The Post-Production Cycle - Game Software Project Management

*Video Game Post-Production

© Simeon Pashley 2010. All rights reservedTwitter: @gamelinchpin


*Phases

Production

Dev. Post Productio

nRelease

Quality Assurance

Marketing


*Quality Assurance

*Testing game

*Why?

*Ensure expectations are met

*When?

*Continuously

*Who?

*Automated

*Developers

*Sponsors

* Internal QA

*External QA

*Publisher QA

*1st Party QA


*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”


*Development Phases

Production Alpha Beta Maste

r


*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


*Development Phases

*Example: MMO

*Alpha – 12 weeks

*Beta – 36 weeks

*Master – 6 weeks


*Example: iOS

*Alpha – 2 weeks

*Beta – 2 weeks

*Master – 2 weeks


*Development Phases

*Christmas Release

*Alpha – mid June

*Beta – end of August

*Master – end of October



*Alpha - Definition

*Feature Complete

*Placeholder Art

*Design complete

*All features are playable but require polish

*No New Features After This Point!


*Alpha - Work

*Internal testing

*Fixing Bugs

*Optimisation

*Polishing Features

*“Lazy” features

*Sound

*UI

*FMV

*Non-English languages


*Beta - Definition

*Game is playable end-to-end

*No blocking bugs

*Code Freeze

*Multi-player

*F&F Beta

*Closed Beta

*Open Beta


*Beta - Work

*External Testing

*Fixing Bugs Only

*Optimisation

*Installers/Bundles

*Polishing Features

*Writing manual

*Closing out box artwork

*Compliance Fixes

*Compatibility Fixes


*Master - Definition

*Game is ready for submission or release

*Bug free

*No A’s or B’s


*Master - Submission

*Submission to 3rd party

*Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Steam

*Ratings boards

*PEGI (Europe), ESRB(USA),USK (German), CERO(Japan), ACB (Australia)



Sub1 fix Sub2 Master



*Typically 2 weeks in, 1 week out

*Complete blackbox

*Large 1st party test teams

*Bugs are scored, high scores fail

*Typically, 2 attempts only



*No approval, no release

*No control

*Bottleneck at peak times

*Can be bumped up/down

*Underwrite to get approval for large publishers


*Master - Release

*Game goes in a box/online

*That’s it!


*Dev. Phases - Expanded

*Pre-Alpha

*Alpha

*Pre-Beta

*Beta

*Optional: F&F, Closed, Open

*Master

*Pre-Submission

*Submission 1

*Submission 2


*Release Phases

Manufacture Distribution Retail


*Manufacture

*Physical Media duplication

*DVD, Bluray – Sony DADC

*Cartridges

*Batch sizes

*Printed Media duplication

*Manuals, Box artwork

*Packaging

*DVD cases, Gift boxes

*Assembly


*Distribution

*Delivery of parts to assembly

*Final delivery to store

*Pre-Orders: Delivery from store to home


*Release Phases

*Manufacture

*DVD/Bluray: 1-2 week

*Distribution

*To retail: 2-3 days

Manufacture Distribution Retail


*Post-Release

*Ongoing marketing support

*Mothballing

*DLC

*Maintenance

*Patches

*Online Support


*Summary

Production

Dev. Post Productio

nRelease

Quality Assurance

Marketing


*Twitter: @gamelinchpin

Business

The Post-Production Cycle - Game Software Project Management