Major Milestones

This is without question the most strenuous and potentially stressful time of development. The last few months of production typically show the most incredible leaps and bounds as the elements of the game come together. Before you know it, you’ll actually be playing your game, new features and artwork will appear daily, and the entire package will be coming into view. Because so many parts of the game are quickly being thrown into the mix, it’s important to set up a standard set of rules and guidelines to ensure that you are on track and continually improving. The most important milestones in development are typically Alpha and Beta.

Alpha

Alpha, the first stage of completion, is typically defined differently by each company, team, and project, but the idea is usually the same: to establish a clear set of goals that prove everything works the way it’s supposed to. This is often referred to as proof of concept. It is making sure that all your ideas are in place and functional while nailing down the scope of your game. After Alpha is achieved, the idea is that nothing really changes; the rest of the time is spent tweaking and fixing. You might also hear Alpha referred to as content complete, meaning that everything that will be in the game is in the game, and working. Again, the exact definition of Alpha changes from game to game, but there are a few goals you can count on as ....