Pre-production is the most important stage of the game development process. It is at this stage that the qualitative “foundation” of the game is laid, so every detail is important. Accordingly, the stage can also be divided into seven sub-stages, each of which should end with a decision on one of the game development factors.
7 Stages of Game Development
Like any other project, game production begins with brainstorming, the goal of which is to develop an idea. This stage will require the smallest possible team, which includes:
- A producer;
- Programmers;
- Concept artists.
It is this team that eventually creates a prototype of the game, which will be further transferred to production. The creation of design documentation for the game also happens at this stage. These documents contain the most detailed description of each of the game’s elements.
In other words, the process of creating the game begins long before its production. At the planning stage, in addition to the composition of the development team, it is necessary to determine:
- How long the game development process will take?
- What will be the economic progress of the game?
- What will be the budget of the game?
Once done, it’s easier for the developer to evaluate the available resources to create the game, and, if necessary, to attract the missing resources from outside. For example, some of the processes can be outsourced already at the production stage.
Core Concept
In order to create a game that will bring popularity to your brand and provide successful monetization, you should first answer the following basic questions:
- What is the target audience for the game?
- What type of video game will be created?
- Will 2D or 3D technology be used for the game?
- What functions will the game perform?
- Who are the main characters of the game?
- Where and when does the action of the game take place?
- What platform will the game be created on?
Such analysis creates an extremely precise idea of the game concept for publishers. A ready concept also includes a map of the game that implies a kind of “layout” involving the visualization of the landscape in which the game is set.
It’s also necessary to think in advance about how the game will be monetized. For this, you need to do some research and answer the following questions:
- What is the approximate development cost (including further editions of the game)?
- Does the development team have all the necessary technical capabilities to create the game?
- Will the game need a new engine or can the existing one be used?
- Will it be enough to create a game with the team’s capabilities?
- Will you need to invite third-party actors to voice your game characters?
- What is the approximate launch date of the game?
The results of your research will later be displayed in the game’s design documentation.
Prove The Demand
It’s not just about making a great game; it’s also about making a profit. And that means everyone involved needs to be confident in its potential success, from the development team to the publisher. This is especially crucial for startup owners who may face additional scrutiny and doubt from publishers about the game’s appeal to the target audience.
Remember, it’s not just about creating a masterpiece; it’s about making sure it sells and gets the recognition it deserves.
You should pay close attention to the pre-production stage. Don’t forget that your game is not only an intellectual product but also a commercial one. To make sure that the publisher believes in its value, you will need to provide them with a marketing test.
Such a test should include:
- A display ad campaign to track the reaction of the target audience;
- Key engagement indicators;
- Statistics on the geography of the game’s users;
- Monetization method.
You can also analyze similar games on Steamspy, Steam, or Kickstarter to get some inspiration.
Figure Out Game Progressions
Once you have completed the marketing test, it’s time to focus on the game’s progression. At this stage, the designer should describe:
- The gameplay;
- Game mechanics;
- The economy for each of the cycles.
This information will help the game development team to provide the publisher with the most complete picture of how the new game mechanics will be introduced and what the finished gameplay will look like.
Create Game Prototype
Once you have a game concept, it’s time to bring it to life with a prototype. This demo version serves as a crucial tool to test the concept and identify any potential errors before the game is published.
The prototype has several essential tasks:
- Testing the game experience;
- Testing basic gameplay features;
- Testing all gameplay elements;
- Ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience.
At this stage, all members of the development team work together to create the prototype, including artists, designers, engineers, and idea authors. This collaboration brings your game concept to life and answers the question, “How exactly will our idea work?”.
Using a prototype is critical to test each component of the concept in practice. Its success directly impacts the future success of the game and its ability to monetize effectively after the demo is published.
Get Your Team Together
It’s time to assemble your dream team and get cracking.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Figure out who will be responsible for what;
- Make sure everyone knows their job and what’s expected of them.
This step is crucial for setting up a solid project management pipeline. That means having a system in place for organizing all the tasks, deadlines, and team members involved in the game’s production.
You can use a Kanban board to keep track of everything, or a list sorted by deadline, team member, and level of completion. You might even want to create a Gantt chart to visualize the timeline for each stage of development.
With all these tools at your disposal, you can stay on top of the project and make sure everyone’s pulling their weight.
Set Project Timeline and Iterations
Preparing for game production can be an overwhelming and exhausting experience. The team must ensure that they meet the final production deadline, even with changes that may occur along the way.
The pre-production process is particularly challenging as it involves:
- Mandatory testing of each stage requiring iterations of the project; Executing each stage while monitoring the results;
- Correcting the next stages of production (if necessary);
- Continuous testing to ensure the high quality of all elements of the game;
- Identifying conflicts between the concept and implementation of its components;
- Conducting accurate quality assessments for each stage of game creation.
It can be a rollercoaster of emotions, from the excitement of starting a new project to the stress of meeting the deadline, but a detailed timeline can help the team stay on track and reduce the risk of additional costs for troubleshooting.
Such a tool is especially important at the early stages of game creation, as it reduces the risk of additional costs for troubleshooting. This is where the emphasis is on detailing the non-essential and time-consuming elements of the game.
A project timeline is like an ultimate compass that guides you toward the successful creation of your game. It’s an invaluable tool that ensures you stay on track and meet your deadlines.
With a clear and comprehensive timeline, you can
- Gain a bird’s eye view of all the necessary steps and tasks required to bring your vision to life;
- Easily prioritize and manage your time with maximum efficiency.
Create Documentation
You will also need to provide the publisher with the game design documentation, which includes a game design document, also known as “GDD.” It’s essentially a voluminous business plan that should include:
- The concept of the game;
- The genre of the game;
- Timeline;
- Illustrations or sketches;
- Descriptions and sketches of the game’s characters;
- UX infographics by user flows;
- The principle of design customization;
- What the design of the metagame will look like.
Since the pre-production process involves the ability to make changes to any of the elements of the game concept, the GDD will be updated on a regular basis and necessary changes will be made.
This is essentially the main design document in all stages of video game development:
- Concept creation;
- Production;
- Post-production.
At the Pre-Production stage, GDD is a roadmap that will help understand the whole situation clearly. In fact, this document helps the development team to fix their goals, and then, if necessary, adjust them. It also serves as a business plan for investors and publishers of the game at the stage of launching the demo version on the market.
Also, when preparing the project documentation for the game, it’s crucial to include various key documents that will help ensure the success of the project. These documents should include:
- A project document that not only outlines the technical features of the game but also its “soul” or essence;
- Documents for game production that include crucial information such as time management charts like Gantt or PERT, a task database, budget table, technical specifications for all game components, and a Q/A database.
These documents are the result of a collaborative effort by the entire development team, and their first iteration should contain important information such as:
- A game description that provides a brief summary of the game, its theme, genre, and other features;
- Detailed information about game elements, including a comprehensive description of the game’s features, controls, and each of its game modes;
- The life cycle of the game, which should include a prototype and the engine that will be used to produce the game, particularly during the transition to game production.
All of these documents are incredibly important for the success of the project, so it’s crucial to ensure they are well-prepared and regularly updated throughout the development process.
Creating project documentation may seem like a daunting task that takes up a lot of time and effort, but it’s an essential part of the pre-production stage that you simply cannot skip. It’s not just for impressing investors, it’s a crucial tool for the development team.
Think of it as your trusty roadmap to success that helps you set and achieve your goals, while also allowing you to monitor progress along the way. And that’s not all – having a well-crafted project document fosters seamless collaboration among team members, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.
How Long Is The Pre-Production Stage?
The pre-production stage is a crucial part of game development that can take up to 20% of the entire project duration, but it’s definitely worth it.
Commercial game development projects usually involve strict guidelines and specific time milestones that must be met to satisfy the publisher’s demands. Each component of the pre-production stage may require a different length of time.
Creating a prototype, for instance, can take only 1-2 days once you’ve conducted all the necessary research and created a concept. Since it’s just a working tool used to identify problems and find solutions, it doesn’t need to look pretty.
The duration of your work will depend on a few essential components:
- Game type: whether it’s for mobile or other platforms, it can affect the whole cycle, taking up to six months;
- Game genre: different genres require different attention to detail, so the pre-production process may vary;
- Game scale: the size of the project will affect the amount of time and resources required;
- Game platform type: each platform comes with its own set of requirements, which can affect the duration of the project.
Remember, it’s better to spend more time on the pre-production stage to avoid costly mistakes that can ruin the entire production process.
Bottom Line
The pre-production stage is the heart and soul of game development. It’s the foundation on which the entire success of the project rests. Without thorough planning and preparation, the production process can quickly become a nightmare.
During this stage, the team engages in creative brainstorming to create a compelling game concept that will captivate players. A comprehensive market analysis is also conducted to gauge the viability of the game, ensuring that it’s not just a creative masterpiece but also a profitable venture.
The result of this stage is the creation of a prototype of the game and a package of design documents. The most important of which is the Game Design Document (GDD), a comprehensive business plan that serves as a roadmap for the development team and a crucial tool for persuading potential investors.
Remember, the pre-production stage is not to be rushed. It’s worth investing the time and effort to ensure the success of the entire project.