#### Contents - [[#Introduction|Introduction]] - [[#Prototyping and Playtesting|Prototyping and Playtesting]] - [[#Prototyping and Playtesting#Utilising High Tech On A Budget|Utilising High Tech On A Budget]] - [[#Level Design|Level Design]] - [[#Post-Launch Updates|Post-Launch Updates]] - [[#Conclusion|Conclusion]] - [[#Conclusion#Key Findings|Key Findings]] --- ## Introduction While the term "previsualisation" carries specific connotations from other sectors, the world of gaming and interactive entertainment is **already virtual**, so tends not to use these exact terms. Intensive pre-planning processes do occur, for these interactive experiences that while sometimes being intensely driven by narrative story, are nonetheless driven by **player agency**[^5]. Unlike designing for a passive viewer, creators of interactive experiences must anticipate and shape these player actions within dynamic, real-time environments. This necessitates distinct approaches and tools, centred around powerful game engines. In a familiar sense, these crafted story experiences must also navigate technical glitches and robust visual language that optimise for repeatability. ## Prototyping and Playtesting Rather than 'previs', game development terminology often favours terms more borrowed from the software world, like - "prototyping" [^1][^14] - "vertical slice" [^2][^7] - "playtesting" [^3][^8] - "level design" [^4] While concept art and storyboards might feature early on, the emphasis quickly shifts to building functional play prototypes within game engines like **Unreal Engine** or **Unity**. [^10] Previsualisation happens in the same 'world' as the final product. The primary goal in development is yes, to develop visuals and story, but to do this in harmony with the creation of core **game mechanics**, player interactions, control schemes, and the fundamental "feel" of the experience to its audience. Subtle changes in timing, animation, sound and controller-mapping can change the feel, satisfaction, even meaning of each action and interaction. A hands-on, iterative[^6] approach of extensive play-testing, allows critical feedback for visual and audio cues that the players should register in relation to their actions- not to mention fixing unwanted software bugs.  *Valve Software is known for extensive, technical playtesting from early titles like Team Fortress 2, to VR thrillers like Half Life: Alyx. Technology is developed alongside character, story and gameplay, with feedback from player testing sessions.* ### Utilising High Tech On A Budget Smaller teams, (like Ninja Theory with *Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice*[^16]), demonstrated how focused artistic vision and guerrilla workflows (including performance capture in the office boardroom) can deliver incredible story experiences on tighter budgets.  *Rendering techniques, and successive generations of hardware, have optimised video games' ability to render photorealistic graphics in real time. This 'realtime-rendering' technology is the basis of Spatial Computing and more, which is revolutionizing modern industry.* ## Level Design Creating the game world itself - the 'level' - is an exercise in spatial and experiential presentation[^9]. Designers map out player journeys, craft environments that convey atmosphere and tell stories through exploration (like *BioShock*'s Rapture[^11]) These environments set the pace for encounters and challenges, and guide player attention, all while offering feedback, achievement and progression - within freedoms that the game's mechanics allow. Elements in play here include combat, character design. cinematic events, performance capture, and voice acting. Development of large-scale worlds like those in *Fortnite*[^12] or *Roblox*[^13] requires sophisticated, endless modular design, scalability, and user-generation tools.[^15]  *Levels (aka stages, or environments) are designed to communicate information, and facilitate fun, for free-roaming players.* ## Post-Launch Updates Issues with gameplay mechanics, level difficulty, narrative clarity, or technical performance are identified and addressed continuously. When a film is released, it usually does not change. When a theatre show is mounted, it would be unusual for major changes to occur after opening for the run. Even years after launch, video games often receive patches and updates based on player data and feedback, reflecting a continuous development cycle. ## Conclusion Pre-planning in gaming and interactive entertainment is a distinct discipline, with practitioners designing robust, engaging systems that respond dynamically to player input. Thisi is driven by real-time engines, the capabilities of which have had transformative effects on other industries. The agile, feedback-driven, and systems-oriented approach, borrows as much from software development as it does from arts. This does offers intriguing parallels and potential lessons for other fields.[^19] As a side note, it cannot be understated how powerful the impact of gaming has been on successive generations in terms of computer proficiency. From Millennial to Gen Z to Gen Alpha, one can imagine a higher natural skill floor in future, tech-native creative professionals. [^18] ### Key Findings - Game development prioritizes planning for player interaction and responses within dynamic environments, rather than fixed sequences. - Emphasis is placed on building functional prototypes early to test gameplay. - Planning often involves designing interconnected systems (AI behaviour, physics, game rules) rather than just linear narratives or visual sequences.[^17] - Game engines (like Unreal, Unity) serve as the central environment for everything: from prototyping, iteration, to final production. Extensive real-world capture, such as performance capture, animation, and voice acting, feeds into these digital platforms. ## Next Article: Live Events [>](5.%20Live%20Events.md) The industry that is closely related to our own. [5. Live Events](5.%20Live%20Events.md) --- ### References [^1]: See Glossary [Prototyping (Games)](Glossary.md#Prototyping%20(Games)) [^2]: See Glossary [Vertical Slice](Glossary.md#Vertical%20Slice) [^3]: See Glossary [Level Design](Glossary.md#Level%20Design) [^4]: See Glossary [Level Design](Glossary.md#Level%20Design) [^5]: ["What is Player Agency?"](https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2020/8/20/what-is-player-agency) - University XP article defining player agency in game design. [^6]: ["What Is Iterative Game Design? (Simplified)"](https://www.gamedesigning.org/learn/iterative/) - UXPin article explaining prototyping as a core game development process. [^7]: ["Vertical Slice - Game Development Glossary"](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/game-development-glossary-vertical-slice) - Game Developer glossary defining vertical slice as a polished game segment. [^8]: Further reading on Playtesting: ["The Role of Playtesting in Game Development [Part 1]](https://medium.com/@shiphrah_/the-role-of-playtesting-in-game-development-part-1-5ff2399531d4)" - Medium article on playtesting’s role in refining games. ["Prototyping, Playtesting, Iteration & Fun"](https://medium.com/narrative-and-new-media/prototyping-playtesting-iteration-fun-561b757f075e) - Medium article on prototyping goals like mechanics and feel. ["Iterative Design and Playtesting"](https://cse.taylor.edu/~jdenning/classes/sys270/slides/13_playtesting.html) - Taylor University slides on iterative game design. [^9]: ["What is Level Design"](https://book.leveldesignbook.com/introduction) - Level Design Book intro on crafting game spaces. [^10]: Building with Unreal Engine or Unity: ["1 - Prototype Pass"](https://docs.unrealengine.com/en-US/Resources/ContentExamples/LevelDesign/1/index.html) - Unreal Engine docs on prototyping in-engine. ["ProBuilder"](https://docs.unity3d.com/2023.2/Documentation/Manual/com.unity.probuilder.html) - Unity docs on rapid prototyping with ProBuilder. [^11]: ["How Environmental Storytelling Shaped Bioshock"](https://onlysp.escapistmagazine.com/environment-bioshock-design/) - OnlySP analysis of BioShock’s Rapture design. [^12]: ["Ever-Evolving, Live Service Experiences Like Fortnite Are 'the Future of Gaming'"](https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2024/10/ever-evolving-live-service-experiences-like-fortnite-are-the-future-of-gaming) - Push Square on Fortnite’s scalable design. [^13]: ["The social 3D creation platform | Documentation"](https://create.roblox.com/docs/platform) - Roblox docs on its UGC and scalability tools. [^14]: ["Game Prototyping: Design & Development Tools for Live Games"](https://accelbyte.io/blog/game-prototyping-design-development-tools-for-live-games) - AccelByte on playtesting’s feedback role. [^15]: ["The Role of Post-Launch Support in Game Development"](https://starloopstudios.com/the-role-of-post-launch-support-in-game-development/) - Starloop Studios on post-launch updates. [^16]: ["Hellblade's Budget Required Ninja Theory to Use Their Own Boardroom as a Motion Capture Studio"](https://www.vg247.com/hellblades-budget-required-ninja-theory-to-use-their-own-boardroom-as-a-motion-capture-studio) - VG247 on Ninja Theory’s efficient workflows. [^17]: ["How Systems Thinking Impacts Game Design (and Play)"](https://dogtrax.edublogs.org/2015/07/09/how-systems-thinking-impacts-game-design-and-play/) - Edublogs on systems design in games. [^18]: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6829166/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307554876_From_Playing_to_Programming_The_Effect_of_Video_Game_Play_on_Confidence_with_Computers_and_an_Interest_in_Computer_Science [^19]: At the core of any industry is the mind of its customer, who consume the art form in different ways. in theatre, television and film, the players are the characters, & musicians, to support story in the mind of the audience. In a game, the audience is the player, and they themselves are centre stage. This re-orientation can be useful to analyse different creative fields in how they relate to our own, and reflect on our own practices and use of technology.