Making Great Games: An Insider's Guide to Designing and Developing the World's Greatest Video Games PDF
Preview Making Great Games: An Insider's Guide to Designing and Developing the World's Greatest Video Games
M A K I N G G R E A T G A M E S This page intentionally left blank M A K I N G G R E A T G A M E S An Insider's Guide to Designing and Developing the World's Greatest Video Games MICHAEL THORNTON WYMAN AMSTERDAM(cid:1)BOSTON(cid:1)HEIDELBERG(cid:1)LONDON(cid:1)NEWYORK(cid:1)OXFORD PARIS(cid:1)SANDIEGO(cid:1)SANFRANCISCO(cid:1)SINGAPORE(cid:1)SYDNEY(cid:1)TOKYO FocalPressisanimprintofElsevier FocalPressisanimprintofElsevier TheBoulevard,LangfordLane,Kidlington,Oxford,OX51GB,UK 30CorporateDrive,Suite400,Burlington,MA01803,USA Firstpublished2011 Copyright(cid:1)2011.PublishedbyElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicor mechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,oranyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,without permissioninwritingfromthepublisher.Detailsonhowtoseekpermission,furtherinformationaboutthe Publisher’spermissionspoliciesandourarrangementwithorganizationssuchastheCopyrightClearanceCenter andtheCopyrightLicensingAgency,canbefoundatourwebsite:www.elsevier.com/permissions ThisbookandtheindividualcontributionscontainedinitareprotectedundercopyrightbythePublisher(other thanasmaybenotedherein). Notices Knowledgeandbestpracticeinthisfieldareconstantlychanging.Asnewresearchandexperiencebroadenour understanding,changesinresearchmethods,professionalpractices,ormedicaltreatmentmaybecomenecessary. Practitionersandresearchersmustalwaysrelyontheirownexperienceandknowledgeinevaluatingandusingany information,methods,compounds,orexperimentsdescribedherein.Inusingsuchinformationormethodsthey shouldbemindfuloftheirownsafetyandthesafetyofothers,includingpartiesforwhomtheyhaveaprofessional responsibility. Tothefullestextentofthelaw,neitherthePublishernortheauthors,contributors,oreditors,assumeanyliability foranyinjuryand/ordamagetopersonsorpropertyasamatterofproductsliability,negligenceorotherwise,orfrom anyuseoroperationofanymethods,products,instructions,orideascontainedinthematerialherein. BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData ThorntonWyman,Michael. Makinggreatgames:aninsider’sguidetodesigningand developingtheworld’sgreatestvideogames. 1.VideogameseAuthorshipeCasestudies.2.VideogameseDesigneCasestudies. I.Title 794.8-dc22 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2010934101 ISBN:978-0-240-81285-4 ForinformationonallFocalPresspublicationsvisitour websiteatfocalpress.com PrintedandboundintheUnitedStates 1011121110987654321 CONTENTS Acknowledgments ............................................................................................. ix Introduction...............................................................................................................xi Permissions ....................................................................................................... xv Part 1 THE GAMES Chapter 1 LittleBigPlanet......................................................................................3 Team Role Interview: Lead Game Designer .....................................................19 Chapter 2 World of Warcraft.............................................................................23 Team Role Interview: Development Director....................................................36 Chapter 3 Diner Dash..........................................................................................39 Team Role Interview: Producer...........................................................................50 Chapter 4 Half-Life 2............................................................................................53 Team Role Interview: Game Writer.....................................................................65 Chapter 5 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves .........................................................67 Team Role Interview: Senior Environment Artist.............................................83 Chapter 6 Rock Band...........................................................................................85 Team Role Interview: Music Composer.............................................................99 Chapter 7 FarmVille............................................................................................101 Team Role Interview: Programming Lead.......................................................111 vi CONTENTS Chapter 8 Bejeweled Twist..............................................................................115 Team Role Interview: Presentation Art Director............................................127 Chapter 9 Madden NFL 10................................................................................129 Team Role Interview: Voice Actor....................................................................138 Chapter 10 World of Goo....................................................................................141 Team Role Interview: Art Director....................................................................151 Part 2 ANALYSIS Chapter 11 Commonalities: What Goes Right................................................157 Iteration Is Paramount................................................................................. 158 Cabals Taking Over?.................................................................................... 160 Beg, Borrow, and Steal............................................................................... 162 Focus on Talent............................................................................................ 164 Use Your Whole Company......................................................................... 165 Playtesting as Production Driver................................................................ 166 Miscellaneous............................................................................................... 168 Wrap Up........................................................................................................ 171 Chapter 12 Commonalities: What Goes Wrong.............................................173 Test, Test, Test............................................................................................. 174 Bite the Bullet............................................................................................... 176 Don’t Ignore the Tutorial............................................................................. 178 Every Project Is Different............................................................................. 179 Beware the Prototype.................................................................................. 181 Plan for Success........................................................................................... 182 Wrap Up........................................................................................................ 183 CONTENTS vii Chapter 13 The Nature of High-Performing Teams......................................185 The Goal........................................................................................................ 186 The People.................................................................................................... 187 The Environment.......................................................................................... 189 The Process.................................................................................................. 190 Wrap Up........................................................................................................ 193 Chapter 14 Applying These Learnings to Your Game Projects..................195 Team Roles................................................................................................... 195 Development Phases................................................................................... 198 Wrap Up........................................................................................................ 206 Chapter 15 Hiring and Managing for Success..............................................207 Hiring............................................................................................................. 207 Managing...................................................................................................... 210 A Word on Outsourcing.............................................................................. 212 Wrap Up........................................................................................................ 212 Team Role Interview: External Producer.........................................................213 Index.................................................................................................................215 This page intentionally left blank ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A project like this rests squarely on the shoulders of its contrib- utors. I feel unbelievably fortunate to have had the privilege to visitwithsomanywildlytalented(andastoundinglybusy)people who are creating some of the world’s greatest video games. Without their willingness to share their insights and expertise, this book would not exist. For their openness, honesty, and generosity, I am deeply indebted to J. Allen Brack, Ron Carmel, Ian Cummings, Rich Curren, Richard Dansky, Tim Fields, Kyle Gabler,ClintJorgenson,JasonKapalka,RobKay,StephenKearin, Greg LoPiccolo, Peter McConnell, Wade Mulhern, Siobhan Reddy,StefanSinclair,MarkSkaggs,BruceStraley,ChrisTrottier, Robin Walker, Robyn Wallace, Don Walters, and Eric Zimmerman. While their words don’t appear in the text, several games industry leaders were also extremely helpful to me with this endeavor.AhugethankyoutoPatrickBuechner,RobertCogburn, Phillip Holt, Steven Meretzky,Brian Robbins,and Jessica Tams. Thanks also to my tireless development editor, Beth Millett, and to Laura Lewin, Chris Simpson, and Anais Wheeler at Focal Press. And, of course, thank you to my family e Evelyn, Jules and Leisy e for putting up with all of the early mornings and late nights ittook to ship this one.
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