E68: How to Create an Effective Game Vision with Graham McAllister

Building Better Games

Graham McAllister Returns! We dive deeper into the challenges of vision alignment in game development, helping you improve vision at your studio. Discover practical advice for game dev leaders, the impact of misaligned visions, and strategies to foster better communication and unity within teams. Whether you're a developer or a publisher, this episode offers valuable insights to enhance your game development process.

Key Takeaways:

Advice for Frustrated Game Developers:

• To Do: Gather team leads and discuss their interpretations of the game vision.
• Focus on the 'why' behind the game, not just the features.

Understanding the Struggle with Vision:

• Most developers can articulate what they are making but struggle with why they are making it.
• Misalignment often stems from not having a unified understanding of the game's unique experience.

Importance of Experience Design:

• Game design is about creating experiences, not just features or mechanics.
• Discussing and aligning on the experience is crucial for successful game development.

Challenges in Team Alignment:

• Teams often default to discussing tangible features rather than the intangible player experience.
• Misunderstandings and misalignments are common due to varied interpretations of the game vision.

Publisher and Developer Relationships:

• Trust and clear communication between publishers and developers are vital.
• Alignment of vision and expectations can prevent project failures and funding issues.

Thank you for joining us for Part 2 of our discussion on vision in game development with Graham McAllister. We hope these insights help you and your team achieve better alignment and success. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell for more episodes. Your feedback and support are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to bringing you more valuable content. See you next time!

To learn more about Dr. McAllister:

https://grahammcallister.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/teamsync-ltd/

Graham’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahammcallister

Our discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place that makes better games: https://discord.gg/ySCPS5aMcQ

If you’re interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer, head here: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/succeeding-in-game-production

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Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames