Desenvolvimento do jogo Necrocat: proposta de abordagem para equipes independentes ingressantes na indústria de jogos

Abstract

This work presents the development of the independent game Necrocat, highlighting challengescommonly faced by small teams with limited resources and proposing an approach for independent teams in this context. The objective was to propose effective solutions for challenges related to development methodologies, team organization and management, and project scopeb planning. This was done through the analysis of the game’s pre-production and production phases and through the construction of a recommended development workflow for beginner and independent teams. The methodology adopted principles from Design Thinking and Agile Game Development. Weekly meetings and asynchronous communication allowed scope management and alignment of a team composed of three members: one programmer and game designer, and two graphic artists. The pre-production prioritized validating the team’s capabilities and the visual and conceptual design of the project. Production, divided into twelve sub-stages, focused on building a modular foundation in the Unity game engine, with iterative improvements in mechanics, art, and sound. The most effective solutions included continuous prototyping, recurring ideation, modularization, application of design patterns, and cyclical development involving planning, production, feedback collection, and correction. The game’s completion showed indications that it is possible to produce low-scope games with innovative concepts even with low-budget teams in an independent context through the development workflow that resulted from the processes used in the project.