Smoothing the Smoothing the International Development International Development

ProcessProcess

Tom SloperTom SloperSloperama ProductionsSloperama Productions

Los Angeles, California, USALos Angeles, California, USAwww.sloperama.comwww.sloperama.com

So You Have A Development So You Have A Development Deal With An Overseas Deal With An Overseas PublisherPublisher• Whether you’ve sold them a complete Whether you’ve sold them a complete

game or just an idea, or they’ve brought game or just an idea, or they’ve brought their idea to you to develop...their idea to you to develop...

• There’s a lot of work to be done on your There’s a lot of work to be done on your game.game.

• From here on out, your main contact From here on out, your main contact with the publisher is... the PRODUCER.with the publisher is... the PRODUCER.

What Producers WantWhat Producers Want

1.1. A great game. A great game. 2.2. Finished on time.Finished on time.3.3. On budget.On budget.

- The above all make the producer look - The above all make the producer look good to his superiors.good to his superiors.

4.4. To come see Korea.To come see Korea.- But his boss (and, if he’s married, his - But his boss (and, if he’s married, his

wife) wife) don’tdon’t want that. want that.

Good Producers DON’T...Good Producers DON’T...Bad Producers DO...Bad Producers DO...

• Micro-manage you (you already know why Micro-manage you (you already know why this is bad), or...this is bad), or...

• Under-manage you (this is bad too; you Under-manage you (this is bad too; you don’t know what their expectations are)don’t know what their expectations are)

• Permit “feature creep” to get in the wayPermit “feature creep” to get in the way

• Don’t manage expectations of their Don’t manage expectations of their superiors (leading to “surprises” for you)superiors (leading to “surprises” for you)

Establish Working Relationship Establish Working Relationship In The BeginningIn The Beginning

• Both parties have to make adjustments, but Both parties have to make adjustments, but the client (the customer) sets the rules. the client (the customer) sets the rules. (They’re the ones shelling out the bucks, so (They’re the ones shelling out the bucks, so they bought the right.)they bought the right.)

• When starting the relationship, sit down When starting the relationship, sit down together and discuss your working styles. together and discuss your working styles. Figure out where adjustments will need to Figure out where adjustments will need to be made.be made.

• As the project goes forward, keep an eye As the project goes forward, keep an eye out for any ill effects caused by working out for any ill effects caused by working style differences. Discuss & adjust.style differences. Discuss & adjust.

Make Communications EasyMake Communications Easy

• Speak the producer’s language – he’s Speak the producer’s language – he’s not going to become fluent in not going to become fluent in Korean, and he’s not going to hire a Korean, and he’s not going to hire a translator.translator.

• Keep Keep allall concerned parties fully “in concerned parties fully “in the loop”the loop”

• Communicate clearly and often. Communicate clearly and often.

Know When to Email, When to Know When to Email, When to Call, When to FlyCall, When to Fly• Email dailyEmail daily• Telephone weekly – 2 weeks max.Telephone weekly – 2 weeks max.• Flying – usually, the producer comes to you Flying – usually, the producer comes to you

2 times, maybe 3 times.2 times, maybe 3 times.•At beginningAt beginning, to establish working , to establish working

relationshiprelationship•At 1At 1stst Playable or Alpha Playable or Alpha, to verify , to verify

directiondirection•When producer has to come at Beta or When producer has to come at Beta or

later, the project is probably in trouble!later, the project is probably in trouble!•Or you can fly there.Or you can fly there.

Manage Expectations Through Manage Expectations Through Clear MilestonesClear Milestones

• Milestones must be concise, measurable.Milestones must be concise, measurable.• When the producer receives a delivery, When the producer receives a delivery,

he checks it against the written he checks it against the written milestone definition.milestone definition.

• Good milestone description can serve as Good milestone description can serve as a checklist to determine if what was a checklist to determine if what was delivered is everything originally delivered is everything originally promised.promised.

GreenlightGreenlight

• It’s important to ensure that every It’s important to ensure that every important player in the project important player in the project agrees that the project is on track.agrees that the project is on track.

• Greenlight consensus needed at:Greenlight consensus needed at:– Project BeginningProject Beginning– 11stst Playable Playable– AlphaAlpha– BetaBeta

Understand Time Zone Understand Time Zone DifferencesDifferences

• If producer is in America, you should If producer is in America, you should not come in late. not come in late.

• If producer is in America, he has to If producer is in America, he has to stay late.stay late.

• For emergencies, exchange home For emergencies, exchange home phone numbers.phone numbers.– Wife or roommate? Let everybody know Wife or roommate? Let everybody know

about one another. Inform all parties about one another. Inform all parties about what to do if there’s an off-hours about what to do if there’s an off-hours call.call.

Understand Publisher Understand Publisher MentalityMentality• Marketing and Sales need information Marketing and Sales need information

about how this game is better than about how this game is better than other similar games – facts, figures, other similar games – facts, figures, screen shots.screen shots.

• Marketing and Sales need a solid date.Marketing and Sales need a solid date.• The market is always changing – The market is always changing –

players are fickle – reviewers are harsh.players are fickle – reviewers are harsh.• Stockholders demand profit each Stockholders demand profit each

quarter.quarter.

Understand: Once Made, The Understand: Once Made, The Schedule Is Not Just A Schedule Is Not Just A GuidelineGuideline• The publisher’s Marketing and Sales The publisher’s Marketing and Sales

people have made commitments people have made commitments based on your commitment to deliver based on your commitment to deliver game by a certain date.game by a certain date.

• The producer is under the gun. When The producer is under the gun. When his life is hell, your life is hell.his life is hell, your life is hell.

• Christmas is in July.Christmas is in July.

““Christmas in July”???Christmas in July”???

Work It Backwards...Work It Backwards...• Biggest sales weekend: end of Biggest sales weekend: end of

NovemberNovember• Sunday newspaper supplements: week Sunday newspaper supplements: week

before Thanksgivingbefore Thanksgiving• Product must be in warehouse: Nov. 1Product must be in warehouse: Nov. 1• Manufacturing must begin: Early-mid Manufacturing must begin: Early-mid

OctoberOctober• Platform holder approval must begin: Platform holder approval must begin:

late August, early September (6 weeks)late August, early September (6 weeks)• QA must begin: July 1 (2 months)QA must begin: July 1 (2 months)

...Or maybe in October...Or maybe in October

• If your game isn’t a packaged product, If your game isn’t a packaged product, some of those built-in delays don’t some of those built-in delays don’t apply.apply.

• But the principle is the same – But the principle is the same – – Your finish date is always earlier than you Your finish date is always earlier than you

thought.thought.– Lost time cannot be made up in QA.Lost time cannot be made up in QA.– Everything takes longer than expected, Everything takes longer than expected,

especially at the end of the project.especially at the end of the project.

Know How to Spot Red FlagsKnow How to Spot Red Flags

• Any small problem can be a red flag:Any small problem can be a red flag:– Quality issuesQuality issues– Feature creepFeature creep– Late deliveryLate delivery– Late paymentLate payment– Personnel issuesPersonnel issues

• Every little warning sign must be Every little warning sign must be investigated and attacked promptlyinvestigated and attacked promptly– Dependencies?Dependencies?– Attack from multiple directions at once Attack from multiple directions at once

Attacking Red FlagsAttacking Red Flags

• Never Never ignore a red flag.ignore a red flag.• If a red flag pops up, call in your If a red flag pops up, call in your

generals. Discuss options, make generals. Discuss options, make contingency plans.contingency plans.

• Fully prepared now, discuss with the Fully prepared now, discuss with the producer.producer.

• ““Improvise, adapt, overcome” – Lee Improvise, adapt, overcome” – Lee Marvin Marvin (The Dirty Dozen)(The Dirty Dozen)

• Whack-a-MoleWhack-a-Mole

Change Requests = Red FlagChange Requests = Red Flag

• ““Feature creep” has caused a good many Feature creep” has caused a good many rough spots.rough spots.

• When starting the relationship, ask for a When starting the relationship, ask for a formal change request procedure. If the formal change request procedure. If the producer doesn’t agree to it, but later producer doesn’t agree to it, but later requests changes, ask again for a formal requests changes, ask again for a formal procedure.procedure.

• Keep a record of every change request; Keep a record of every change request; respond to each request with an email respond to each request with an email documenting the change request and its documenting the change request and its impact on the project. impact on the project.

Document All Change Document All Change RequestsRequests

•Paper trail is important.Paper trail is important.

•The procedure makes the publisher The procedure makes the publisher think twice before requesting a think twice before requesting a change, and it creates a paper trail. change, and it creates a paper trail.

•A certain amount of change requests A certain amount of change requests may be reasonable. may be reasonable.

• ““Reasonableness” Reasonableness” cancan be quantified. be quantified.

To Review...To Review...

• Clarify and set expectations, working Clarify and set expectations, working style, communication stylestyle, communication style

• Clearly written milestone definitionsClearly written milestone definitions

• High quality workHigh quality work

• You’re partners, but “the customer is You’re partners, but “the customer is always right” ...always right” ...

• Formalized change request processFormalized change request process

COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

• Learn to read between the lines – Learn to read between the lines – what is the producer what is the producer notnot saying? saying?

• Go to the extra trouble to achieve Go to the extra trouble to achieve totally clear communication...totally clear communication...

• A little extra effort now will save you A little extra effort now will save you a big extra effort later on. a big extra effort later on.

It’s Q&A time!It’s Q&A time!

Tom SloperTom Sloper

Sloperama ProductionsSloperama Productions

Los Angeles, CA, USALos Angeles, CA, USA

tsloper@sloperama.comtsloper@sloperama.com

1-310-915-99451-310-915-9945