2. © 2006 Stormfront Studios Beyond Technology: Process Issues in Next Gen Development Game Developers Conference 2006 Don L. Daglow President, Stormfront Studios Inc.

3. About Stormfront Studios  Founded in 1988 by Don Daglow  Over 10,000,000 Stormfront games sold  2 teams focus on globally-marketed AAA titles  In production on Next/Current Gen game based on major motion picture  In early phases of development on Next Gen original IP with major publisher  The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (EA), NASCAR Racing (EA Sports), “Gold Box” D&D games (SSI), Neverwinter Nights (AOL)

4. What We’ll Do Today  Discuss Myths and Tidal Forces  Go Back to Basics  Take Issues from the Floor

5. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Every game will have a $30M budget and if you don’t have experience running huge projects you will sink beneath the waves!”

6. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Every game will have a $30M budget and if you don’t have experience running huge projects you will sink beneath the waves!”  No, but the average budget will jump sharply, and being able to manage large teams is now an essential skill.

7. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Only big publishers and a few well- funded big developers will be able to do Next Gen games! All others are doomed!”

8. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Only big publishers and a few well- funded big developers will be able to do Next Gen games! All others are doomed!”  “…so apply now for our jobs here at Blockbuster Studios, Inc.!”

9. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Only big publishers and a few well- funded big developers will be able to do Next Gen games! All others are doomed!”  “…so apply now for our jobs here at Blockbuster Studios, Inc.!”  The first wave of big ”show off the hardware” games are from those studios.

10. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Next Gen is finally going to allow us to tell stories that reach sophisticated adults, not just hard core gamers.”

11. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Next Gen is finally going to allow us to tell stories that reach sophisticated adults, not just hard core gamers.”  Not so fast! New hardware introductions enhance the dominance of the early adopter hard core gamers. It takes years to build a true mass market.

12. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Next Gen? Bah, humbug! Hardware transitions are all the same. We’ve been through a million of ‘em!”

13. Myths and Tidal Forces  “Next Gen? Bah, humbug! Hardware transitions are all the same. We’ve been through a million of ‘em!”  Yes, but this one will change the rules:  Multi-threading & shaders vex tech  Film skills & traditional CG 3D art  Big increase in scale changes processes, “team dynamics”

14. Big Changes: Resolution  Each asset having a higher resolution:  Changes how data is stored and loaded, in game and in production environment

15. Big Changes: Resolution  Each asset having a higher resolution:  Changes how data is stored and loaded, in game and in production environment  Changes trade-offs for frame rate -- Every system has its limits

16. Big Changes: Resolution  Each asset having a higher resolution:  Changes how data is stored and loaded, in game and in production environment  Changes trade-offs for frame rate -- Every system has its limits  Changes tools used to create art & audio.

17. Big Changes: Resolution  Each asset having a higher resolution:  Changes how data is stored and loaded, in game and in production environment  Changes trade-offs for frame rate -- Every system has its limits  Changes tools used to create art & audio.  Changes audience “row”: will heroine look good in both long shot and close-up?

18. Big Changes: Resolution  Each asset having a higher resolution:  Changes the audience expectation of how games should look when compared to TV shows and movies shown on the same home screen.

19. “Luxuries” become “Necessities”  Pre-visualization: storyboards, animatics, concept art at far higher detail level

20. "Luxuries" become "Necessities"  Pre-visualization: storyboards, animatics, concept art at far higher detail level  Prototypes and "the vertical slice"

21. "Luxuries" become "Necessities"  Pre-visualization: storyboards, animatics, concept art at far higher detail level  Prototypes and "the vertical slice"  Mixing creatives from film and games

22. "Luxuries" become "Necessities"  Pre-visualization: storyboards, animatics, concept art at far higher detail level  Prototypes and "the vertical slice"  Mixing creatives from film and games  Evaluating outside developers globally

23. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much

24. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much  AND “How do I know the task etc. is done?”

25. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much  AND “How do I know the task etc. is done?”  Comprehensive asset lists

26. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much  AND “How do I know the task etc. is done?”  Comprehensive asset lists  Broken into Tasks

27. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much  AND “How do I know the task etc. is done?”  Comprehensive asset lists  Broken into Tasks  Assigned to specific people

28. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much  AND “How do I know the task etc. is done?”  Comprehensive asset lists  Broken into Tasks  Assigned to specific people  All in Microsoft Project

29. Processes  Who–What–When–Where–How Much  AND “How do I know the task etc. is done?”  Comprehensive asset lists  Broken into Tasks  Assigned to specific people  All in Microsoft Project  Formal approvals tracked to schedule

30. Project Management is Not New  Scope/Quality, Budget and Schedule: Changing one inevitably forces one or both of the other two to change: Scope & Quality Schedule Budget

31. Project Management is Not New  Daily and Weekly Processes

32. Project Management is Not New  Daily and Weekly Processes  Managing risks, not just progress

33. Project Management is Not New  Daily and Weekly Processes  Managing risks, not just progress  Routine things are made a routine (vs. managing from crisis to crisis)

34. Project Management is Not New  50 people won't have a good discussion about how to make the animations better

35. Project Management is Not New  50 people won't have a good discussion about how to make the animations better  Daglow’s Law of Team Dynamics: “Small teams are informed. Big teams infer.”

36. Project Management is Not New  50 people won't have a good discussion about how to make the animations better  Daglow’s Law of Team Dynamics: “Small teams are informed. Big teams infer.”  Managing projects and people is an important craft.

37. Ongoing Foundations of Our Craft  Game “vision” must be expressed in a few sentences on which all key players agree

38. Ongoing Foundations of Our Craft  Game “vision” must be expressed in a few sentences on which all key players agree  Passion can be inspired but not required

39. Contact Information & Selected Designs  Don Daglow President & CEO Stormfront Studios, Inc. ddaglow@stormfront.com  Baseball (PDP-10, 1971)  Star Trek (PDP-10, 1972)  Dungeon (PDP-10, 1975)  Utopia (Intellivision, 1981)  Intellivision World Series Baseball (1983)*  Earl Weaver Baseball (EA, 1987)* (*with Eddie Dombrower)  Neverwinter Nights (AOL, 1991-97)  Stronghold (SSI, 1993)