It is amazing to think that the latest game that appears on the porting a game shelves at your local store perhaps took years to create. The market is so successful nowadays that the demand and pressure on developers is more intense than ever. However it is not just the developer that plays an important role in the process. With the way technology is going today a popular game can take a team of over forty in some cases. There will be distinct teams that work on certain areas. The game design is worked on initially by a team of those who think up ideas for the game. Next there is the game programming phase where the game is coded and brought to life by the development team. Lastly, but by no means least comes the role of video game testing before the game hits the stores.
In essence the stages of video game development can really be split into four sections. There are the concept, pre-production, production and post-production phases of development. Each stage will have its own dedicated team of individuals working on it. The concept is where any video game begins. This is formed by the design team and is where the idea for the game comes to fruition. A concept plan is needed and then given to the decision makers for the game. They provide the money to develop the game.
After the concept phase is completed, a more complex document is produced and is drafted by the chief designer in most cases. Together with others they have to decide whether the development of the game is possible with the budget allowed. If it is not then certain alterations have to be made. It they agree to develop the game then the programmers get involved and start to code the game behind the scenes. They have to follow the ideas that are laid out by the designers and make sure it works as they expected.
Perhaps the most important part of any development of a video game is the production phase. This is where all teams pull together to get the game to its completed stage. This is where the real expertise comes in and the majority of the money is spent on the game. The programmers work on their sections while the artists work on the graphics and characters for example. Everything must come together otherwise the game will not be a success.
Finally, there is the post-production phase where the testing of the game takes place. This is the last line of defense before the game goes live and into the stores. The testers will play the game and find any bugs that are existing in the code. If they are found then the developers need to fix the problems and return to the testers. This continues until the game is ready to be released. Equally, the marketing of the game is very important in order to get sales.