Game Production Handbook (Game Development Series) (Paperback)

by Heather M Chandler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Managing the production of games in the 21st century is a challenge, especially because there is no standardized process to ensure the successful completion of every game. But game production isn’t a science, so you can’t expect each game to present the same challenges and rewards as the last. Fortunately, common elements do exist for every game development team, and improving upon these commonalities and anticipating new challenges is the purpose of The Game Production Handbook: it brings some order to the chaotic world of game production. Written by a veteran game producer, The Game Production Handbook is the ultimate industry reference. It answers the questions new leads, managers, and producers have, and it gives the pros new insights and valuable tips to improve their existing processes. It includes cutting-edge advice from industry experts on managing teams, tracking production cycle from pre-production to post-production, and offers detailed practical advice on how to run a project. The focus throughout is on the nuts and bolts of managing development, including defining goals, creating a plan, managing, hiring, and motivating people effectively, and dealing with the inevitable bumps along the way. This is an indispensable training manual for the entire team!

What You’ll Find: * Best practices and answers to all types of pre- and post-production issues that arise during the development cycle * Tips for managing and motivating teams * Methods for brining structure and order to your game production processes * Details for organizing mo-cap shoots, voice over sessions, and localizations * Specifics on the console submission process, software ratings, and working with publishers * Customizable checklists for pre-production, production, and post-production

Key Features: * Game Production Overview: Covers the production cycle, roles of the team, and a discussion of traditional software development methodologies * Business Information: Provides general legal information producers need to know, and details the publisher developer relationship * Technical Production: Covers all the mini-projects to manage during production, including voiceovers, marketing needs, and motion capture * Pre-Production: Outlines decisions and planning that occur, such as defining the game concept game requirements, and game plan * Testing: Teaches how to test and code release games, including information on submitting games to Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo * Post-Production: Discusses successfully wrapping up your project with a closing kit and post-mortem

About the Author
Heather Chandler has been involved with game production since 1996. She recently founded Media Sunshine, Inc., a company which provides game development consulting services to developers, publishers, and vendors. Prior to the creation of MSI, Heather held various production roles at Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, and Activision, where she shipped over 30 games. She is the author of The Game Localization Handbook (Charles River Media, 2004) and has published several other articles on game development and production, including three chapters in Secrets of the Game Business, Second Edition (Charles River Media, 2005).

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Charles River Media; 1 edition (January 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584504161
• ISBN-13: 978-1584504160
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #600,579 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to produce more organized games, April 13, 2006

By	D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer "California B... (California, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Heather Chandler's THE GAME PRODUTION HANDBOOK adds to others in the 'Game Production' series and offers a range of methods and tips for producing more organized games. From voice over sessions and submission processes to brainstorming, developing concepts, and marketing them with publishers, THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK covers it all.