{"id":1703,"date":"2021-03-20T00:00:54","date_gmt":"2021-03-20T00:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ec2-52-95-249-27.ap-south-1.compute.amazonaws.com:8000\/blog\/?p=1703"},"modified":"2023-12-20T19:26:24","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T19:26:24","slug":"how-can-robust-resource-management-future-proof-the-gaming-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ec2-52-95-249-27.ap-south-1.compute.amazonaws.com:8000\/blog\/how-can-robust-resource-management-future-proof-the-gaming-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"How can Robust Resource Management Future Proof the Gaming Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The gaming industry has transformed from its early days of computer games to mobile and console games over the years. There are also rapid technological advancements in game platforms and game engines in recent times. It has created a need for a highly-skilled workforce<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The rise of e-sports<\/strong> and the emergence of virtual reality<\/strong> and Artificial Intelligence (AI)<\/strong> enabled gadgets like Oculus VR headsets have captured the entire gaming world’s attention by empowering gaming diversity. <\/p>\n

Game giants like Electronic Arts (EA), Sony, Epic Games, Activision, Nintendo, Ubisoft<\/em>, and many more are amongst the top players who are keeping up with the pace by upscaling their current game development framework.<\/p>\n

According to Statista<\/a>, \u201cThe global video game market\u2019s value will rise to nearly 130 billion USD in 2021.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The release of Amazon\u2019s cloud gaming service \u2018Luna\u2019, a rollout of 5G, especially in Apple\u2019s key market, i.e., The US, China, and Japan, and the advent of more IP-based mobile games paved the way for creative gaming. It will have a significant impact on game publishers, developers, and other advertising stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Notably, video game development<\/strong> is becoming increasingly complex. It includes the design, development, marketing, and sales of video games and interactive experiences across all digital platforms. From arcade machines to computers, home, and handheld consoles, to mobiles and tablets, the realm of video games is covering it all. <\/p>\n

Therefore, the gaming producers (who are also referred to as project managers) should invest in a resource management solution<\/a> with advanced capabilities that can become a game-changer in fast-tracking the development cycle.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

This article focuses on the gaming industry\u2019s future and how the right tools and techniques can complement its success.<\/p>\n

Different Roles in Game Development:<\/h2>\n

Game development<\/strong> is a sequential process that requires a highly competent team of niche-skilled resources<\/strong>. It holds different roles on the field’s technical and creative sides, such as modeling to art design, programming, and more.<\/p>\n

Here are some defined roles in game development:<\/p>\n

Production:<\/h3>\n

The Game Producer or Associate Producer is responsible for ascertaining that the right resources (Developers, designers, programmers, animation artists, etc.) are working on the right development tasks and leverage their expertise to maximum potential<\/a>. They also work closely with Game Publishers for marketing<\/strong> and quality assurance<\/strong> (testing). Overall, the onus is on game producers to take the game to the finish line with the best quality. <\/p>\n

Art & Animation:<\/h3>\n

Artists like Concept Artist, 3D animator, Technical Artist, SFX Artist, Character & Environment Artist are highly skilled with 3D graphics software as they work closely with the lead programmers. They render environments or maps, implement texturing in gameplay systems, and facilitate graphic-programs<\/strong> like pixel shaders, giving other team members a visual guide for the game’s overall look and feel.<\/p>\n

Design: <\/h3>\n

The creative team of designers with their skills in Adobe Photoshop & Unreal Engine, next-gen AR frameworks, 2D and 3D modeling<\/strong> bring users into an alternate reality by adding intriguing narratives, user interface design, and strong characters to the game. The Gameplay Designer, Level Designer, UX\/UI Designer, and Creative Designer are game designing disciplines.<\/p>\n

Programming: <\/h3>\n

Game programmers primarily develop codebases for video games. Graphics programmer, engine programmer, gameplay programmer (physics & graphics programmer), AI Programmer are some of the game disciplines.<\/p>\n

For instance<\/strong>, AI Programmers have implemented artificial intelligence heavily in Assassin\u2019s Creed<\/strong> and Civilization III<\/strong> to simulate enemies and opponents. <\/p>\n

Audio Effects: <\/h3>\n

The audio engineers lay down special sound effects in the game. They are usually trained in digital signal processing and implement sounds as a primary feedback mechanism. For example<\/strong>, The sounds in the PUBG Mobile<\/strong> game during an action scene, interaction with characters, objects, and events are created by sound engineers.<\/p>\n

Quality Assurance: <\/h3>\n

QA lead Analysts and QA Testers are the resources responsible for finding inconsistencies, bugs, or glitches in the game. They are involved in bug tracking frameworks<\/strong>, including test cases, test suites, bug documentation, etc. Mostly, game testers are platform-specific like PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Mobile and undergo black box testing and white box testing.<\/p>\n

Given the vivid roles involved and complexities of video game development, it is clear that each game development platform is unique and substantial learning<\/strong> is required to acquire the skills. Therefore, game producers must also ensure that the niche resource skills are diversified, and other resources are cross-trained<\/strong> to maintain a skilled resource pool<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

There are only two ways managers can get the right resources with a defined skill set. One is lateral hiring<\/strong> which is often very expensive, and the other is developing the skillset with internal training<\/strong><\/a> and on-the-job learning<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"http:\/\/ec2-52-95-249-27.ap-south-1.compute.amazonaws.com:8000\/blog\/workforce-planning-how-to-master-it-for-business-efficiency\/\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here is how you can implement and conduct in-house training successfully, <\/p>\n

Strategy to Develop an in-house Training Program<\/h2>\n

Retaining talent and skilled resources is the key for any gaming company to improve and grow a team over time. Hiring young programmers and getting them through the game development process is only half the battle; managers must also frequently train them to keep up with the emerging technology trends<\/strong> and in-demand skills.<\/strong> <\/p>\n

The in-house training models<\/strong> and other development programs help to cross-train resource pools<\/strong>. It also ensures quality game delivery and keeps the resource talent progressing.<\/p>\n

For example<\/strong>, a game developer programming in Unreal Engine for PC games can be cross-trained to work in Blender, Unity Engines for Console, or Mobile platforms. A graphic engineer can be trained to fix user interface bugs apart from designing and modeling works. <\/p>\n

An effective in-house training schedule eco-system enhances resource allocation efficiency and reduces resourcing costs<\/a> significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is challenging to schedule and run training programs of resources manually. Thus managers must use a training schedule software<\/a> to intelligently manage all the training programs related to technology building games, walkthrough of new equipment, etc. <\/p>\n

The tool helps to achieve agile scheduling<\/a> for multiple users across the enterprise. A competent trainer (Expert developer\/designer) with the right skills can be allocated to train young programmers and designers. It also provides a multidimensional view in real-time<\/a> to analyze the training schedule through multiple dimensions (locations, trainers, expertise, training rooms, course, etc.)<\/p>\n

The training and development programs avoid last-minute hiring of scarce niche resources<\/strong> like animators, game engine developers, AI programmers, level designers, etc., and improves the overall utilization<\/a> of training resources.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Various Stages of Game Development Process:<\/h2>\n

Due to the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic<\/strong>, the software game industry (SGI)<\/strong> has witnessed unprecedented growth, with many trends helping engagement spike worldwide. Meanwhile, mobile gaming also saw the highest positive impact from the lockdowns, but it is still challenging for developers and publishers to retain the influx of new players in 2021. <\/p>\n

Newzoo Games Market Report<\/a><\/a>, “More than 2.8 billion gamers<\/strong> worldwide will help the global games market to generate $189.3 billion<\/strong> in revenues.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The success of games like Candy Crush, Subway Surfer, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and PUBG has shown how profitable mobile games can be. Thus, to stay afloat and maintain the competitive edge<\/a>, game developers must bring innovative, high-quality games to the market. To achieve the same, they must follow a game-development framework. <\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s define the Game Development Life cycle (GDLC)<\/strong>, which consists of three different phases:<\/p>\n