Games have been a popular source of entertainment for humans since time immemorial. In the past, gamers had to meet physically to enjoy their favorite games. However, technological innovations such as the internet and improved hardware designs have dramatically changed the gaming landscape.
For instance, you can enjoy your favorite game with your buddies without leaving the house. The number of games and gaming platforms has also increased, meaning finding a suitable game for your needs can be overwhelming. In such instances, tools such as the casino guides brought to you by Maple, will help you get your best option faster. In the meantime, do you know how your favorite game is developed?
Top-rated game developers use different approaches to create games. However, there are general stages each game must go through during the development stages. Let’s break them down:
Planning
During the planning stage, the development team must ask themselves the following questions:
- What type of video game are they creating?
- Is the game 2D or 3D?
- What key features must the game have?
- What characters will the game have?
- Where and when does the game take place?
- From which platform will the game be played?
- Who is the target audience?
Pre-Production
During this stage, the development team brainstorms how to put together the ideas generated during the planning phase. The different departments involved collaborate to create a scope for the video game.
From here, the team will prototype environments, characters, interfaces, and other in-game elements. At this moment, the team is trying to find out what they can work with before moving on to the next phase.
Production
This is a more involving phase than the others. During production, the following activities take place:
- The team designs, renders and iterates character models to look as they would in the story.
- The audio design team works to ensure sound effects are authentic.
- Level designers create dynamic environments that offer immersive playstyles.
- Voice actors read the scripts repeatedly to get the right tone, timing, and emotion.
- Developers write code to piece together each piece of in-game content.
- The project lead will establish milestones and sprint schedules to ensure each department is accountable.
Testing
At this stage, each mechanic and feature of the game is tested for quality control. The playtester tests the following:
- Does the code have any bugs?
- Is everything rendering on the screen?
- Can a character walk through a locked environment or wall?
- Are there features one can use to exploit the game?
- Is the character dialogue boring and stale?
Pre-Launch
This is usually a challenging time for gaming studios. At this point, the team wonders how their game will be received. However, before the game’s Beta copy is released, the studio must do some marketing.
This is usually in the form of a hype video mixed with cinematics and sample gameplay to drive attention. The studio can also book a spot at one of the major gaming conventions to offer an exclusive game preview.
Launch
Before the launch, the team works hard to fix bugs and polish the game as much as possible before it is officially launched. They also polish any other game features to make it more immersive.
Post-Launch
It is common for games to be launched with batches of minor bugs. The first few months after the launch are spent identifying and fixing bugs. The studios also rely on games to offer reports about bugs in online forums.
Additionally, the studio must provide regular software updates for the game. For instance, it is common for top-rated studios to release fresh content during post-launch to increase the game’s replay value and appeal.
