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> Iteration in game development is much slower and lends itself to a waterfall approach Given that much of game development is an iterative creative process, y
by dkersten 7y ago
> Iteration in game development is much slower and lends itself to a waterfall approach
Given that much of game development is an iterative creative process, you would hope that iteration is much faster than in other development work. Maybe not for the programmers, though.
I don't see how its any more suited to waterfall than any other industry. Sounds like something game devs tell themselves so they feel better about their bad habits, like how crunch is necessary or how automated testing is too hard.
- jayd16 7y agoGame devs do not tell themselves games are suited to waterfall. In fact, its the opposite. Its the opposite of the testing is hard argument, as you mentioned, which is much more common.
- de_watcher 7y agoNo, it's actually way more waterfally than in other sectors. I assume that in the 'game as a service' kind of long going projects it's different, but I don't have that kind of experience.
- dkersten 7y agoDo you mean its way more waterfall in that it happens in practice, or do you mean that its much more suited to that style of development process? If the former, then I would say a lot of large companies end up that way (they tell themselves they’re “doing agile” but in reality are really just doing some form of modified waterfall). If the latter, then I will ask: why is that? Waterfall might make sense if you know up front exactly what you will build, which as an engine developer may well be the case, but for anybody else, I don’t see how a more agile approach short iterations and tight feedback loops wouldn’t produce better results.