Originally written January 23, 2022 | MS Game Production and Documentation Course
Assignment 2.1 — Weekly Journal | Reign and Rebellion
My journey as a producer began with the Reign and Rebellion project, a third-person shooter game. Learning is vital in game development, and through in-depth exploration this week, I discovered several concepts essential to game software production. I work closely with project leads across different departments—Art, Design, and Programming—to help set up and maintain the game project’s website documentation. In doing so, I contribute to the project’s vision by supporting the team and helping reduce potential hurdles in the production process.
During this week, I learned about game flowcharts, which are visual representations of the internal structure and functionality of game software. These flowcharts cover multiple aspects of the game, including features ranging from the splash screen to multiplayer options, on-screen buttons, and player navigation. Flowcharts are powerful tools that designers use to explain gameplay mechanics, system logic, technology trees, and skill progression in a clear and accessible manner.
While exploring and navigating the project website, I also gained insight into several in-game characters sketched by one of the artists on the team. Character representation is a crucial component of any game project, as it defines a character’s visual identity and personality. Reign and Rebellion introduces new characters for players to experience, including both male and female characters, which helps diversify the gameplay experience and broaden player engagement.
Through assigned readings, I further explored the Scrum framework and its history, which provided a clearer understanding of how Scrum functions in game development. This process includes elements such as the product backlog, sprint backlog, daily scrum meetings, sprints, and the creation of potentially shippable game builds. Game development should remain a creative and enjoyable process, and this mindset should be reflected in the final product.
As the team and I work to complete tasks assigned by the project leads, it is evident that challenges related to scope and feature implementation will arise. Addressing these challenges is an important part of the learning process. Prioritizing work effectively is a vital component of fulfilling responsibilities and ensuring steady progress. From a stakeholder perspective, key considerations include value creation, return on investment (ROI), and risk management.
I continue to make progress toward completing my assigned tasks while learning what it means to be part of the Reign and Rebellion production team. I am gaining exposure to tools, techniques, and collaborative practices that will help me solve production-related problems in the coming weeks. There is no strict timebox or deadline for my current tasks, as the team is continuously producing new in-game content that may be showcased on the project website. As the art team develops visual assets, selectively displaying content on the website—while reserving some elements for in-game discovery—can be an effective strategy for attracting users and promoting the game without revealing everything upfront. This approach may play a crucial role in marketing and player engagement.
References
Keith, C. (2021). Agile Game Development (2nd ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.
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This post is part of my weekly journal series documenting my experience in the MS Game Production and Documentation course. Follow along as I learn what it really takes to produce a game.