Presented by Justin Green at the Australian Games Developer Conference 2002 7/12/02
Transcribed by Dominik Grabiec
Overview: Getting Started
Getting the Deal
Getting the Project Done
Beyond the First Project Conclusion
A startup is defined as being a small concern, without a past game development history, usually with low resources and little or no funding. If the startup has an investor then that's often a luxurious position to be in.
Getting Started
Situation Analysis Identify Risks
Determine Capacity
What can you hope to Achieve?
Goals Good Goals will:
Keep you focused
Provide Direction to a team
Allow you to track your progress
If you don't define it, don't bother trying to create it
Understanding the Business, Part 1
What does a developer do? Game development is a business
Developers are usually contracted to deliver a product to the publisher
Publishers will have many expectations
Positioning Differences between market segments:
1. 1) PC, Console, Handheld
2) Budget, or "Classic" full price
3) Publishing versus Distribution Deals
4) Worldwide or Regional
Each segment is different, where do you fit?
The Business Plan
Business Plan is to your business what a Game design document is to your game
Pursue options that are commercially viable
Get help if you need it to write a business plan, try various governments, especially state departments since they want to help you succeed, bring in export dollars, and they will do it for free.
Understanding the Business, Part 2
What does a Publisher do? They are the one's that commercialize your game
Their job is to understand consumers
Understand the business from their perspective and their behavior will appear more logical
Finding the Right Publisher Development is a risky business
Find a publisher who matches your risk
Find out how they like to be approached
This is a luxury usually looking for publishers, usually cannot do that since you?ll be lucky to get one as a startup
Delivering the Pitch Remember what you are selling ? your capacity
Remember who you are competing against
Original vs. Licensed approach
Keep it concise (KISS)
Original Title: Every element must be defined, this goes for the game, and the game world, such as the story, the characters etc.
A full and detailed Design Document, as from above, this must detail everything.
All kinks ironed out within the game.
Licensed Title: What value you can add to the brand
Work within the license
What can you add to the world
Contract Negotiations Understand your position within the negotiations
Understand the value of a contract, that is it only the last resort to be used if things go terribly wrong, usually they shouldn?t get to that stage, and if they do then horrible things have gone wrong
Protect your interests, this goes for if you want to retain IP, or retain the engine / technology etc.
Legal advice is an investment, spend money on contract negotiations with lawyers so you know where you stand, and what will happen etc. Bigger businesses or more established developers spend a small percentage of the contract amount on lawyers so that they are sure that they are covered by the contract.
Managing your Scope Be realistic in your design
Identify all areas of risk in the project and put resources in place to minimize them
Make sure that internal communication is effective and scope is maintained, this is with regards to bad news being delivered quickly and without fear of reprisal so proper actions can be taken quickly to rectify the situation
Read and use project management techniques, from books, since they don't change as much as programming techniques
Managing your resources Consider all inputs to a project as individual resources; so each person is a resource, each project is a resource, each tool is a resource, etc
You don't need to own your resources:
* - Middleware, such as graphical libraries, middleware tools and libraries, plug-ins and other SDK's.
- Agents, for looking for talent, not as widely used anymore
- Business development / accountants, banks can really help you out there by providing these services if you ? use their bank for banking etc
Managing their expectations" How far can you bend over backwards "
You are making a project for their specifications
* - Keep communication clear
- Focus on the Publisher - Developer relationship
- Reply to phone calls with emails so there's a written record of what took place
- Do not rely entirely on emails, but also use phone communication and face to face
- Do not be scared to deliver bad news to a publisher, as that will build trust and understanding
Financial Stability Controlling costs, i.e. don't splurge after you?ve finished the first project as you have yet to sign another deal and get more income
Continuity of Work, reassess the situation after each project, sometimes you might be considered still a startup after your first project and beyond, so make sure that you can have another project lines up as soon as possible so you are never out of work
Financial Support, use your bank and other people whenever possible, they want your business too, and if you do all your banking with them they might be more inclined to give you discounts, loans, etc. (There is a case study in "Game Architecture and Design" where a company arranges an emergency loan for finishing off the game just in case the publisher ditches it)
Building a Brand Leverage off your first project to pursue initial long term goals
Promote your studies to the industry, i.e. Conferences etc
You want publishers to instantly associate you with a certain brand, i.e. Ratbag with racing games, ID software with First Person Shooter engines.
Look at what successful developers are doing - "Look at companies that do what you do"
Strategies for Growth
As a startup try to look about three years ahead to be competitive for the next project. Initiatives for improvement, i.e. organizing dedicated engine development team, another project team to have more than one game going at a time.
Where to look for Help
Peer Support
Industry Associations; AGDC, IGDA
Professional Development Mentoring Programs; Queensland Game Development Cluster, Satellite Development Programs
Government Assistance
Reference Books
(Thanks to Justin Green from Evolution games for letting us host this transcript, and thanks also to Dominik for writing it all up)