2D storyboards creation, 84
3D storyboards creation, 84
“Above-the-line” talent, 116
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, 11
Ace Combat game, 153
Activision’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 30
Agile development, 26
Alpha build, 52
Alternative reality game (ARG), 86–87
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), 129
America’s Most Wanted, 131
Animatics, 84
Antagonist, 69
AP 108
The Apprentice, 131
Assassin’s Creed, 45, 70, 97, 199
Assistant producer, see AP
Associate producer, see AP
Audiences, 17
Audio middleware, 150
Back light, 99
Back story, 69
Baghead, 143
Bee Movie xi
“Below-the-line” talent, 116
Beowulf, xi
Beta build, 52
Blacksite: Area 51, 8, 37, 83, 136, 156, 157
Blood Rayne, 60
Boredom, in video games, 16
“Breaking down” a script, 71, 112–113
Budget sample, 214
Bugs, 47
Burke, Ron, 58
Buscaglia, Tom, 202
Buzz topics, in game industry, 60–61
Cake, 131
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, 30, 73, 92, 130, 182
Camera angles, 92
Cascade method, see Waterfall development model
Casting, 123
sides and character breakdowns, 129
Character breakdown, 127
and sides, 129
sample, 218
“Choose your own path” books, 67
Cinematic, xi
Cinematic game, 33
Cinematographer, 92, 94, 96, 99, 105
working with, 138
Cinematography, for games, 91
Close-ups, 93
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, 11
Command & Conquer games, 10
Composition, 94
Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), 55
Concept phase, of game development, 4
Confrontation, 73
Continuity aspect, of cinematography, 93
“Crane move”, 100
Critical path, 28
Crossing over, 195
Crossover:
to other direction, 60
versus in-game cinematics, 141–142
Cutting, 93
Design documentation:
Design production, 39
Design team, 42
Develop, 174
Developer and publisher agreements, 200–201, 205
Digital matte painters, 42
Digital matte painting, 87
Direct digital distribution, 207
Directing, 133
cinematographer, working with, 138
versus in-game cinematics, 141–142
script supervision and continuity, 139–140
The Do-Deca-Pentathlon, 143
Dolly moves, 100
Drakan: The Ancients’ Gates, 174
Dual dialogue, 67
Dungeons and Dragons, 8
E3 and GDC, gaming conventions, 61
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, 8, 9, 22, 43, 97, 98
Elevator pitch, 171
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), 6, 55
Fallout 3, 61
Far Cry 2, 123
Far Cry games, 94
Far Cry Instincts: Predator, 24, 142
Feature creep, 5
Fill light, 99
Film director, working with, 179
Filmmakers, 18
First-time game producer, 205–206
Five C’s, of cinematography, 91
camera angles, 92
close-ups, 93
composition, 94
continuity, 93
cutting, 93
Format and script development, 66–68
Framing, 93
in storyboarding process, 85
see also Close-ups; Rule of Thirds
Frustration, in video games, 16
Fundraising, 187
Game business, 181
business plan, 182
crossover appeal, 184
fundraising, 187
incentives, 187
mission statement, 183
risk analysis, 183
Game design/concept, sample for, 211
Game Design: Theory & Practice, 174
Game industry:
attracting, 170
Game Informer, 186
GameDevKit, 204
GamingTrend, creation of, 58
Germany, 55
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, 7, 8, 10, 135, 137, 152, 172
Gold date, 58
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, 61
Hamill, Mark, 127
Hawkins, Brian, 138
Hitchcock, Alfred, 94
Hollywood Envy, 175
Human resources (HR) department, 25
In-game cinematics vs. cut-scenes, 141–142
Incentives, 187
Inciting incident, 73
Independent game developer, 161
game industry, attracting, 170
idea protection, 168
successful public relations campaign, creating, 166–168
video game company, setting up, 162–164
Ingredients, for new project, 16-17
The Inspiracy, 169
Intellectual property (IP), 197–198
International Game Developers Association (IGDA), 166
The Intervention, 143
Interviews, 25
“Iterate-until-you-drop”
method, see Iterative development model
Iterative development model, 27–28
The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, 131
Japan, 55
Jumping Off Bridges, 131
Key light, 98
Legal issues:
copyrights and trademarks, 198–199
developer and publisher agreements, 200–201
intellectual property, 197–198
nondisclosure agreements and contracts, 199-200
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Walker, 59
Lighting:
impact of, 105
Look achieving, in games, 95–97
Lord of the Rings Online, 9, 67, 110, 185, 186
Lord of the Rings Online Shadows of Angmar, 9
Lost Planet, 40, 53, 80, 139, 197
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, 40, 139, 197
M*A*S*H, 176
Madden football, 11
Marketing:
Massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), 190, 192
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), 8–9, 17
Master scenes, 74
McDowell, Malcolm, 127
Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots, 62
Microsoft, 12
Microsoft Excel, 29
Midway Games, 136
Mission statement, 183
Mocap, see Motion capture Money, assets, and time, management of, 117–118
Motion capture:
Music production, see Sound design
Next Generation magazine, 75, 76
Nondisclosure agreements (NDA) and contracts, 199–200, 205
Nonplayer characters (NPCs), 101
Online video conferencing, 163
Pan European Game Information board (PEGI), 55
Panning, 100
Payroll factor, 25
Performance capture, 126
Phased approach, 190
Planning, see Scheduling
Play-balance, 14
Poorly designed game, warning signs for, 18
Postmortem, 57
Postproduction, 6–7, 51, 118–122
code release and gold master, 52
rating systems, demos and guides, 55–57
“builds” and localization, 52–54
Iterative development model, 27–28
Waterfall development model, 28
Previsualization, 100
Producer, 107
cinematic development, 112–114
money, assets, and time, management of, 117–118
preproduction planning, 114–116
risk management, 114
Production, in game industry, 37
design production, 39
motion capture and voiceover, 44–45
programming team, 42
technology and tools, 38
testing and quality assurance, 46–47
Production flowchart, 213
Production meetings, 26
Production phase, of game production development, 5
Production process:
brainstorming and initial decisions, 13-14
concept phase, 4
production phase, of game production development, 5
testing/QA phase, 5
Programming team, 42
“Proposed scenario”, 183
Psychology, of game development, 16
Psychonauts, 62
Public relations campaign, 166–168
Publisher and developer agreements, 200–201
The Puffy Chair, 143
QA phase/testing, of game development, 6
Quake, 9
Quality assurance (QA) department, 46–47, 52, 53
Rainbow Six, 7, 54, 115, 134, 151, 188
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, 54
Rating systems, demos and guides, 55–57
Real-Time Cinematography for Games, 102, 138
Real-time strategy (RTS), 10-11
Reel, 130
Reel to Deal, 181
Resident Evil, 65, 66, 81, 97, 126, 201
Reverse storyboarding, 82
Revision/version control system software, 41
Rhys-Davies, John, 127
Risk:
analysis, 183
management, 114
Sam & Max series, 62
Schedule, Sample for, 213
sample basic schedule, 213
Scrabble, 143
Screen Actors Guild (SAG), 129
Script:
supervision and continuity, 139–140
Second Life, 12
Short script, 85
Sides and character breakdowns, 129
Sims games, 12
Simulation game, 12
Skilled talent, finding, 25, 164
Sound design, 147
production in game industry, 43–44
Splinter Cell, 65, 68, 99, 116, 125, 169
Sports, 11
Sprints, 27
Staffing plan, sample for, 215–216
StageTools, 84
Storyboard and concept art, 79
basic design documentation, using, 80–81
Successful games, characteristics of, 34
The Suffering, 174
The Suffering: Ties That Bind, 174
SXSW Interactive conferences, 171
System Shock games, 177
Talent:
Technology and tools, 38
Testing/QA phase, of game development, 5
Testing and quality assurance, 46–47
Themes, 105
Theory of Games and Economic Behavior, 14
Third-person shooter, 10
This Is John, 143
Three Kings, 96
Thumbnails creation, 83
Tilting, 100
Titan Quest, 59
Translation kit, 57
Turok, 141
UbiSoft, 7, 54, 123, 125, 134, 135, 142, 165
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, 62
United States, 55
Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK), 55
Video game company, setting up, 162–164, 202–203
challenges involved with, 202
“Virtual reality” games, 12
Visual rhythm, 106
Visual structure:
cinematography and lighting, impact of, 105
games vs. films, 103
Visually strong movie, 104
Visuals, for narrative creation, 104–105
Voiceover:
Waterfall development model, 28
“Work for hire” contract, 200
Wright, Will, 12