Key Stages Leading to a Successful Game App Development

We all know that game apps appear to fetch the highest revenue and almost addictive user engagement compared to any other app categories. But it is also true that only a portion of all game apps become successful while the rest struggle to survive and run like real businesses.

This is why it is important to know the steps developers should follow throughout the game development project. Before you decide to hire game developers in India for your next project, let's take a look at the below-mentioned stages.

Ideation and Discovery 

This is the step where the game idea starts getting shaped like a game app. At this very stage, the scope of the app is identified, and a release date for the game app is determined. The core team's handiwork comprises Game Architect, Game Designer, and Game Art Director.

The whole team comes with detailed documentation describing the game design along with details of how the game is to be played, description of the game mechanics, detailed user flow described through a chart, scope of design customization, etc. Another documentation is created describing the art and stylistic elements of the game, mostly related to the look and feel of the game app. The same document also describes the visual elements, including backgrounds, game characters, icons, fonts, colours, 3D models and 3D animation, etc.

The game architect will also come with detailed documentation on the tech stack for the project. Different game engine options and tools are described as options, pros and cons for the project, and the final choice of tools and engines. Lastly, project milestones, deadline, team strength and deliverables are ascertained in clear terms.

Actual Game Development 

Now that you have known all your requirements, this is the time when actual game development will take off. The game developers at this stage are responsible for shaping the game mechanics with details like pace, gameplay actions, balance, etc. They also start creating assets such as game characters, props, creatures, game environments, etc. At this stage, they create the game rules, create levels and game scenes and write the game code.

Here are some key game development concepts that every game app must pass through.

● Prototyping: A game prototype is created to provide the basics of aesthetics and functionality of a game app showcasing the gaming experience, gameplay actions, game mechanics, and game art style.

● First playable: The first playable is a game-only app development concept that goes one step ahead of the prototype and offers a fuller look and feel of the game app with artwork and basic game functionalities included.

● Pre-alpha: This is the stage where the intended game is almost created and is waiting to go through many edits in the form of additions and omissions. This is the stage where several crucial development decisions take place.

● Vertical slice: Though this stage is optional and not all game apps opt for this, the stage by offering a slice of the game in a fully playable format can easily showcase the game's merit to investors and future game players.

● Alpha: At this stage, the game is built with all features, and the game is fully playable from the first action to the very end. It only may lack a few detailed elements.

● Beta: This is when the game, whether in design or features, stands complete and no new content or feature needs to be added. At this stage, QA testers play an important role in ensuring that there are no coding glitches and all things run smoothly.

● Release Candidate: This is the final version of the game, ready to be launched for your gaming audience to play.

Game Testing 

Game testing is an important step as it ensures smooth and engaging gameplay without glitches. All features and game mechanics should be thoroughly tested to ensure optimum quality.

Are your game characters moving, acting and doing things just in the desired manner or as per the gaming command of the game player? Is the game working well when played on a device for hours on end? Is any action repeated a number of times leading to game crashes? These and many such aspects should be tested.

Game Launch 

When the game's release day is approaching, the developers and testers can still keep themselves busy by improving the game by finding and eradicating errors. Besides bug eradication, developers still try to improve the game as much as possible in the counting days before the launch. They fix some characters, make the movement of something better and do many things to add to the game experience.

Post-Launch

Game development is hardly a one-time job. Developers need to stay alert on how the game is functioning and how to make the gaming actions better for the players. Some developers in the team engage in fixing bugs, make patches, come with in-app events and bonuses, etc.

Many video games are released initially with several small bugs that are detected and removed over time. These bugs are eliminated in the initial few months after the release. Game studios, based upon player feedback, take measures to fix bugs. Post-launch maintenance is a crucial stage in game development.

Conclusion

Building an addictive game that continuously ushers on you great fortune cannot happen without making the fundamentals right. The above stages show these fundamentals that make successful game apps possible.

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