CS 382.001
JANUARY 28, 2016
TEAMS AND PROCESSES
• SOFTWARE ENGINEERING METHODS
• PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS
PART 3.1
SOFTWARE ENGINEERING METHODS
SEVERAL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
CREATE VIDEO GAMES.
METHODS ARE COMMONLY USED TO
METHOD 1: EXTREME GAME PROGRAMMING
(AKA: “CODE LIKE HELL, FIX LIKE HELL”)
DESIGN
CODE
TEST
DELIVER
ARGUMENTS FOR…
ARGUMENTS AGAINST…
• CODING WITH TOO MUCH PLANNING
• THE FRANTIC PACE OF THE PROCESS IS
CAN BE AS BAD AS CODING WITH NO
PLANNING AT ALL
TOO STRESSFUL FOR MOST DEVELOPERS
• TENDS TO MAKE PROGRAMMERS TACKLE
THE BIG PROBLEMS EARLIER RATHER
THAN COMING UP WITH (POSSIBLY
FAULTY) SOLUTIONS TO THE SMALLER
PROBLEMS THAT ARE DISCARDED LATER
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• ERRORS ARE NOT SYSTEMATICALLY
ELIMINATED AND SOMETIMES ARE NOT
DETECTED AT ALL
• ONLY SUITED FOR SMALL PROJECTS
WITH SIMPLE REQUIREMENTS (I.E., NOT
GAMES)
METHOD 2: CLEANROOM SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
(AKA: “INCREMENT-TO-COMPLETION”)
GAME DESIGN –
HIGH LEVEL
REQUIREMENTS
INITIAL
LOWER
LEVEL
DESIGNS
KEY SYSTEM
DESIGN A (E.G.,
RENDERING)
CODE
KEY SYSTEM
DESIGN B (E.G.,
GAME LOGIC)
CODE
TEST
PRE-INTEGRATION
SYSTEM TEST
INTEGRATE
WITH FULL
GAME
TEST
PRE-INTEGRATION
SYSTEM TEST
INTEGRATE
WITH FULL
GAME
ARGUMENTS FOR…
ARGUMENTS AGAINST…
• PROMOTES PARALLEL DEVELOPMENT
• PARALLEL EFFORTS REQUIRE HIGH DEGREE
OF INDEPENDENT FEATURES
OF COORDINATION TO BE SUCCESSFUL
• RELIES HEAVILY ON SYSTEM
INTEGRATION, SO A PLAYABLE
• LOWER LEVEL DESIGN IS ALWAYS IN FLUX,
VERSION OF THE GAME IS AVAILABLE
EARLY IN THE PROCESS
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WITH SPECIFICATIONS THAT ARE HARD TO
DOCUMENT UNTIL AFTER FULL
IMPLEMENTATION
METHOD 3: CASCADE DEVELOPMENT
(AKA: “THE WATERFALL METHOD”)
HIGH LEVEL
GAME DESIGN
LOWER LEVEL
FEATURES
DESIGN
CODING &
MODULE
TESTING
INTEGRATION &
SYSTEM TESTING
DELIVERY &
MAINTENANCE
ARGUMENTS FOR…
ARGUMENTS AGAINST…
• ELIMINATES COMMON
• RELIES HEAVILY ON CORRECT
UNCERTAINTIES BY REQUIRING
EXTENSIVE UP-FRONT PLANNING
• YIELDS ACCURATE SCHEDULE AND
COMPLETION ESTIMATION
TEAMS AND PROCESSES
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DECISIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
• DOES NOT ACCOMMODATE
SIGNIFICANT ALTERATIONS TO GAME
FEATURES
METHOD 4: ITERATIVE DEVELOPMENT
(AKA: “THE SPIRAL METHOD”)
ARGUMENTS FOR…
• FLEXIBLY ALLOWS THE DEFINITION,
DESIGN, AND DEVELOPMENT TO BE
ADJUSTED THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRE PROCESS
• PERMITS DYNAMIC REACTION TO
COMPETITIVE MARKET DEMANDS
ARGUMENTS AGAINST…
• FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN
“FEATURE CREEP”, WITH
CONSTANT CHANGES TO
BOTH BUDGET AND
TIMELINE
• TEMPTS DEVELOPERS TO
SHORT-CHANGE HIGHLEVEL DESIGN IN FAVOR
OF AD HOC ADJUSTMENTS
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METHOD 5: AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
(AKA: “ADAPTIVE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT”)
ARGUMENTS FOR…
ARGUMENTS AGAINST…
• SIMPLIFIES THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS TO
• DOES NOT PRESCRIBE SPECIFIC PRACTICES, SO
A MINIMAL SET OF PRACTICES THAT MAY BE
ADAPTED FOR EACH PROJECT AND EACH
DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
• WELL SUITED TO PROJECT MOBILITY AND
SPEED
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GETTING STARTED CAN SEEM PROBLEMATIC
• GAME PUBLISHERS MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY
ACCEPTING THIS APPROACH UNLESS THEY VIEW
THEMSELVES AS CUSTOMERS WHO CONTROL
THE LIST OF PRIORITIES
PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS
PRODUCER
• DAY-TO DAY SUPERVISION OF DIRECT REPORTS
• REVIEW OF WEEKLY TASK LISTS
• EVALUATION OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION
• ASSIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL TO SPECIFIC GAME
FEATURES
• MAINTAINING
COHESIVE AND CONSISTENT
TEAM VISION
• MANAGEMENT OF OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS
• FACILITATING COMMUNICATION AND
DECISION-MAKING
• PROACTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL
PROBLEMS
• ENSURING
THAT THE TEAM IS FULLY STAFFED
AND SUPPLIED
• PROVIDING
FEEDBACK AND PERFORMANCE
REVIEWS FOR TEAM
TEAMS AND PROCESSES
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ASSISTANT PRODUCER
• PROJECT
MANAGEMENT AND GAME DESIGN
EVALUATION
• INTERFACING WITH AND SUPPORTING
DEVELOPERS, LICENSORS, AND MARKETING
• DESIGN DOCUMENTATION REVIEW
• TRACKING TEAM MEMBERS’ PROGRESS
ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE
• INTERACTING
WITH
QUALITY ASSURANCE
TEAM
• COORDINATING
INFORMATION RELEASED
TO GAME FANS
• ASSISTING
IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE
PRODUCER’S RESPONSIBILITIES
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
• OFFERING
CREATIVE INPUT AND
DIRECTION TO GUIDE THE BRAND TO A
SUCCESSFUL PLACE WITHIN THE MARKET
• LEADING
THE GLOBAL BUSINESS EFFORT
AND VISION FOR A BRAND
• CLARIFYING
THE VISION FOR THE BRAND,
CONVEYING IT TO OTHER DEPARTMENT
EXECUTIVES AND INTERNAL LEADERS
• RECEIVING
REPORTS FROM PRODUCERS
AND ASSISTANT PRODUCERS, AS WELL AS
VARIOUS TEAM LEADS (LEAD
PROGRAMMER, LEAD DESIGNER, LEAD
ARTIST, ETC.)
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PRODUCT PLANNER
• DEVELOPING AND DEFINING THE FUTURE OF A GAME,
A FRANCHISE, OR EVEN A PRODUCT PERIPHERAL
• PLANNING FOR NEW CONSOLES, CONTROLLERS,
HEADSETS, NETWORKING CAPABILITIES, ETC.
PROGRAM MANAGER
• COMMUNICATING AS THE VOICE OF THE GAME
TEAM TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING
MARKETING
• CONTRIBUTING TO SPECIFICATION WRITING AND
MANAGING DEPENDENCIES BETWEEN SOFTWARE
GROUPS
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
• MENTORING, TRAINING, AND COACHING DEVELOPERS
• DEFINING INITIAL PROJECT SCOPES AND DELIVERY SCHEDULES
• IDENTIFYING RISKS AND PRIORITIZING OBJECTIVES
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PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
• INTERNING AT THE GROUND LEVEL, DOING MUNDANE TASKS
IN ADMINISTRATIVE WORK, SOFTWARE TESTING, MEETING
PREPARATION, NOTE TAKING, ETC.
• LEARNING THE ROPES TO GAIN THE EXPERIENCE NEEDED TO
BECOME ASSISTANT PRODUCER, PRODUCER, ETC.
TEAMS AND PROCESSES
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