The document outlines the game development process and departments. It discusses the stages of pre-production, production, and post-production. It also describes the internal departments such as project management, game design, programming, art, audio, and testing/localization and their roles and responsibilities in the process. Game development requires expertise from various academic backgrounds and a highly structured professional approach.

1. MATTHIAS NOCK, Dipl. Ing. (FH)
Senior Game Designer, Related Designs
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3. Overview
• Development Process
• Stages
• Goals
• Departments
• Tasks
• Responsibilities
• Qualifications
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5. Development Process
Preproduction
12 months
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6. Development Process - Preproduction
Conception of the game
with all its features
Planning of resources
time, budget and team
Development of tools for
production
Prototyping to validate
new technologies and
features
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7. Development Process
Preproduction Production
12 months 12 months
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8. Development Process - Production
Implementation of all
features of the game
Creation of all assets of
the game
Iteration of features to
increase quality
Building Alpha and Beta
version
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9. Development Process
Preproduction Production Postproduction
12 months 12 months 6 months
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10. Development Process - Postproduction
Intensive testing of
technical and gameplay
quality
Final balancing of all
features of the game
Polishing quality of graphics,
sound and gameplay
Delivering Master Version
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12. Departments
Internal often External
Administration Game Writer
Game Design Localization
Project
Programming Sound
Management
Arts Testing
Testing Publisher
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13. Departments – Project Management
Planning of production
Watching production
Contact with publisher
Responsible for completion
of the game in time and
budget
Qualification:
Business Administration
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14. Departments – Game Design
Designing rules and
mechanics
Documenting and
communicating design
Creating assets
Responsible for quality of
content and gameplay
Qualification:
Interdisciplinary
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15. Departments – Programming
Technical design of the
game
Implementation of code
Implementation of
production tools
Responsible for technical
quality of the game
Qualification:
Computer Science / Maths
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16. Departments – Art
Creation of graphical assets
Animation of models and
events
Creation of visual effects
Responsible for visual
quality of the game
Qualification:
Visual arts/Computer science
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17. Departments – Level Design
Creation of the game world
Integration of assets into
game world
Creation of missions and
campaign
Jointly responsible for
quality of gameplay
Qualification:
Visual arts/Interdisciplinary
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18. Departments – Audio
Composing and recording
music of the game
Voice recording
Creation of sound effects
Responsible for the auditory
quality of the game
Qualification:
Sound engineer / Composer
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19. Departments – Game Writing
Co-Development of story
and dramaturgy with Game
Design
Development of characters
and dialogues
Authoring of published texts
and documents
Qualification:
Writer / Literature
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20. Departments – Testing & Localization
Testing implemented
features of the game
Testing on function and
quality
Organisation of translation
and integration of language
based assets
Jointly responsible for
functionality and quality
Qualification:
Newcomers / Multilingual
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21. Summary
Game development is a
highly complex process
Throughout professional
structures in production
Experts with academic
background
Booming branch of
industry
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