Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
In addition to showing the basic areas that are being developed for the game,
the designer can select areas to develop in greater detail. In Figure 3.8, the main
pathway has been mapped out; even in this early phase of development, the
designer has already designated an area for a mysterious phone-calling game,
indicated how to fix the broken elevator game, and shown that timed puzzles
will take place in the offices. One of the reasons it's so important to map out
these things is because frequently during this kind of gameplay, the player must
go back to a previous location to obtain another clue or complete another task,
and this lets the designer know how fluid those transitions can be.
audio Requirements
Most games have musical scores, recorded dialogue,
sound effects for weapons, monster sounds, clicking buttons on interfaces,
ambient sounds, and so on. In your initial overview, you need to account for
what audio the project needs. Chapter 8, “Sound,” describes in greater detail
how various kinds of audio are made.
schedules
Begin to map out timelines for creating, completing, and delivering
art, animation, audio, code, and so on. Each department will have its own time-
line that needs to mesh with all the other timelines. For example, if the code
writers need to work with specific completed animations, then write the delivery
dates for animation to know when they must provide those assets. As the game
goes further into production, some departments will need more time; others
will be finished more quickly. You can adjust the delivery schedules as the proj-
ect progresses and pieces are completed or excised from the game.
Writing the game doc can be the most arduous part of the process; however,
unless a clear guide outlines what needs to be done, the game can quickly become
overwhelming if the people working on the project don't have a solid understand-
ing of what they're supposed to be doing.
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Game docs are large projects to undertake, but their importance can't be
overstated. This doc spells out what each person on the project needs to be
doing and helps to provide timeframes for work to be done. At the same time,
it remains fluid; as the project gets deeper into production, the designer may
still opt to change part of the game, and the game doc is where all those
changes are catalogued.
