A Framework for Game Production
Reducing the Cone of Uncertainty
1st Edition
Published on 31. December 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
408 pages
978-0-415-72911-6 (ISBN)
Description
Making Games: A framework, is a book not about what a producer is or does, nor about how you properly manage people. It is more of a "How to cook without a book," book. One which can be used by producers, designers, engineers and artists alike. This book outlines a modern framework for making a game, which prioritizes "gameplay first" prototyping strategies over the antiquated methods of generating large GDD and TDD documentation before teams have even made a single prototype.
Each chapter defines a phase of production and then dives into the key questions that need to be answered during each phase such as such as "Is it fun?" and "Does the market want it?", arguing that if you cannot answer those questions, then your project isn't where you think it is.
The book covers the key elements of what makes a game "fun" on any platform, and highlights the unique era we are in with free-to-play innovations taking the stage.
Making Games: A Framework, is a book that every role on a project should read, so that teams can produce quality games together with anticipation of what comes next-facing it with confidence and affirmation that they've followed the wisest path to launch, no matter what the metacritic score says.
Each chapter defines a phase of production and then dives into the key questions that need to be answered during each phase such as such as "Is it fun?" and "Does the market want it?", arguing that if you cannot answer those questions, then your project isn't where you think it is.
The book covers the key elements of what makes a game "fun" on any platform, and highlights the unique era we are in with free-to-play innovations taking the stage.
Making Games: A Framework, is a book that every role on a project should read, so that teams can produce quality games together with anticipation of what comes next-facing it with confidence and affirmation that they've followed the wisest path to launch, no matter what the metacritic score says.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Professional Practice & Development
Illustrations
250 Farbfotos bzw. farbige Rasterbilder, 50 farbige Zeichnungen, 100 farbige Tabellen, 150 farbige Abbildungen
100 Tables, color; 50 Line drawings, color; 250 Halftones, color; 150 Illustrations, color
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 191 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-415-72911-6 (9780415729116)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Chapter Outline
Foreward
Introduction
Goals
Background
History
A framework for game development
The GDF
What is the GDF?
Philosophy
Cone of Uncertainty
What's in a Gate?
What's in a Phase?
What's in a milestone?
Managing a milestone
Key owners
Dev team
Pub & marketing team
Company objectives
Production philosophies
Waterfall
Agile
Documentation
Schedule Practice and Planning
Milestone Documents
Milestone Projection
Milestone Report
Milestone Feedback
Phase/Gate Documentation
Concept Presentation
Focus Test Documents
Product Pitch Documentation
Concept Phase
Key Questions:
What's the game?
What might it cost?
What does the market predict?
Does it meet company objectives?
Ideation
The "Adjacent Possible"
Research & Inspiration
What's the game?
Game Pitch
Who is your audience?
Deliverable
Finding your Core
The X
The Pillars
Creative Profile
Art Vision
Technology Strategy
Risk Analysis
Team
What's it cost?
Budget
Staffing Plan
Estimated Launch Window
What's the market want?
Competitive Analysis
Trend Analysis
Market Analysis Data
How do you make money?
Revenue Range Estimates
Final Analysis: Does it meet company goals?
Prototype Phase
Key Questions:
Will it be fun?
How big is it? Can we make it?
What might it cost?
Does the market want it?
Is it competitive?
Does it monetize effectively, sufficiently and legally?
What is a prototype?
Prototype functions
Will it be fun?
The definition of fun
Compulsion loops
Short term compulsion loops
Long term compulsion loops
The Dopamine Response
Four easy pieces: Action, Goal, Obstacle, Reward
Action
Goal
Obstacle
Reward
How big is it? Can we make it?
GDD
TDD
Risk Analysis (updated)
Milestone Plan
What might it cost?
Budget
Staffing Plan
Launch date target
Does the market want it (still)?
Focus tests
Is it competitive?
Updated market analysis
Does it monetize?
Pre-production Phase
Key questions:
Is the game proven to be fun?
Can we still make it?
What will it cost?
Does the market still want it?
What's our long term plan?
What's the opportunity cost?
Is the game proven to be fun?
Horizontal or Vertical Slices
Can we still make it?
Game scope plan
Milestone plan
What will it cost?
Budget
Staffing Plan
Launch window
Does the market still want it?
Focus testing
What's our long term plan?
P&L forecast
Franchise Plan
Marketing Plan
Publishing Plan
Opportunity cost?
Production & Closing
Making the game!
Outsourcing Process
Localization
Closing for console
Alpha
Beta
Release Candidate
Gold!
Closing for a live service game
Alpha
Closed Beta 1
Closed Beta 2
Launching the Game (as a service)
Open Beta
Scale
Location
How do you know when it's ready?
Community Management
User retention?
Metrics
Marketing
Marketing trends
Cultural phenomenon
Marketing tools
Search engine keywords
Search engine optimizations
Incentive-based marketing
Content marketing
Clicks, Impressions and Installs
Looking Ahead (conclusions)
Appendix
Glossary
Foreward
Introduction
Goals
Background
History
A framework for game development
The GDF
What is the GDF?
Philosophy
Cone of Uncertainty
What's in a Gate?
What's in a Phase?
What's in a milestone?
Managing a milestone
Key owners
Dev team
Pub & marketing team
Company objectives
Production philosophies
Waterfall
Agile
Documentation
Schedule Practice and Planning
Milestone Documents
Milestone Projection
Milestone Report
Milestone Feedback
Phase/Gate Documentation
Concept Presentation
Focus Test Documents
Product Pitch Documentation
Concept Phase
Key Questions:
What's the game?
What might it cost?
What does the market predict?
Does it meet company objectives?
Ideation
The "Adjacent Possible"
Research & Inspiration
What's the game?
Game Pitch
Who is your audience?
Deliverable
Finding your Core
The X
The Pillars
Creative Profile
Art Vision
Technology Strategy
Risk Analysis
Team
What's it cost?
Budget
Staffing Plan
Estimated Launch Window
What's the market want?
Competitive Analysis
Trend Analysis
Market Analysis Data
How do you make money?
Revenue Range Estimates
Final Analysis: Does it meet company goals?
Prototype Phase
Key Questions:
Will it be fun?
How big is it? Can we make it?
What might it cost?
Does the market want it?
Is it competitive?
Does it monetize effectively, sufficiently and legally?
What is a prototype?
Prototype functions
Will it be fun?
The definition of fun
Compulsion loops
Short term compulsion loops
Long term compulsion loops
The Dopamine Response
Four easy pieces: Action, Goal, Obstacle, Reward
Action
Goal
Obstacle
Reward
How big is it? Can we make it?
GDD
TDD
Risk Analysis (updated)
Milestone Plan
What might it cost?
Budget
Staffing Plan
Launch date target
Does the market want it (still)?
Focus tests
Is it competitive?
Updated market analysis
Does it monetize?
Pre-production Phase
Key questions:
Is the game proven to be fun?
Can we still make it?
What will it cost?
Does the market still want it?
What's our long term plan?
What's the opportunity cost?
Is the game proven to be fun?
Horizontal or Vertical Slices
Can we still make it?
Game scope plan
Milestone plan
What will it cost?
Budget
Staffing Plan
Launch window
Does the market still want it?
Focus testing
What's our long term plan?
P&L forecast
Franchise Plan
Marketing Plan
Publishing Plan
Opportunity cost?
Production & Closing
Making the game!
Outsourcing Process
Localization
Closing for console
Alpha
Beta
Release Candidate
Gold!
Closing for a live service game
Alpha
Closed Beta 1
Closed Beta 2
Launching the Game (as a service)
Open Beta
Scale
Location
How do you know when it's ready?
Community Management
User retention?
Metrics
Marketing
Marketing trends
Cultural phenomenon
Marketing tools
Search engine keywords
Search engine optimizations
Incentive-based marketing
Content marketing
Clicks, Impressions and Installs
Looking Ahead (conclusions)
Appendix
Glossary