Game Production Cookbook

10 Recipes to Speed Up Your Game Production

(And Now a Bonus Recipe for Fast Food)
3nd dition ! Septem"er 1#t$% #00&
www'GameProducer'net
Table of Contents
I - Prepare Your Meal...................................................................................... 4
II - Start With a Breakfast First........................................................................ 5
III - Shop for the Right Ingredients.................................................................. 6
I - !et Rid of Bad Ingredients....................................................................... "
- #t So$e Point% You !otta Start &ooking................................................... '
I - (aste it)................................................................................................... *+
II - ,ea-e Setting the (a.le to the /nd....................................................... **
III - (he &hef !otta .e Read0 to 1o So$e &ooking.................................. *2
I3 - #-oid the #.solutel0 Biggest Mistake in !a$e Produ4tion.................... *5
3 - (he Most I$portant Ingredient In the Produ4tion ................................... *4
3I - Bonus Re4ipe6 Fast Food....................................................................... *5
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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Forewords
+e,,o and t$an) -ou for -our interest re*ardin* t$is s$ort e"oo)' As wit$
e.er-t$in* / sa- / tr- to remind t$at t$e ideas / present are on,- m- persona,
opinions% and / rea,,- encoura*e -ou to 0uestion e.er-t$in* / sa-' /1m simp,-
te,,in* -ou t$e ,essons /1.e ,earned and t$e ,essons t$at /1.e "enefited from' /f
somet$in* doesn1t fee, ri*$t to -ou% fee, free to disa*ree wit$ me' / $a.e used
m- "est )now,ed*e to ensure t$at t$e information is correct% "ut -ou it1s up to
-ou $ow to use t$is information and w$et$er it wor)s for -ou' /f -ou are not
certain a"out some tips% t$en / recommend *ettin* some additiona,
information "efore ta)in* action' / won1t ta)e responsi"i,it- on w$at $appens
if -ou use m- tips ! t$e responsi"i,it- ,ies on -our s$ou,ders'
2a)e w$at -ou need% and ,ea.e t$e rest'
n3o- t$e coo)"oo)%
4uuso
P'S' /f -ou $a.e some comments or feed"ac) re*ardin* t$e "oo)% or if -ou
simp,- want to sa- somet$in* to me% t$en t$e easiest wa- to reac$ me wou,d
"e t$rou*$ m- we"site'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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I - Prepare Your Meal
Preparin* -our 5mea,5 is necessar- for speedin* up -our *ame production' /n
t$e past /1.e sometimes rus$ed too $asti,- in t$e actua, de.e,opment% w$en /
s$ou,d $a.e done some preparin* first'
6$at / mean "- preparin* cou,d simp,- "e7
2$in) a"out t$e too,s or *ame en*ine -ou wi,, need
2$in) a"out t$e resources 8 time -ou need for t$e pro3ect
P,an networ) codin* (read 8 ,earn) "efore actua,,- writin* code for it
2$ere are numerous t$in*s t$at cou,d "e prepared' Proper too,s and some
)ind of a mode, for w$at -ou wi,, need is *ood to $a.e' A .er- practica,
e9amp,e a"out p,annin* cou,d "e w$at / did wit$ t$e mu,tip,a-er networ)
code for doi)i *ame7 / searc$ed for materia, on $ow ot$er *ame studios $ad
done t$e networ) code% ,earned from t$eir mode,s and found a suita",e
mode, for m-se,f' /f / wou,dn1t $a.e done t$is% / mi*$t $a.e rus$ed into
codin* t$e networ) code% wit$out actua,,- )nowin* a,most not$in* a"out it'
/t1s *ood to prepare -our pro3ect'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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II - Start With a Breakfast First
/f -ou $a.en1t finis$ed *ames "efore% t$en / rea,,- recommend startin* sma,,
first' ;oin* a <=; pro3ect or doin* a fast *ame in a wee) are *reat wa-s to
*et )now,ed*e a"out ma)in* *ames' Startin* a $u*e pro3ect and $a.in* $u*e
p,ans is .er- ,i)e,- *oin* to end up wit$ ,ots of p,annin*% "ut ,itt,e e9ecution'
For new de.e,opers% / stron*,- recommend to pic) a sma,, pro3ect first and
comp,etin* it' After -ou *et some e9perience on finis$in* somet$in* sma,,%
-ou wi,, $a.e a "etter understandin* $ow ,on* it wou,d ta)e to finis$
somet$in* "i**er'
<ore e9perienced de.e,opers mi*$t consider "rea)in* t$e pro3ect into
sma,,er pieces% and finis$in* t$e *ame in sma,, parts ! instead of t$in)in* it as
one "i* pi,e of wor)'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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III - Shop for the Right Ingredients
3rd part- too,s' 2$ere are a ,ot of wor) a,read- done% so -ou don1t need to do
t$em' 2$ere are e9istin* networ)in* ,i"raries' 2$ere are ,ots of read- made
en*ines for different needs'
Here's how you can start creating 3D games
6$en / first started ima*inin* a"out ma)in* 3; *ames / *ot t$e impression
t$at / wou,d need to do e.er-t$in* "- m-se,f' / $ad read from *ame
ma*a?ines t$at AAA studios were doin* t$e *ame en*ines "- t$emse,.es% so
/ natura,,- t$ou*$t / wou,d a,so need to create m- own en*ine'
<an / was wron*'
/t wasn1t unti, ma-"e ,i)e > -ears ,ater w$en / first $eard t$at t$ere1s a
simp,er so,ution for creatin* 3; *ames' / $ad tried pro*rammin* in @isua,
Basic% and ,ater $eard a"out 3; *ame ma)in* software' /t didn1t ta)e me
more t$an coup,e of $ours to *et m- first 3; c$aracter on t$e screen ! and /
was ama?ed' A,, t$at time / $ad t$ou*$t / need to do e.er-t$in* "- m-se,f'
2oda- / )now a"so,ute,- not$in* a"out ;irectA or =penGB pro*rammin*%
and fran),- / don1t need to' / $a.e simp,- "ou*$t software done "- ot$ers%
and /1.e mana*ed to do create 3; *ames wit$out t$at )now,ed*e'
2$e "ottom ,ine is7 You don1t need to do e.er-t$in* "- -ourse,f'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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No matter if -ou are ma)in* #; or 3; *ames% an FPS or an R2S *ame% t$ere1s
some"od- w$o $as a,read- done ,ots of *ood stuff for -ou to use'
Some additional resources
/nstead of tr-in* to re!in.ent t$e w$ee,% / warm,- recommend c$ec)in* out
e9terna, resources and outsource some parts of t$e pro3ect' /1.e started
puttin* some ,ist of resources at www'*ameproducer'netDresources and /
recommend c$ec)in* it out if -ou need furt$er $e,p on findin* t$e ri*$t too,s
for -ou'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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IV - Get Rid of Bad Ingredients
2$is is tric)-% "ut a"so,ute,- necessar- to do to speed up -our *ame
production' 2$e first mista)e t$at can $appen is to pic) t$e wron* too,s (as
mentioned in t$e pre.ious c$apter) and sometimes -ou simp,- need to *et
rid of some too,s% and rep,ace t$em wit$ "etter ones' / made a mista)e w$en /
"ou*$t a too, for ,e.e, creation% e.en w$en it didn1t 0uite matc$ for m-
needs' / tried fi*$tin* wit$ it for a some time% unti, / decided to tr- anot$er
approac$7 creatin* m- own editor' / ,ost some time and mone-% "ut at ,east /
mana*ed to stop wastin* more ! and now / was free to focus on "ui,din*
w$at1s important for t$e pro3ect'
2$e ot$er e,ement ! per$aps t$e most important one ! is pic)in* t$e ri*$t
team mem"ers (if an-)' Findin* t$e ri*$t team mem"ers is a tric)- t$in* to
do% and / won1t *et into detai,s $ere' 6$at / s$a,, ad.ice t$ou*$% is to ma)e
sure -ou $a.e t$e ri*$t peop,e in t$e team' /f some"od- in t$e team starts to
inf,uence t$e pro3ect pro*ress in a ne*ati.e wa-% t$en -ou rea,,- need to ta)e
action' Gettin* rid of team mem"er is not t$e first option% "ut -ou must "e
read- to do t$at if needed' /t1s t$e ,ast option% "ut sometimes necessar-'
m!ortant" #hen team is not doing what you want$ then the first thing to do is to
obser%e your own beha%ior and fi& your a!!roach' (ore details" read this'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
Pa*e E
V - At Some Point You Gotta Start !ooking
2$is piece of an ad.ice is pro"a",- one of t$e most important to remem"er if
-ou want to speed up -our de.e,opment' At some point -ou $a.e to ta)e
action'
Bi)e said ear,ier in t$is e"oo)% p,annin* is *ood and necessar-' But -ou can1t
p,an fore.er' You cannot read forums fore.er' You cannot read ",o*s fore.er'
+ec)% -ou cannot e.en read e"oo)s (,i)e t$is) fore.er' At some point -ou
$a.e to ta)e action'
/t1s eas- to watc$ 2@ or read emai,s% "ut t$at1s not *oin* to $e,p -ou to speed
up t$e de.e,opment' /f -ou 5don1t fee, ,i)e wor)in*5% t$en per$aps -ou
s$ou,d read t$is (oo)"oo)1s tip F# a"out "rea)fast ri*$t now'
/f -ou ,i)e to p,an% t$at1s fine ! "ut -ou $a.e to rea,i?e t$at p,ans wit$out
e9ecution are on,- p,ans' No"od- $as e.er p,a-ed p,ans' 2$e-1.e on,- p,a-ed
t$ose *ames t$at were "orn t$an)s to e9ecution of t$ose p,ans'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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VI - "aste it#
2est -our *ame' 2est t$e *ame p,a-' P,a- -our *ame' /t tastes rea,,- *ood to
e9perience t$e *ame and it wi,, a,so moti.ate -ou to wor) faster'
;on1t *et too attac$ed to tastin*% "ut ma)e sure -ou taste "efore ser.in*'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
Pa*e 10
VII - $ea%e Setting the "a&le to the 'nd
Grap$ics and sounds are not important ! in t$e "e*innin*' /n t$e "e*innin*%
pro"a",- t$e most important e,ements are t$e *ame p,a- and *ame desi*n (if
-ou1.e past mar)et researc$)' /1.e started some *ame pro3ects "- *ettin* artist
to do a nice ,oo)in* animated c$aracter wit$ a torc$' 6$i,e t$ose partic,es
f,ames were ,oo)in* rea,,- nice% t$at1s prett- muc$ t$e on,- t$in* t$at *ot
finis$ed7 animated c$aracter% torc$ and partic,e f,ames'
You can (and s$ou,d) use p,ace$o,der art to test -our *ame' +a.in* *rap$ics
in t$e "e*innin* of t$e pro3ect is not rea,,- t$at important% and wi,, sa.e -ou
,ots of time as -ou focus on testin* t$e *ame p,a- and impro.in* t$e p,an'
/f -ou want% -ou mi*$t "u- some ine9pensi.e art and use t$at as a
p,ace$o,der ! "ut don1t *et too attac$ed into doin* art'
Hint" )aturally if the art !lays a crucial element in the game !lay *like if you use
lights or shadows in that way+ then you might need to do some of the art ready in the
beginning' Still$ as a rule of thumb it might be better idea to lea%e the art for the
later'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
Pa*e 11
VIII - "he !hef Gotta &e Read( to )o Some !ooking
You $a.e to "e wi,,in* to wor) $arder t$an an-one in t$e team'
/f -ou t$in) -ou are t$e *u- wit$ t$e idea and t$at1s it% / *uarantee t$at -ou
wi,, *et $ard time findin* peop,e to e9ecute -our idea' You $a.e to "e wi,,in*
to wor) e9tra $ard ! pro"a",- more t$an an-one e,se in t$e team' Beadin* "-
t$is )ind of e9amp,e encoura*es ot$ers to *o t$e e9tra mi,e for -ou'
But un,ess -ou are not prepared to wor)% t$en -our pro3ect won1t "e
pro*ressin* fast' 2o *et ot$ers to wor) $arder% -ou $a.e to wor) $arder'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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I* - A%oid the A&solutel( Biggest Mistake in Game
Produ+tion
/1.e done t$is mista)e man- times% and / can *uarantee t$at e.er- time -ou
do t$is ! -our pro3ect wi,, suffer' ;oin* t$is wi,, ma)e *et into -our team
mem"ers ner.es and it is simp,- somet$in* -ou need to a.oid% if -ou want to
speed up -our de.e,opment'
A.oid changing !lans' .er- time -ou as) artists to c$an*e somet$in* in a
finished 3; mode,% -our production wi,, suffer' .er- time -ou c$an*e some
core mec$anics "etween t$e pro3ect% it wi,, cause de,a-s' .er- c$an*e -ou do
wi,, $a.e ,east impact in t$e "e*innin*% and "i**est impact in t$e end of t$e
pro3ect'
6$i,e p,annin* fore.er is not suc$ a *ood idea% p,ans t$at fre0uent,- c$an*e
are per$aps e.en worse'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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* - "he Most Important Ingredient In the Produ+tion
You'
You are t$e most important in*redient in -our pro3ect' /f -ou wor) a,one%
t$en -ou wi,, $a.e t$e *reatest responsi"i,it- for t$e pro3ect' /f -ou $a.e a
team% t$en -ou $a.e a *reat responsi"i,it- *ettin* t$e ri*$t mem"ers in t$e
team'
=ne of t$e easiest wa- to speed up -our pro3ect% is to in.est in -ourse,f' 2rain
-ourse,f to "e a "etter ,eader and producer' 2$e efforts -ou put in -our
persona, trainin* wi,, a,so $e,p t$e *ame production' 2$e more -ou ,earn
and e9perience% t$e more -our de.e,opment wi,, speed up'
/f -ou for*et trainin* and ,earnin* (w$et$er it1s from "oo)s or c,asses) t$en
-ou mi*$t "e indirect,- $armin* t$e pro3ect' Bearnin* as muc$ as possi",e
w$i,e doin* t$e pro3ect wi,, $e,p -ou in t$e future'
/n.est in -ourse,f'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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*I - Bonus Re+ipe, Fast Food
/1m ta,)in* a"out content !acks $ere' Basica,,- content pac)s are "it ,i)e 5fast
food5 of *ame production since t$e- $e,p protot-pe *ames 0uic),-% and w$o
)nows ! wit$ ,imited "ud*ets -ou mi*$t e.en "ui,d fu,, *ames usin* read-!
made art'
(ontent Pac)s "asica,,- are a co,,ection of mode,s% te9tures% and animations
t$at -ou can use in -our *ame' Need weapons for -our *ameH 4ust "u- an
ine9pensi.e pac) and -ou are done' Need $ousesH 2$e- are a.ai,a",e in
content pac)s'
/1.e ,isted some e9amp,e sites in t$e www'*ameproducer'netDresources !
c$ec) t$em out'
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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Thanks
+opefu,,- -ou en3o-ed readin* t$is s$ort e"oo)% and $opefu,,- -ou found
somet$in* -ou can use ri*$t awa- to speed up -our *ame production'
/ continue updatin* *ame producer ",o* at GameProducer'net dai,-% and /1m
a,wa-s open for ideas comments on $ow to impro.e t$e site' /f -ou $a.e
ideas a"out t$e topics -ou1d ,i)e to $ear% p,ease fee, free to contact me and ,et
me )now' /1m a,so interested to $ear w$o is readin* t$e te9t /1m writin*' /f
-ou want to sa- word or two a"out -ourse,f% p,ease do it in t$e new *ame
producer forums'
Unti, ne9t time%
4uuso
Game Production (oo)"oo) ! GameProducer'net
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