rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

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Rapid, Iterative Prototyping Best Practices

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Eitan Glinert's GDC 2012 talk on how to prototype effectively when creating innovative video games

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Page 1: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Rapid, Iterative Prototyping Best Practices

Page 2: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

What we're gonna cover Who I am Why you should prototype 8 rules for how to do it right 8 tricky pitfalls to watch out for Q+A, contact info

Page 3: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Who I am

2008

Page 4: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Fire Hose Prototyping

2009

Early Prototype

Page 5: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Fire Hose Prototyping

March 15th April 14th June 16th

April 1st May 14th July 20th

Page 6: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

2010

Early Prototype

Fire Hose Prototyping

Page 7: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

2011

Early Prototype (Michael Bay Version)

Fire Hose Prototyping

Page 8: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Fire Hose Prototyping

Page 9: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Why Prototype?

Prototyping ≠ Pre-Production

Prototyping Vertical Slice Pre-Production Production

Page 10: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Why Prototype?

Page 11: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Why Prototype?

Page 12: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

What does it get you?• Leads to stronger design, aesthetic, mechanics

• Allows you to try potentially great ideas you can’t waste time on during development

• Lets you identify and bail on bad ideas sooner

• Lets you make costly mistakes up front, when they are easier and cheaper to fix

• You’ll learn how to talk about your game

Page 13: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

When NOT to Prototype?

Page 14: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

So how do you do it?

Page 15: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

1. Set aside ~1/3 of dev time

Page 16: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

2. Put together a crack team

Page 17: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

2. Put together a crack team

Dance Central Go Home Dinosaurs

Artist 1 (Models + Textures)

Artist 2(Animator +

Rigger)

Coder 1 Coder 2

Designer Producer Designer Prouducer

Artist 1 (Models + Textures)

Artist 2(Animator +

Rigger)

Coder 1

Designer Prouducer

Dancer Choreographer

Page 18: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

3. Get the right tools

Page 19: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

3. Get the right tools

Page 20: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

3. Get the right tools

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4. Tools and people should match the risk

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5. Don’t fear the trash can

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6. Add features, test ideas, cut content

Page 24: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

6. Add features, test ideas, cut content

Page 25: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

7. User Test! A lot!

Page 26: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

7. User Test! A lot!

Page 27: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

8. Keep it loose, embrace change

Page 28: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

The How, Recapped1. Spend ~33% of dev time on prototyping

2. Assemble a small, crack team that works together well

3. Use simple, fast, easily understood tools

4. Team ability should match riskiest parts

5. Be ready to throw out prototypes for the sake of iteration

6. Work on features and ideas, not content

7. User test constantly and incorporate feedback

8. Don't get bogged down with documentation or overhead

Page 29: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

The Tricky Bits

Page 30: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

9. Be on the lookout for “surprise fun”

Page 31: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

9. Be on the lookout for “surprise fun”

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10. Deciding when to iterate

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10. When to iterate

March 15th April 14th June 16th

April 1st May 14th July 20th

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11. Dovetailing with marketing and PR

Small Companies Big Companies

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12. Using deadlines

Page 36: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

13. Beware of Ballooning Scope

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14. Ping-Ponging back and forth

Page 38: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

15. Knowing when to stop prototyping

Page 39: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

16. Anger when prototypes get canned

Page 40: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Tricky Bits, Recapped9. Watch out for “Surprise Fun”

10. Iterate regularly and/or when necessary

11. Dovetail prototyping with PR + Marketing if possible

12. Deadlines are your friend, use 'em!

13. Keep the prototype small, don't let scope balloon

14. Don't iterate back and forth without forward movement

15. Stop prototyping when you have a vertical slice

16. Manage expectations well so if you have to can a prototype the team doesn't rage

Page 41: Rapid, iterative prototyping best practices

Contact Info, Q+A

Eitan Glinert(give me a 5 star evaluation!)

[email protected]