1. Spare Time Game Development
What we know and learned from Dyson by
Alex May

2. Overview History Team Project management Momentum Design Art
Engineering
Legal
Post mortem
Live dissection

3. Who why when Who? Interested in Dyson Interested in game development
Hobbyist; Artist
Pro indie
When?
ASAP
How??

4. Dyson's development Competition Breaks IGF Entry Nomination
Showfloor crunch
Post-GDC

5. Team What? A team? Why? Multiple jobs Trust Target directly
Internet nutbars
Direct and realtime contact
Meet up; Skype; video calls; telephone
Communication on tasks

6. Project management Spare time is difficult to manage Be realistic!
design, art, code, production, QA...
Fulfil all roles
...marketing, biz dev, community
Second job?
Personal time, family time
Be realistic.

7. Project management Crunch kills Be realistic!
Happier = more productive
Task list and schedule
Google docs (Wave?); Acunote; Mantis
Estimates
are often too short!
CUT CUT CUT
BE REALISTIC
Examine and Reschedule

8. Momentum What keeps you going? Satisfaction Cash Fame Pressure
is a two-edged sword!
Deadlines
Public
Feedback
Team
Self respect
No guarantees

9. Momentum Dealing with it Think about it Take a break
You don't have the time
Magnum opus!

10. Design KISS Core mechanics first! Fancy stuff later!
Level designers are designers too
Ask this guy

11. Art
Be original
Be inspired
difficult
easy

12. Engineering Speed Build a framework Use an existing framework
or engine
not an engine
Short iteration
Find the fun
Make it happen soon
Stay sane

13. Engineering Re-use assets Procedural content Not a magic wand
Bogged down?
Change the feature
Cut the feature
Refactor the code

14. Legal IANAL IP rights in employment contracts Remove / relax
Ask permission
Resign or can it
Get a lawyer or get to know one

15. Legal Deals Don't ask, don't get Get clarification
Don't sign it until you're certain

16. Live dissection Prototype = throwaway (ideally) Long term savings in
engineering terms
Sort legal with team early
twitter
Get a web site
Use the internet
blog
facebook
myspace

17. Live dissection
Be different
Get noticed
Stay sane
Tunnel vision

18. That information is need-to-know
Keep schtum
Read-only presentation
Physical media
Internet activation
Video feed

19. Questions