Game Development Workflow

Hello,

I could be posting this in the wrong area, however I need some guidance. Like many others I have a day a job, but have been following Unity3d for some time (can't wait for unite2010) and so have taken the plunge into creating a game. I have 20 years in IT from business analysis, to development to project management but have not ever been involved in game development.

If anyone would be interested in providing me some mentoring around the high level workflow of game development, or if easier, point me to some good reading I would appreciate. My understanding to date is that I first flesh out on paper the concepts, strategies, storyboard etc. Then since I want a 3D game, I would need something like ZBRUSH to do the digital modelling but here is where I don't know what should be or could be next in the workflow. Would I import direct to Unity3d, or too a separate 3d party tool prior to Unity3d etc? Questions, questions questions... I don't think I need a lot of detail, just the highlevel process, I'm thinking I can figure out the rest (more or less).

Appreciate feedback to this thread or private.

Sincerely,

Michael Huggett
3NetDesign Inc.
mhuggett@3netdesign.com

 

Hi Michael,

I'm no expert in using Unity, but thought I'd post a link to the discussion about Wes McDermott's new book titled "Creating 3D Game Art for the iPhone with Unity: Featuring modo and Blender pipelines":

http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/61735-Creating-3D-Game-Art-Book

I just purchased his book as it sounds like it is very much focused on the workflow with creating the assets and using them in Unity. I don't actually use Modo and Blender but I figure there will be a lot of useful information there. And who knows, maybe I will be persuaded to try these tools as well.

Best of Luck!

 

mhuggett , this is how we're doing it:

Design:
1. We write down/ sketch the basic game concept on paper and pin it somewhere. (this is better done up-front as it will help you with level and asset creation).
2. We then start filling out stuff we've missed and pin it again. (this is a continuous process)
3. Our concept/ level design artist starts sketching the first levels and the props that we'll need.

Assets:
4. I usually start with modeling the low-poly prop cages in 3ds max.
5. We test the unwrapped/ untextured props in a level mock-up.
6. We tweak the low-poly versions to fit our level design (scale, alignment, pivots, etc)
7. I unwrap all the assets.
8. I prepare those that need normal maps for mudbox/ zbrush. (drop an edit poly on the stack and optimize polygon density and hard edges)
9. I export the unwrapped models and paint the base textures using Mudbox and Photoshop.
10. We do another dry run with the basic textures.
11. Detail texture pass. (Or mudbox sculpting/ exporting/ normal map baking pass)
12. Beta Level (or level module) assembly.
13 Test again.
14 Final tweaks
15 Final level assembly.
16 Final test.
(despite their titles, the last 3 steps will usually be repeated a few times)

If you don't have a dedicated programmer working on the mechanics while you create the assets, you're better off coding your basic gameplay elements between step 6 and 7. This way, you're not going to waste so much time with assets that might not be needed due to your gameplay mechanics.

Also, when starting on a level we usually pick the most complex module (a room or a part of the map/ zone) and do that first, just to pin the atmosphere down and check if the props we've planned will suffice or fit together nicely. Once done, we move on to the rest of the level.

Once we complete a level, we play test it (extensively) and usually abuse the Combine scripts and the "Delete key" untill everything performs as it needs to.

17. Material tweaks (AO and so on)
18 Second unwrap pass (channel 2) and lightmap baking. We usually do this on groups (based on object proximity) and we try to avoid Flatten Mapping as much as possible.
19. Beer, rinse, repeat from #2.

P.S: we've tried other workflows and ways to do this, but this fits our now 3 manned team (down from 5) perfectly.

 

Thanks very much to both posters. Getting a sense of of the workflow really helps in visualizing the process, and also in identifying where my weaknesses will be. For now, this is a venture between my wife and I, she is the creative personality, and I'm the developer, so to speak. Like others this is a part time effort, so it's a slow start, but as I mentioned it really helped as did the links.

With appreciation,

Mike

 

Exactly what I was looking for, though I have only 10 "years in IT from business analysis, to development to project management"

 

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