorn”
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Development Phases
Production Alpha Beta Maste
r
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Development Phases
*Example: 24 month project
*Alpha – 12 weeks
*Beta – 12 weeks
*Master – 6 weeks
Production Alpha Beta Master
*Example: 12 month project
*Alpha – 6 weeks
*Beta – 6 weeks
*Master – 6 weeks
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Development Phases
*Example: MMO
*Alpha – 12 weeks
*Beta – 36 weeks
*Master – 6 weeks
Production Alpha Beta Master
*Example: iOS
*Alpha – 2 weeks
*Beta – 2 weeks
*Master – 2 weeks
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Development Phases
*Christmas Release
*Alpha – mid June
*Beta – end of August
*Master – end of October
Production Alpha Beta Master
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Alpha - Definition
*Feature Complete
*Placeholder Art
*Design complete
*All features are playable but require polish
*No New Features After This Point!
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Alpha - Work
*Internal testing
*Fixing Bugs
*Optimisation
*Polishing Features
*“Lazy” features
*Sound
*UI
*FMV
*Non-English languages
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Beta - Definition
*Game is playable end-to-end
*No blocking bugs
*Code Freeze
*Multi-player
*F&F Beta
*Closed Beta
*Open Beta
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Beta - Work
*External Testing
*Fixing Bugs Only
*Optimisation
*Installers/Bundles
*Polishing Features
*Writing manual
*Closing out box artwork
*Compliance Fixes
*Compatibility Fixes
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Master - Definition
*Game is ready for submission or release
*Bug free
*No A’s or B’s
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Master - Submission
*Submission to 3rd party
*Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Steam
*Ratings boards
*PEGI (Europe), ESRB(USA),USK (German), CERO(Japan), ACB (Australia)
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Master - Submission
Sub1 fix Sub2 Master
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Master - Submission
*Typically 2 weeks in, 1 week out
*Complete blackbox
*Large 1st party test teams
*Bugs are scored, high scores fail
*Typically, 2 attempts only
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Master - Submission
*No approval, no release
*No control
*Bottleneck at peak times
*Can be bumped up/down
*Underwrite to get approval for large publishers
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Master - Release
*Game goes in a box/online
*That’s it!
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Dev. Phases - Expanded
*Pre-Alpha
*Alpha
*Pre-Beta
*Beta
*Optional: F&F, Closed, Open
*Master
*Pre-Submission
*Submission 1
*Submission 2
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Release Phases
Manufacture Distribution Retail
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Manufacture
*Physical Media duplication
*DVD, Bluray – Sony DADC
*Cartridges
*Batch sizes
*Printed Media duplication
*Manuals, Box artwork
*Packaging
*DVD cases, Gift boxes
*Assembly
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Distribution
*Delivery of parts to assembly
*Final delivery to store
*Pre-Orders: Delivery from store to home
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Release Phases
*Manufacture
*DVD/Bluray: 1-2 week
*Distribution
*To retail: 2-3 days
Manufacture Distribution Retail
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Post-Release
*Ongoing marketing support
*Mothballing
*DLC
*Maintenance
*Patches
*Online Support
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Summary
Production
Dev. Post Productio
nRelease
Quality Assurance
Marketing
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© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin
*Twitter: @gamelinchpin