The Japanese Approach: Precision and Planning
At Mineloader Studios, we’ve always admired the Japanese approach to game development. It’s a method steeped in meticulous documentation and rigorous scheduling. Our early days of collaboration were marked by receiving incredibly detailed documents for every aspect of the game, even for the simplest props. These documents, rich in text and illustrations, outlined every step of the asset production process, including file naming conventions.
The Japanese developers’ methodical approach requires strict adherence to the documentation, leaving little to no room for deviation but ensuring a smooth production process. Their schedules are equally detailed, often planned out for more than a year, with specific tasks assigned to each team member for every day. This disciplined approach, while restricting flexibility, guarantees a high-quality, consistent final product. Our cooperation with Japanese developers has been like crafting a fine art piece, where every detail matters, and timing is crucial. This comes from the deep cultural believe that in every art form a master craftsman leads an apprentice to handcraft a work of art.
The Western Perspective: Flexibility and Innovation
In contrast, our experience with European and American clients has been quite different. These developers place a greater emphasis on adapting the development process to the specific needs of each game, with a clear division of labor among team members. Early on, many studios developed their own game engines and tools to facilitate art production. However, the advent of commercial engines like Unreal Engine (UE) and Unity has revolutionized this approach, enabling more efficient collaboration across different specializations.
Western documentation tends to be more general, focusing on the team’s overall understanding of the game’s world and core gameplay. This approach fosters an environment where each developer’s creativity can be maximized, continually generating new ideas for the game. Project management in these regions focuses more on controlling major development milestones and budget completion, differing significantly from the Japanese approach.
The Chinese Dynamic: Agility and Market Responsiveness
Our journey with Chinese developers began a decade ago, aiding them in efficiently bringing games to market. The Chinese gaming landscape is primarily dominated by PC online games and mobile games. In the early days, companies focused on rapid iteration of game versions to quickly capture the market. This led to high-intensity development with tight schedules, often resulting in less comprehensive initial planning and documentation compared to Western standards.
The development process in China is closely tied to market demands, requiring frequent updates and sometimes complete overhauls between versions. This necessitates a high level of adaptability and continuous collaboration with development teams to meet their evolving needs. The fierce competition in the Chinese market has led to increasing quality demands, with recent trends showing a shift towards using console game art production processes in mobile game development. Chinese developers are continuously learning from international game development models, constantly improving their processes.