Within a game developing company, it is essential that there
is a planned and very strict schedule to be followed at all times. For us on my
course, we are learning how to plan and stick to these timeframes.
With each project we are set, we are given a brief which
gives us the, genre/backstory, technical specifications and anything else we
need to know about producing the final product. This will be given in different
ways; whether we are producing work for 2D or 3D aspects.
Ultimately, these briefs are structured in similar ways. We
are given the general outline of the piece before conducting research and
finding reference. Then we look at silhouettes and idea generation which moves
us on to a development of the concepting process and design exploration.
Finally, you end up with the final conceptual idea, which can then be modelled,
sculpted, imagineered, etc.
The time frame always depends on the product. For our visual
design projects last year, we were usually given between 1-3 weeks, but this
largely depended on whether we were drawing still life as practice or conceptualising
a character or in game asset. With our Game production projects, we were given
around 3-4 weeks; again, this was all down to the brief and final result we
aimed for.
Already in second year, the step up is noticed. Although,
there isn’t necessarily more work to do, or less time to do it in. A definite
change in attitude and skill has improved everyone’s final outcomes with their
work. The understanding of having a good plan is on my mind this year. I look
to try and be consistent with each module, and to complete enough work to keep
a balanced working ethos.
In Critical Studies we looked at the pipeline process that
an average game studio might follow. It follows a specific set of instructions
throughout the process and always sticks to the brief. With our 2D conceptual
projects, we usually just see it through to the final conceptual design and
never all the way to actually building it in 3D space to put into a game
engine. Because of this we have the developmental process, closely following
that of a company’s design pipeline in game production, but less so if it’s
just for a single asset/character.
The design pipeline for a company follows the entire process
for creating a game. Although we don’t/haven’t made an entire game, we still
follow these design aspects in order to explore and create the best ideas in
these given tasks. Although there is one main structure, it largely branches
out in order to focus on refinement.
For any game development team to function smoothly, the
pipeline has to be closely regulated, giving you art directors and many other
heads of authority keeping everyone’s stylisation and vision focused on the brief.
This is an excellent way for directors to keep track of what the whole team are
doing as the whole pipeline can be changed and shifted with the team still
following. It is clear that without this structure and the development of all
areas in the pipeline, games would be pretty pants. The clear focus of where
they need the final product to be helps the development continue throughout the
project, and not just at the beginning. This is how it should always be done.
