Pre-production
A few key people can work in this period working together sharing creative ideas, designing, producing art, sorting out technical solutions etc. This can be an inexpensive way to determine the important elements, reduce risk and produce an efficient production schedule timetable with the optimum employees required.
Stages for a major project production:-
A project requires a list of the assets needed including hardware and software required. These, on a detailed basis, include storyline, characters, backgrounds, visual and sound effects etc. If the project is for a game then game mechanics and levels are also required. The asset list provides the number of objectives that must be reached and what has to be done to achieve the required assets. It will also state the task breakdown to make the assets and the order in which they should be done.
Production Schedule Timetables
The next document to be produced will be the production schedule timetables. The schedule planner/s must know how long jobs normally take to give a realistic timetable, with some extra time for unforeseen mishaps. There will be sufficient time to avoid excessive pressure but not so much time that the costs become unprofitable. A Gantt chart will be made showing the different tasks and the time allotted to them.
The number of people/teams employed on a project and the management structure will also determine time, management of a project and division of labour. There should be sufficient workers and adequate equipment, without making the budget so large so that there will be inadequate profits.
A Producer will oversee production and leaders from the different teams (Programme, Design, Art, Sound, Quality assurance) will report to him. He will also be responsible for licences, contracts, budgeting and overall liaison of the game development.
(Concept – Ideas/ design
Sketches and measurements for cast. Sketches for environment and backgrounds.
http://www.modojo.com/media/games/hotel_dusk_215/ds/3.jpg
Storyboard
http://gameartstudio.com/multimedia.html
3D Max design stages:- Modelling of characters and environment
( Sketches, Sketetal Structure, colour, texture, lighting cameras)
Animation and special visual effects. ( Use of Afterburn a particle generator software program for special light and explosion effects) Sound and sound effects.
http://image052.mylivepage.com/chunk52/1005258/707/AfterBurn.jpg
After Effects or Premiere for Title and credits.)
Cross platform development
If the game is going to be available for different platforms, then new code and game assets will be needed for different platforms. Developer kits will be required for different consoles. This is hardware that can assemble code into a format that that can be read by a console.
Quality Assurance
Testers will play and replay the game at every level so that any mistakes or bugs can be rectified before the game goes on the market. If a game with a bug went on the market this would be enormously expensive both to the finances and reputation of a company.
When the game is complete it will be priced, marketed (although it may well have been advertised prior to completion) and distributed for sale.
Filed under: 3D Production Pipeline
