Its the loose, 'kick back' style of Agile Management, as well as that crucial 'human touch' that attracts most the Video Game Studios. The fact that developers can approach the entire project in stages, producing content and code in clumps and clusters, rather than the liner Waterfall method. Instead of the entire project done in one long haul, Agile Developers are allowed to be more flexible, the task updates can be changed on the fly to mitigate risks and get new software updates implimented quickly and effectivly.
End user input is valued, often mandatory; and often seen in the patching and user content of many modern videogames. It gives the sense that software can be idle in a perpetual 'in the making' phase; but video game developers are hardly slackers. This just means that no matter what state the software is in, there’s always a finalised product feel to it... most the time.
Viral marketing, User generated downloadable content and on the fly changes and updates are even more practices used within Agile Management. Below are listed a small selection of games and their techniques used at one stage or another in their development.
World of Warcraft is now in its third expansion. As is expected from online videogames, WoW is constantly being updated by the original developers, Blizzard Entertainment. The various patches and expansions released offer just a little bit more content, a new raiding dungeon to overcome or new features and easier UI control.
What can be assured is that the constant updates allow the developers to implement software changes on the fly for their users, upgrade and rejuvenate the UI and engine. Ultimately this brings the gamers content in small, bite sized stages. Even though this is over a lengthy timescale (approaching five years!), its still considered a project in technical terms.
The Sims was created by Will Wright, possibly the pioneer in simulation gaming and a unique visionary with regards to the videogame industry. He personally believes that in order to create a powerful game you had to adopt a humble approach and put power in the hands of the gamers.
By reserving rights, Wright and Maxis Studio were able to feel comfortable with giving the users tools to create a variety of
assets to use in their virtual environments. Houses, furniture and even fashion items and hair styles can be modified and created by the users. This also brings a sense of interaction with the developers project, making the gamers feel apart of it as opposed to simple consumers.
Video Viral is a marketing technique where an often amateur shot video clip is released onto the web and spirals out of control in popularity. In January 2009 a video appeared on YouTube showing the apparent assassination of a Russian Scientist. Shortly afterwards, another video made its debut. It claimed to know the ‘Truth’ about certain Russian Experiments in the 50s and listed a series of peculiar events that coincided perfectly for any conspiracy nut.
The result of these viral videos was massive traffic to the organisation and website known as MIR-12.com. The site and information on it referenced a great deal about the Russian cover up. What gave it away was follwers the RSS feeds about MIR-12 where several DDB ad agency workers, who had also partnered up with software company, Activision. By then, the site had attracted a lot of attention and ran its intended course of gaining publicity about the studios upcoming title, Singularity.
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