Video game development is carried out by a video game developer. The video game developer could be just one individual, or a corporation. More often than not, contemporary big-budget video games are put together by large development teams, from specialist video game development companies.
Video games are big business, with development of many commercial titles costing between GBP 500,000 up to a staggering GBP 10,000,000. The money required to develop a game is financed by the video game publisher. The typical development cycle duration for modern-day commercial games is approximately 1 to 3 years.
The world of video game development has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. During the 1980s it wasn’t unusual for game developers to single handedly produce their own games, including game & level design, art and music. Games today are far more complex and require teams of developers to design and produce them. These teams are typically focused one particular project, or game, and are generally comprised of more than one of the following:
• Game Producer
• Game Designer
• Level Designer
• Game Programmer
• Game Artist
• Game Tester
Often the game development team will be supervised by Game Manager(s) or Game Director(s). A Game Manager, or Game Director, is there to ensure that the development staff functions together effectively as a team, and that they reach predefined project milestones. They are also responsible for recruiting development staff, and will be assigned a budget with which to work with by the publisher.
There are 4 identifiable stages to a games development:
1. Preproduction
This is where the game’s design is mapped out and the developers find a publisher. Some early development may be carried out here producing prototypes/demos to demonstrate to the publisher.
2. Production
All the main coding and game development takes place here.
3. Testing
Test team members carry out testing throughout the project but a thorough, final testing phase has to occur before the project can be considered complete. This final phase of testing includes extensive regression testing.
4. Completion
The completed game code is passed to the game publisher for sale.
Video games are big business, with development of many commercial titles costing between GBP 500,000 up to a staggering GBP 10,000,000. The money required to develop a game is financed by the video game publisher. The typical development cycle duration for modern-day commercial games is approximately 1 to 3 years.
The world of video game development has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. During the 1980s it wasn’t unusual for game developers to single handedly produce their own games, including game & level design, art and music. Games today are far more complex and require teams of developers to design and produce them. These teams are typically focused one particular project, or game, and are generally comprised of more than one of the following:
• Game Producer
• Game Designer
• Level Designer
• Game Programmer
• Game Artist
• Game Tester
Often the game development team will be supervised by Game Manager(s) or Game Director(s). A Game Manager, or Game Director, is there to ensure that the development staff functions together effectively as a team, and that they reach predefined project milestones. They are also responsible for recruiting development staff, and will be assigned a budget with which to work with by the publisher.
There are 4 identifiable stages to a games development:
1. Preproduction
This is where the game’s design is mapped out and the developers find a publisher. Some early development may be carried out here producing prototypes/demos to demonstrate to the publisher.
2. Production
All the main coding and game development takes place here.
3. Testing
Test team members carry out testing throughout the project but a thorough, final testing phase has to occur before the project can be considered complete. This final phase of testing includes extensive regression testing.
4. Completion
The completed game code is passed to the game publisher for sale.