Section 5: Builds, part 1

This article is set to receive further refinement at a later date. This installment serves as one of many in a series dedicated to providing in-depth insights into the art of Game Design and Development. Within the scope of this educational endeavor, one will encounter comprehensive explanations of the fundamental principles and terminologies that underpin the field of Game Design and Development. This note will be removed upon completion of all necessary revisions and improvements to the article.

As a game developer, the process of creating a game involves numerous stages. One of the most important steps is the creation of game builds. In this article, we will explore the purpose of game builds in game design & development & why they are essential to the development process.

A game build is a version of a game that has been compiled & packaged for distribution to other team members or to the public. It is essentially a snapshot of the current state of the game, containing all the files & assets necessary to run the game. Game builds are created at regular intervals throughout the development process, usually daily or weekly, to ensure that everyone on the team is working with the latest version of the game.

Game builds serve several purposes. First, they provide a way for team members to test the game & provide feedback. By distributing builds, developers can identify & fix bugs & issues more quickly, as well as receive feedback on gameplay mechanics, level design, & other elements of the game. This allows the team to iterate on the game & improve it over time.

Second, game builds are used to showcase the game to publishers, investors, & other stakeholders. By providing a playable version of the game, developers can demonstrate the game's potential & secure funding or support for the project. This is especially important for indie developers who may not have the resources to develop a polished marketing campaign.

Finally, game builds are also used for quality assurance testing. As the game approaches completion, it is important to test it thoroughly to identify any remaining issues or bugs. By creating different versions of the game, developers can test specific areas or features to ensure that they are functioning correctly. This helps to prevent issues that could arise during the launch phase & ensures that the game is as stable & bug-free as possible.

Creating game builds is not a one-time process. As the game evolves & new features are added, builds need to be created to reflect these changes. This means that developers must be able to compile & package the game quickly & efficiently to keep up with the demands of the development process.

Game builds are a critical component of game design & development. They provide a way for team members to test & provide feedback on the game, showcase it to stakeholders, & ensure that it is stable & bug-free. By creating builds regularly, developers can iterate on the game & improve it over time, leading to a more polished & enjoyable experience for players. If you are interested in game development, understanding the purpose & importance of game builds is a crucial first step in the process.



5. Builds
5.1 Technical Requirements
- System Requirements (e.g. minimum/recommended specifications for hardware and software)
- Game Engine (e.g. Unreal Engine, Unity, etc.)
- Game Performance Optimization (e.g. fps, load times, etc.)
- Game Memory Management (e.g. memory usage, garbage collection, etc.)

5.2 Build Testing
- Prototype Builds
- Early Development Builds
- Pre-Alpha Builds
- Core Feature Testing
- Technical Testing
- Performance Testing
- Alpha Builds
- Feature Testing
- Balance Testing
- Bug Fixing
- Beta Builds
- Playtesting
- User Feedback Collection
- Bug Fixing
- Final Polish
- Release Candidate Builds
- Final Testing
- Bug Fixing
- Final Builds
- Production Builds
- Submission Builds
- Gold Master Builds
- Debug Builds
- Testing Builds
- Developer Builds
- Internal Builds

5.3 Documentation
- Reports
- Game Crash Reporting
- Game Performance Metrics
- Game error reporting
- Game crash recovery
- Patches System
- Patch Notes
- Game update process
- Game compatibility testing
- Game localization testing
- Game accessibility testing
- Game Support Documentation

5.4 Tools
- Scripts
- Textures
- Shaders
- Models
- Particles
- Animation
- Audio
- Plugins
- Documentation
- Cinematics
- Data
- Profiling
- Art
- Prefabricated
- AI
- Testing
- Terrain
- UI
- Visual Effects
- Network
- Debugging tools

5.4 Tools & Assets
- Game Development Tools
- Scripting Tools
- Texturing Tools
- Modeling Tools
- Animation Tools
- Audio Tools
- Plugins & Add-ons
- Documentation Tools
- Profiling Tools
- Art & Design Tools
- Prefabricated Assets
- AI Tools
- Testing Tools
- Terrain Tools
- UI Tools
- Visual Effects Tools
- Networking Tools
- Debugging Tools
- Game Assets
- Scripts
- Textures
- Shaders
- Models
- Particles
- Animation
- Audio
- Cinematics
- Data
- Art
- Prefabricated Assets
- AI
- Terrain
- UI
- Visual Effects
- Network