Game development is a process with several steps involved. It all starts with the pre-production phase. This phase of game development is challenging. The goal of this phase is to brainstorm ideas that include the whole process of the mobile game.
Pre-production stage
The whole team needs to collaborate and work together to decide on the developing tools, architecture, frameworks and the project’s support after launch. During this phase, the team should also be predicting and calculating analytical events that affect their target audience. It is also during this phase that the team decides the main characters of the game and the game’s narrative. There is also consultation with engineers, designers and writers on what features the gameplay should include. Engineers and developers work on physics and in-game mechanics. The designers and artists collaborate together to create characters for the game.
The development team decides on the technologies to be in the game. Often, there is a unity engine. This is a cross-platform game that allows for fast production of the game. Prior to production, there should be a defined concept of all the elements, including the characters, schemes, interface and game environment. Once all of this is accomplished, the production phase begins.
Production Phase
The production phase is the most time-consuming one. It brings many challenges to the table. There may even be a few changes to the business model. Most game developers use the Agile methodology. This helps to focus on functionality and adjust the project. The team must have a common development vector. During this phase, the team works on the audio, designing levels and characters. Developers create the code, and project managers handle the organization of the project.
Testing and QA
Following the production stage in the development of the game, the testing phase comes. This is a very important phase. The game must work perfectly before it’s launched on other platforms. All of the features and mechanics must be tested for function. Without proper testing, the game will not be able to pass to the Alpha stage. Manual tests and auto testing are done. The testing department completes the documentation on both use cases and test cases. Any mistakes are fixed. Sometimes, the game is tested with a focus group. This allows you to know if users find the game fun. After this phase, it is time for the pre-launch phase.
During the pre-launch phase, the game is typically released to different regions in order to see how users interact with it. You want to know if these users find the game enjoyable or have any problems with it. Statistics are then gathered for any fixes or improvements. This is done prior to the official launch. It is also during the pre-launch stage that marketing begins. Different marketing strategies are implemented to let the audience know about the new game.
As long as everything goes as planned, the game is ready for the official launch phase. The launch stage is stressful for the entire team. All the time spent developing the game will finally pay off. During this stage, there will likely be some bugs reported by users. All of this feedback will be addressed for a better gaming experience.
The last phase is the post-production phase. Even if a game is successful, it is not time to end development. There will be new reports of crashes or bugs. It is important to fix everything and update the game application. This way, you don’t lose your audience. It is always important to keep the game growing and evolving. New versions and seasonal events are the ideal way to do this. It gets the audience excited to keep playing the game. Fresh content should always be added to a game.
If you have a game idea, a mobile game development company can help you bring it to fruition, including VR games development. A game development company can develop, design and market your game app. They can assist you with brainstorming, in-depth programming and create a robust game app in a professional manner. In addition, they assist you with launching your game app in Google Play and in the App Store.
Creating a game app is a tough process. Consulting with a professional and experienced mobile game development company is usually the best way to go. From beginning to finish, you will have a team of professionals working closely with you. Give them a call today.