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Mastering Game Design: Effective Workflow and Production Strategies

Discover essential insights into game production and level design workflows in this informative presentation. Learn about the importance of having a solid plan, budget, and timeline, while avoiding common pitfalls like red tape and delays. Explore the various phases of production, from concept to playtesting, fostering team collaboration and specialization. This resource emphasizes the significance of clear goals and defined processes in achieving successful game development. Download the presentations and enjoy a wealth of knowledge to enhance your game design skills!

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Mastering Game Design: Effective Workflow and Production Strategies

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  1. Please Note There is a ton of useful information in the notes of these presentations. Please download these presentations and enjoy them in MS PowerPoint locally. Thanks!

  2. Production • The thrilling world of workflow

  3. When is production? • When you’ve got: • A plan/GDD • A budget • A prototype/VS • A timeline • Tools • Fun!

  4. Level Design

  5. Workflow/Pipeline Image courtesy of rickz

  6. Why Bother? • Who wants red tape? • Save time • Avoid frustration • Control iteration • Manage budget • Avoid crunch, delays

  7. The Frontlines Pipeline

  8. The Handoff

  9. The phases • Phase 0: it exists • Phase 1: it’s got stuff in it • Phase 2: even more stuff! • Phase 3: The GM says it’s done • Not all bad: as a designer, it’s kind of fun!

  10. Why did it happen?

  11. Our current process

  12. Stages • Contain steps • Time boxed • Clear deliverables • Approvers • Responsibilities

  13. What is locked?

  14. The Process • Research & Concept • Blockout & test • Iteration & Vetting • Refinement & Playtesting • Optimization, Art content, bug fixing

  15. A less crazy document

  16. How’s it going? • - Time estimates off • + collaboration improved • + No cut maps

  17. Key Ingredients • Unambiguous goals • Defined stages • Established approvers • “The courage to be clear” • It’s not about feelings

  18. Single player process Image courtesy of max_westby

  19. Process breakdown

  20. The Swarm

  21. Positives • Focus • Team work • Coherency • Specialization

  22. How do we do it? • Unreal – architected for sharing

  23. Submaps

  24. The tangled web

  25. Map Lead • Produces known-good builds • Insures seamless linking between sections • Handles save/load issues

  26. Drawbacks • Loss of mission ownership • Technically challenging

  27. Will it work for you? • Does it fit your game? • Can your tools support it? • Will it work for the developers?

  28. How’s about Fallout 3? • Take it Joel

  29. What Came Before? 55 Ayleid Ruins 57 Imperial Forts 24 Mines 09 Sewers 19 Oblivion Realms 91 Caves . 255 Dungeons Oblivion Dungeons 1 Dungeon Art Lead 4 Dungeon Artists 3 Level Designers (late) 8 Busy Individuals Oblivion Staff

  30. How do 8 people build 255 dungeons/levels? • Build Kits in 3ds Max • Clutter/Light/FX “Warehouse” • Layout & Populate • Ship it!* • *Some exceptions may apply • Major Locations Got More Love

  31. What Now? 13 Metro Tunnels 12 DC Neighborhoods 26 Office Buildings 06 Vaults 15 Other 8 Caves 68 “Z” Cells . 148 LD Locations Fallout 3 Spaces Fallout3 Staff 6 Level Designers (peak) 4 Environment Artists

  32. Fallout 3 LD Workflow • Iterative Passes, Formal Collaboration • Pass 1: Basic Layout • Pass 2: Refine, Populate, Script • Art Pass: Lighting, Detail Clutter • Pass 3: Polish for Ship • Pass 4: Bonus Polish Time • 1-5 Days per pass, depending on Size • Passes Scheduled to match dependency • Shared ownership, one party accountable

  33. In Conclusion • Production is hard • Develop a pipeline • Communicate concrete goals • Stay flexible

  34. Contact • forrest.dowling@kaosstudios.com • @stuckbug

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