How are software requirements handled in game development?

Question

When I think about software requirements, the first thing that springs to my mind is a group requesting an application with x number of features and functionalities, while the requirements analyst(s) try to organize this influx of ideas, miscommunications, etc. into a stable and non-contradictory system.

How does this apply to game development, or more specifically, to companies that are hush-hush about their products until well into construction? You don't see Nintendo surveying gamers, asking what features and functionality they'd like to see in the next Mario title (maybe I'm wrong?).

Are requirements pulled directly from the game designers? If that is the case, you would think that requirements analysis and management would be quite a bit easier since everything is in house, and the game designers are (hopefully) more technically apt than your average user. If the requirements process is easier, do game development companies tend to use less strict requirements practices in comparison to your average software organization?

Any insight would be great. I'm interested in how game development companies handle software requirements analysis and management, and whether my assumptions are correct or on the moon.

Answer 1

It's not that different from traditional software development... at least at the higher levels.

Initial ideas come from all the same places (e.g. team members, marketplace observation, friends, family, whilst singing in the shower).

Requirements tends start off very broad and get refined in an iterative process (usually in parallel) mostly through play testing (either by the team or external trusted resources).

The "catch" with games development is that the overriding requirement is that a game is fun to play... and thus far, the only conclusive way to determine such things is to actually play it.

As an aside, I would like to highlight two things that you mentioned in your question:

"game designers are (hopefully) more technically apt than your average user": the same rule applies here as anywhere else involving designers / developers and users. You are not your user. Even if you think you know your user. Even the best game designers need to have their ideas confirmed through playtesting by real users. There are a few substitutes that will get one by in the early days (such as team members playtesting) but eventually "real" users are the only ones who can tell you if something works or not.

"You don't see Nintendo surveying gamers" : This tends to hold true for almost any creative endevour. Henry Ford has a famous quote about if he'd asked people want they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse (instead of the Model-T Ford). Whilst this is generally regarded to be an extreme (or just flat out wrong) view, it does strongly hint at the idea that creativity isn't something that lends itself easily to being extracted from a survey or vote.

Answer 2

Speaking as a gamer, there's always lots of feedback on a game when one is released (whether its asked for or not). I assume that game designers would see this feedback and utilize it. That at least would be an efficient way of gathering requirements without revealing too much. However this only works for sequels :)