Strides Interactive

Reputation vs Usability in Game DevFiled Under: Articles

Reputation vs Usability! This is something that is worth discussing, since there’s quite a lot of people out there that chooses reputation over usability when it comes to game development.

How is that?

The general misconception that reputable products equates to usable products!

This is a sure sign that the decision maker doesn’t know what he/she is doing. When we’re working on games, while graphics, gameplay and talents to make the game are important, the most important thing is to know your requirements.

A simple requirements specification can easily save a lot of work in the future. These requirements may not be segregated into high or low level. Instead they’re just mechanics and constraints that a game must have in order to define itself from other games. I’ll talk about requirements specifications in another post.

This requirement specifications will later turn into what we know as the “Game Bible“.

Conforming to the requirements requires problem identification and problem solving skills. Just by identifying the problem, one can easily identify the needs and break it down into more specific needs. To fulfill a need, simply fulfill what’s required.

For example:

Requirements: I need to screw a 4mm philips screw into the board to create a right angle joint.
Identifications: Screw, 4mm, philips screw, board
Needs: 4mm philips screw, screw driver, person who can screw in the screw with ease

What can be good to have: (Reputation)
1) It’s known that a branded electronic screw driver can quickly screw in a screw.
2) A well-trained technician will be able  to screw in with ease.

What you really need: (Usability)
1) A simple screw driver that is affordable and a single 4mm screw.
2) Anyone who is technically capable can do the job, there’s no need for a well-trained technician.

Conclusion:

What’s the big problem with using ordinary tools that fulfil the task?

1) Having an electronic screw driver does not guarantee that the screw will not spoil the board (due to over-drilling).
2) A well-trained technician is not immune from making mistakes!
3) Having reputation before usability increases costs unnecessarily over poor usage justifications.

In games development, the main objective, if not for hobby, is to make games that can sell. Anyone who’s a serious commercial game development will not deny this absolute fact. If that’s the case, sufficient care must be taken when going both ways. That is, going for reputable tools as well as using simple tools; there must always be a balance.

Of course, some people argue, codes and engines written by reputable people are likely to help one succeed in games development. This is true. However, there’re obvious down-sides using such engines. Here’re some of them:

1) You cannot control the processes in the engine, you are made to use what’s written. Don’t argue that’s open source and that you have access to the source code. That’s technically true, but you’ll be smashing your own foot with your own rock if you want to change their codes. If that’s the case, you might as well write your own!

It’s a pain reading your own codes but it’s a nightmare reading other people’s codes!

2) If you need a feature, you can implement it off the engine’s interface or abstract classes. That’s ok, but your work is tied closely with their engine. That means, your codes can be easily invalidated in their next engine release!

It’s already very hard to maintain regression integrity in your own codes. It’s impossible to maintain regression integrity with other people’s codes that you have zero control over.

3) Supposedly you have a feature that you cannot implement and require the engines’ author to do it. Guess what? Do you really think that they’ll entertain your request immediately? Of course not! So what’s next? The only way is to complain and wait, wait and complain. What a bloody waste of time and money!

With control, the worst case is to rewrite. Without control, there is NOTHING you can do.

So you think you want to use reputable game engines for your game development? For hobby and fun, by all means go ahead. For serious game developers, I wish you luck.

You don’t need a laser gun to fry doves.