Application
This unit applies to concept artists, games designers, games programmers, animators and other personnel working in the game development industry.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Research and document mobile gaming device technologies | 1.1 Research, identify and describe current mobile devices suitable for games 1.2 Identity a suitable mobile device 1.3 Identify technical limitations and constraints of the mobile gaming device 1.4 Research and identify tools and technology 1.5 Identify a suitable tool for the mobile gaming device 1.6 Research, identify and describe market successful mobile game devices |
2. Plan the project | 2.1 Create or obtain project brief and documents 2.2 Identify game production assets 2.3 Define developer roles and skills 2.4 Create a schedule for production and testing 2.5 Determine strategies for monitoring production progress against schedule |
3. Create game assets | 3.1 Create graphics assets using 3.2 Create music and sound assets |
4. Develop game prototype | 4.1 Develop game prototype using a programming language 4.2 Create and check game-play elements according to creative and technical requirements 4.3 Test and run game play on mobile device 4.4 Identify if the game meets creative, production and technical requirements |
5. Evaluate game prototype | 5.1 Demonstrate initial prototype to relevant personnel 5.2 Evaluate against criteria, including achievement of a creative and user-friendly product 5.3 Discuss and agree on required changes 5.4 Assist if required in tests and user trials 5.5 Evaluate feedback from user trials 5.6 Confirm endorsement from relevant personnel to develop prototype into complete product |
6. Transform prototype into final proof of concept prototype | 6.1 Make necessary changes as indicated by user trials 6.2 Integrate all game elements as required by specifications 6.3 Polish the game |
Required Skills
Required skills
analytical skills to evaluate documentation and images to inform implementation of game specifications
communication skills to:
check and confirm design requirements
collect, interpret and communicate in visual and written forms effectively for various audiences, including engineers and artists
communicate complex designs in a structured format drawn from industry standards, styles and techniques
communicate technical requirements related to software development, graphics requirements and code development to supervisors and other team members
provide practical advice, support and feedback to colleagues and management
initiative and enterprise skills to exercise a high level of creative ingenuity in game design and innovation
literacy and numeracy skills to:
develop game design and technical design documents
read briefs, work instructions, and technical and conceptual information
write instructions for the normal and competent operation and testing of all game features and permutations
management skills to coordinate teams in order to effectively extract useful feedback
planning and organisational skills to:
balance talent, experience and budget
delegate tasks and responsibility appropriately
establish clear roles and goals to achieve required game development outcomes
meet project deadlines
organise equipment and resources to achieve required outcomes
organise own time to meet milestones
problem-solving skills to recognise and address potential quality issues and problems at design development stage
research skills to undertake practical, technical and desktop research
teamwork skills to:
contribute to and work in a collaborative team
realise a unified game-play vision
technical skills to:
resolve basic hardware, software and other technical issues associated with game production
translate design requirements into specifications
use correct file formats and archiving procedures.
Required knowledge
basic programming techniques
budgeting and scheduling considerations for game design
computer game development, including specific terminology
current game-play hardware and software products
risk and critical path management
technical constraints that hardware imposes on software development, graphics requirements, code development and creative visual design
techniques for concept visualisation and development.
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: apply a variety of strategies for game trialling and testing demonstrate original and innovative approaches to the creative development implement game development and production strategies maintain integrity of the design brief and game design document undertake risk assessment and critical path planning produce a working game on a mobile device. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: computer hardware, software, games engines and file storage copyright and intellectual property legislation OHS legislation and enterprise policy appropriate learning and assessment support when required modified equipment for people with special needs. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of a working, original game on a mobile device direct observation of candidate participating in game document development activities verbal questioning or interview concerning aspects of game development, including: capability of game engines and software tools to meet the requirements of the brief evaluating game prototypes from technical, design and game-play perspectives game testing and trialling procedures maintaining integrity of the design brief and game design document risk assessment and critical path planning translating design and technical specifications into working game prototypes. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support. In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Mobile devices may include: | mobile phones personal digital assistants (PDAs) tablets. |
Technical limitations and constraints may include: | current technology future technology and release date graphics capabilities memory pixels platforms polygon count processor speed software capability storage space. |
Tools and technology | compilers debugging software development software efficiency flexible systems suitable for non-programmers graphics graphics system design integrated development environments middleware operating systems plug-in tools programming for game integration rendering sound system architecture for real time game environments and simulations tools for designers and play analysis. |
Project brief and documents may include: | concept drawings designer’s notes development environment description game design document game-play designs help notes information design operating manual storyboard style and design principles style and medium target market information technical design document technical design review process. |
Game production assets may include: | current work files development kits existing digital product libraries: character models environments motion capture data sound effects game engines, including customised game engines personnel. |
Technical specifications may include: | backup procedures delivery platform difficulty levels disc or memory space format for final product navigation design pixel size polygon count specifications for phases of game development: alpha version - pre-production beta version - playable prototype gold version - completed game trialling and testing systems and workplace standards for documentation, including: computer file management job lists progress reports source code and game assets archiving target market. |
Schedule may involve: | allocating work tasks in consultation with other team members analysing key requirements of the brief assessing concept viability against resource availability conducting risk assessment regarding possible issues and constraints and potential solutions creating an overall project plan and schedule determining workflow with consideration to available resources identifying key milestones and associated deliverables: alpha version - pre-production beta version - playable prototype gold version - completed game trialling and testing identifying stakeholders and devising strategies to meet stakeholder needs identifying the critical path researching background information setting project objectives against achievable timeframes. |
Monitoring production progress may involve: | balancing quality and scheduling requirements coordinating the efforts of development, quality assurance, sales, marketing, public relations and finance ensuring the timely production of assets to brief requirements, including: animation components graphic images interfaces text video identifying and applying testing procedures monitoring workload allocated to individual personnel progressive game testing to ensure playability renegotiating variations and schedule slippage ahead of milestone dates sound identifying and applying contingency strategies. |
Developing game prototypes may involve: | bug fixing, bug databases, creating stable code bases and game tuning building flexible systems configurable by others code review and test harnesses designing and implementing tests and incorporating feedback from quality assurance developing a comprehensive design for all missions and levels, including concept visuals developing a walkthrough for at least one mission or level developing story synopsis and scripts for each level knowledge of games as dynamic systems: applying game tuning strategies in light of feedback from actual play characteristics of a balanced game working with quality assurance and understanding play-test feedback use of appropriate tools and skills for fast, interactive development user-guide development. |
Programming language may include: | ActionScript C C# C++ Flash Lite Java Object Pascal Objective-C Pascal Python VB.NET. |
Check game-play elements may involve: | chance fun logic playability rules skill strategy. |
Personnel may include: | animators concept artists game-play designers graphic designers instructional designers modellers motion capture technicians producers programmers project manager sound engineers team members technical director writers other specialist or technical staff. |
Evaluating game prototypes may involve: | examining and analysing the impact of decisions, after the fact: business decisions design decisions methodology and process decisions product ‘post-mortems’, reviewing actual use of resources to achieve outcomes against initial project plan and schedule. |
Tests and user trials may involve play test procedures: | determining criteria for measurement of success with a given audience play testing to monitor player frustration, progress and enjoyment selecting test subjects testing game with target market and other diverse populations. |
Polish may involve enhancing: | game play graphics user control user interface. |
Sectors
Game development
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement but users should confirm requirements with the relevant federal, state or territory authority.