This article has been written in order to help indie game developers:
- Planning their game development
- Creating more successful and engaging games through the application of Lean Startup principles
- Using rapid prototyping to test and gather feedback on game mechanics and design
- Focusing on creating a minimum viable product (MVP) for a more focused and enjoyable game
- Gathering customer feedback to create a game that meets the needs of the target audience
- Incorporating agile development methods for increased flexibility and responsiveness
- Using metrics and analytics to make continuous improvements to the game.
Planning
This stage involves defining the game concept and brainstorming various aspects that apply to your game. To ensure that your game idea is well thought out, consider the following aspects that apply to your game:
- The genre of the game.
- Characters and their roles, personalities, and missions.
- The story and potential characters involved.
- Game mechanics and game loop.
- World and map design, including how the game will play, where players will go, and what they will encounter.
- Visuals, color palette and art style.
- Multiplayer/co-op features, if any.
- Budget and financial boundaries.
It is also essential to identify the target audience or players/buyers who would be interested in the game. By understanding the target audience, you can tailor the game to their preferences, increasing its chances of success.
Feasibility is also a critical factor to consider during this stage. Ask yourself if you have the coding skills to complete the game, if you can create the game yourself or with a team, if you can afford to develop the game within your budget, what the estimated timeline for launch is, and how the game will be monetized.
Determine the game mechanics involved in playing the game and choose a video game engine or program to use for development. Set timelines and milestones for all stages of development, and consider hiring and outsourcing tasks to other professionals or enthusiasts.
Building a technical plan considering a first minimum viable product (MVP) is also important during this stage. The rest of the article will delve deeper into why and how to start your development project with agility and iterative development.
Rapid prototyping
Rapid prototyping is a key principle of the Lean Startup and can be applied to video game development by creating small, playable demos of your game early on in the development process. This allows you to test and gather feedback on the game’s mechanics and design before committing to a full-scale production. For example, imagine you’re creating a game that focuses on resource management and building structures. You could create a small prototype of this core gameplay mechanic to gather feedback and make improvements before committing to a full-scale production. The benefits of rapid prototyping include the ability to quickly gather feedback, identify potential issues early on, and refine the game’s mechanics and design.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
This brings us to a key principle of the Lean Startup is to focus on creating a minimum viable product (MVP), which is the core set of features that are essential for player enjoyment. By focusing on the MVP, you can ensure that the core gameplay experience is enjoyable and engaging before expanding on other features. For example, imagine you’re creating a game that focuses on resource management and building structures, you could focus on creating a MVP of this core gameplay mechanic before adding other features such as social interaction and warfare. The benefits of focusing on the MVP include the ability to create a more focused and enjoyable game, as well as the ability to gather feedback on the core gameplay experience before expanding on other features.
I suggest that you take 3 minutes and watch Eric Ries, a successful entrepreneur and author of “The Lean Startup”, emphasizing the significance of learning as a measure of progress in a startup. He suggests starting small (with a MVP) and gradually building up, stating that “the core principle is attempting to apply the scientific method to the process of entrepreneurship.”: Lean Startups: MVPs and the Importance of Learning.
Many successful indie games have applied the principle of rapid prototyping in their development process. For example, “Terraria” started off as a small prototype with basic resource management and building mechanics before expanding into a full-scale exploration and action-adventure game. “Stardew Valley” began as a prototype with a focus on farming and resource management before incorporating other features such as fishing, mining and community-building. “Minecraft” also used this principle, starting off with basic block building and resource gathering before expanding into a full-scale survival game with a variety of features. These examples show how rapid prototyping can lead to successful and engaging games that meet the needs of their target audience.
One of the most successful examples of rapid prototyping in video game development is Factorio. By creating a small playable prototype of their core gameplay mechanics, the developers were able to gather feedback and make improvements before committing to a full-scale production. This can be seen in their early access footage, where the game’s MVP is presented to the public and how it evolved over time: Factorio – Trailer 2013. As a result, Factorio is now one of the most highly rated games on Steam.
Customer Feedback
Gathering customer feedback is another important principle of the Lean Startup. Indie developers can gather customer feedback by releasing early builds of their game to a small group of testers or by using online platforms like Steam Early Access or Kickstarter to gather feedback from a larger audience. For example, you could use Steam Early Access to gather feedback from players and make improvements to the game based on their feedback. The importance of incorporating customer feedback into the development process cannot be overstated, as it allows indie developers to create a more engaging and enjoyable game that meets the needs of their target audience.
Iterative Development
Iterative development is another key principle of the Lean Startup, which involves incorporating customer feedback into the development process, making changes and improvements to the game as you go. For example, after gathering feedback from early testers (from a demo) or Steam Early Access players, you could make improvements to the game’s mechanics, design, and overall player experience. By iterating on the development process, you can create a more engaging and enjoyable game that meets the needs of your target audience. The benefits of iterative development include the ability to create a more engaging and enjoyable game, as well as the ability to make changes and improvements based on customer feedback.
The opposite of iterative development would be a “waterfall” approach, where development is completed in stages and changes are not made after each stage. This approach can lead to a game that is not as engaging or enjoyable as it could be, as it does not take into account customer feedback and may not meet the needs of your target audience. Additionally, it may also result in a higher risk of delays and budget overruns, as changes are not made until the end of the development process. This approach is less flexible and less responsive to customer feedback, which can lead to a lower-quality game.
Metrics and analytics
As an indie developer, it’s important to track the performance of your game and measure how players are engaging with it. This is where metrics and analytics come in. By using metrics and analytics, you can track important data such as player engagement, retention, and in-game behavior. This data can help you identify areas of improvement and make informed decisions about the direction of your game.
When it comes to the MVP, it’s important to focus on tracking metrics that are relevant to the core gameplay experience. For example, if your game is focused on resource management and building structures, you might want to track metrics such as the number of resources gathered, the number of structures built, and the time it takes for players to complete certain tasks.
It’s important to note that it’s easy to get lost in a sea of data, so it’s important to plan ahead and focus on tracking only the most important metrics. There are also frameworks and plugins available, such as Unity Analytics and Unreal Engine’s built-in analytics, to help you with tracking and analyzing data. With proper planning and execution, metrics and analytics can be a valuable tool for indie developers in understanding and improving their game’s performance.
Agile Development
Agile development is a methodology that can be applied to video game development, and is particularly useful for indie developers working in small teams or studios. Agile development focuses on flexibility and responsiveness, allowing developers to adapt to changes and incorporate feedback throughout the development process. For example, in a small team, you could adopt an agile development methodology by implementing daily stand-up meetings to discuss progress and identify any roadblocks or issues. This allows for quick problem-solving and allows the team to stay on track with the development process. Additionally, you could use agile development tools such as Trello or Asana to manage tasks and track progress. This can help to streamline the development process and ensure that the game is being developed in a way that meets the needs of the target audience.
Risks
It is true that the use of rapid prototyping and the focus on creating a minimum viable product (MVP) can lead to the temptation of releasing unfinished or lower-quality games in order to quickly make a profit. However, it is important to remember that the success of a game does not only rely on its features, but also on its polish, balance, and overall quality.
One way to mitigate this risk is to use a free demo as an MVP. This allows players to try the game and provide feedback before committing to a full-scale production. This also allows the developer to gather feedback and make improvements before releasing the final product.
Another way to mitigate the risk of releasing an unfinished or lower-quality game is to start with a very low price point and gradually increase it as the game’s development progresses. This approach allows developers to gather feedback and make improvements before committing to a full-scale production, while also allowing players to see the progress of the game and decide if they want to invest in it. For example, the game Factorio started with a low price point at its launch and gradually increased it as the game’s development progressed and more features were added.
It is important to use the Lean principles ethically and responsibly. This means not sacrificing the quality of the game in order to quickly make a profit. Instead, it is important to use the principles to create a better and more enjoyable game for players.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the principles of the Lean Startup can be applied to video game development and can be particularly beneficial for you as an indie developers. By using rapid prototyping, focusing on creating a minimum viable product, gathering customer feedback, and incorporating agile development methods, indie developers can create more successful and engaging games. Additionally, by using metrics and analytics to track player engagement and make continuous improvements, indie developers can ensure that their games remain engaging and enjoyable for players. Remember that the key is to always keep learning and iterating to improve the game. With the right mindset and approach, you can achieve success in the competitive world of video game development.