lean game development

Lean Game DevelopmentSeth Sivak

DISCLAIMER

What is this talk about?

“THEWORD GAME”

Game Design!

Game Developm

ent

What makes games

different?

Game Development is hard

Art + Graphics

Sound + Music

Story

Gameplay

Social Connectivity

Replayability

Controls

Hardware + Platform

Team + Schedule + Budget

There are a lot of moving parts

“30 Seconds of Fun”

“Interesting Choices”

And it has to be fun!

How do we handle

the creative process?

HypothesisDesignBuildTest

AnalyzeIterate

Twitter Logo

Hypothesis – This bird will make a good logo

Design and Build –

Test – “Do you like it?” – “No.”

Analyze – “She didn’t like it.”

Iterate – Try again…

“I like this one.”“I don’t like this

one.”

Less cartoony, more professional

Head back as if ready to sing

Cleaner lines, Simpler

Develop Creative Analysis Skills

Did we achieve the desired outcome?

What caused the final outcome?

What causes the desired outcome in other products?

How can the desired outcome be reached in our product?

How do we build a

game?

Lean Game Development

Concept

Design

Production

Launch

Live Operation“THEWORD GAME”

Metrics vs. Creativity

ConceptKnow the Market &

TeamMarket Research

Competitive Analysis

Team Interest

Travel and Explore

Quest and Story

“THEWORD GAME”

DesignFind the Fun

Bush Mazes

Navigate the maze using the least energy possible

Metal Detector Minesweeper

Use the Metal Detector to save Energy

Memory Puzzle

12

34

Hit the switch to see the pattern

Light them in order to get the Treasure

Swipe words to clear them before time runs out

PLAYTEST

Classic

Improved

Innovative

ProductionBuild the Product

Classic

Im-proved

Innova-tive

ProductionBuild the Product

ClassicIm-

proved

Innova-tive

ClassicImproved

Innovative

Classic

Improved

Innovative

Classic

Improved

Innovative

Innovation requires iteration

PLAYTEST

LaunchTest and Optimize

Price Testing

Progression

Performance

Balance

FTUE

Virality

Prepare for Launch

Predict possible problems, have solutions ready

Understand your metrics, formulate ranges

Model potential outcomes

Determine leading indicators

Practice, Practice, Practice

Launch is a Wave

Alpha

Beta

Soft Launch

Public Launch

Cross Promotion

Marketing

Live OperationUnderstand your

Audience

Product Management Cycle

Feature Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5

Feature 1

Spec Manage Analyze

Feature 2

Spec Manage Analyze

Feature 3

Spec Manage Analyze

Hypothesis Design Manage Test Analyze

HypothesisDesignBuildTest

AnalyzeIterate

Lean Game Development

Concept – Know the Market and Team

Design – Find the Fun

Production – Build the Product

Launch – Test and Optimize

Live Operation – Understand your Audience

Takeaways

Develop Creative Analysis Skills

Find the Fun

Playtest

Prioritize

Prove it

Questions?

Seth@Proletariat.com

@sjsivak

http://bit.ly/sivakGDC2012

Iteration times were long.

1985 1986

And they became longer…

1986 1988

And budgets increased…

It was hard to reach customers

Along comes Games as a Service

And it was a short sales cycle

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10$0

$20,000,000

$40,000,000

$60,000,000

$80,000,000

$100,000,000

$120,000,000

AvatarBorderlands 2

Weeks After Release

And longer…

1988 1991