Howdy all, I''m looking for some thoughts and feedback on a game development scenario. Is it possible to produce a game''s levels where all of the design; including layouts, style, gameplay puzzles, architecture, character interactions - everything - is handled by a design team in one country and then handed over as a set of finished game design documents to a graphics and programming team (with a top of the line graphics engine and tools set) in another country and for them to then build the game levels from the design guides. Any thoughts? PatMac

No, it''s completely impossible. Attempting to do so will cause irreparable hardware failure on the computers of all involved.

Seriously though, of course it is possible, provided you can communicate your ideas clearly enough that the technical team can produce something which actually looks roughly like you intended. Also, a lot depends on the attitudes of the two teams - some people might get fed up with being asked to do all the donkey work and not being given any creative license at all.

As they say, "no strategy survives the first contact with the enemy".

No matter how much time you spend designing something on paper, it may or may not work when you try to implement it. I wouldn''t go into too much detail in the initial design since most of it will probably be thrown out in the process.

Doesn''t it seem reasonable, though (although I have no experience with this), that after a few successful attempts at providing design specs resulting in a completed product, the designer has a feel for the kinds of things that will lead to the result successfully, and other things that may or may not be included, make those things clear in the design and leave it open to discussion, and at least give a good starting point and get the builders close to completion?

Almost any process like this requires at least some discussion between the designers and the builders, anyway, and that is where those details can be ironed out.

"Confidence is the expectation of success"

Of course its possible, and in fact its not unrealistic. Just remember that your design document is never actually complete -- you need to make sure you are in constant contact with your programmers and artists so that the vision isn't lost. Its no different than if your programmers and artists were in another department in the same building, except that you can't communicate with them face to face.

Edit: I disagree with the Anonymous Poster, in that I believe you should incorporate as much detail as possible in your designs -- especially since you can't talk to your team face to face, or probably on a regular basis, to make clarify ambiguities or settle design disputes.

****************************************

Brian Lacy
ForeverDream Studios

Comments? Questions? Curious?
brian@foreverdreamstudios.com

"I create. Therefore I am."

[edited by - irbrian on May 23, 2003 4:09:57 PM]

Thanks for the feedback,

I guess my main point of contention is just how much can you design on paper and give to a different group to build - with an objective of limited contact thereafter. My own feeling is that a game can''t be completely designed on paper and then taken away and built in isolation by others - no matter how good the original design documents are. Game dev just doesn''t work that easily - there are always issues that occur when implemetation reveals problems that design on paper can''t account for. But for the sake of the theoretical project in question - just how much after design contact would be required if; the design was extensive, easy to follow and well though out.
Could a Halo quality game be built this way? Or is it just too much to deliver a game that good with the two halves of production so seperated.