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Game Prodution

Game production is a beast, coordinating a team of creatives to adhere to schedules and meet deadlines is not an easy task. In my opinion understanding your team and establishing effective organizational and communication systems are crucial for ensuring a smooth production workflow.

Organization

Starting with pre-production, there are a few critical elements a game studio needs: an organizational system, a
game design document (GDD), and defined milestones. For organization I use:

  • Confluence: This is where all our major production documents live, including:

    • Game Design Document

    • Art Design Document

    • Coding Structure Document

    • Audio Design Documents

    • Meeting Notes

  • Jira: This tool is used to organize our sprints.

    • Tasks are assigned as issues and story points.

    • Sprints start and end on a bi-weekly basis.

  • Google Drive: This is where all assets live, along with less strict documents and anything that can't be housed
    in the confluence

  • Discord: main communication hub, focused channels include:

    • Announcements

    • Programming

    • Art

    • Design

    • Off-Topic​

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DiscordA.jpg
Game Design Document

On the game I'm currently producing, Sillypolitik, the game design document (GDD) was created by our Team Lead and one of our designers. They handled everything except the rules and guidelines section, which is required by the class we are participating in. I had originally drafted a contract, but since this section is mandatory and everyone has to sign it, I condensed the important parts of the contract into the GDD. This might not be industry standard, but it works for our team!

The content I added to the GDD includes:

  • If a team member quits or is fired:

    • What happens to their work

    • What happens to any monetary benefits

  • If a team member isn't doing their work:

    • This applies if a sprint task is not completed and the producer did not know it was not going to be completed

  • If a team member cannot finish their work by the end of the sprint:

    • This happens if a team member notifies the team lead before the end of the sprint

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The finalized GDD is now a comprehensive resource for the entire team, serving as an essential tool to ensure the game remains on scope and adheres to the intended theme.

Milestones

Before the semester started, I created a rough outline for everything my team aims to accomplish this semester. Key points from this outline include developing a new level every two weeks, each featuring programming, art, music, and sound effects. Our plan is to complete all new content by mid-March, leaving about a month for bug fixing, creating any additional assets (whether art or music), polishing, and making any last-minute quality of life changes before Fractal.

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Fractal is Purdue University's showcase for projects and work created by CGT students. Our main goal for this game is to have it complete and shippable for this showcase.

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Now that almost everything is set up, it's time to make a game!​

Communication

Once we hit the ground running, it's important to ensure the team is productive and feels good about their work!

​Effective communication can take several forms:

  • All-Hands Meetings:

    • We go over an agenda and discuss any important matters that the whole group needs to hear.

  • Individual Check-Ins:

    • These can take the form of one-on-one meetings during class or individual messages on Fridays to check in with each team member.

  • Announcements in Discord:

    • Used for sharing any important information that team members need to know immediately.

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With communication in place, we can now focus on the day-to-day process of keeping the game on track.​

The Day to Day

During the week, there is a lot to get done, so I always ensure to hit these marks:

  • Check in with the team lead

  • Conduct individual check-ins (in class and on Discord)

  • Update meeting notes

  • Update the Jira backlog

  • Start or Make the next sprint

  • Discuss current and future sprint tasks

  • Make sure everyone is on the same page

  • Be a rubber duck

    • Listen and help problem solve any issues

​

Daily Tasks

On a daily basis, I:

  • Check Jira for updates and progress

  • Check Discord and respond to messages

  • Check Brightspace (class hub) for any updates

​

By consistently hitting these marks throughout the week and staying on top of daily tasks, I ensure the team remains aligned and productive, driving the project forward effectively.​

JiraBacklog.jpg
Any Thing Else?

Things pop up all the time, from in-class presentations to paperwork. I always make myself available for all classwork that can be considered group work. Since these tasks don't happen regularly, I wouldn't count them in the day-to-day or week-to-week activities. Here are some of the miscellaneous tasks I handled as a producer:

  • Created a document outlining each sprint's goals by department

  • Developed most of the presentation outlines

  • Managed social media with the help of our Team Lead

Overall, being a producer is an incredibly rewarding experience. I cherish all the small moments, like seeing a programmer's eyes light up when they squash a bug, witnessing the art evolve from the white box stage to the final vision, and feeling the enthusiasm and passion each team member has for making games. I couldn't be a producer without them, and supporting them is my favorite part of the job. Organization takes a close second!

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