Chapter 9. Graduating Your Project to Completion
We're almost there. The finish line is visible, and this chapter is about putting in those last efforts to achieve something wonderful. So, how do we go about finishing the application, making sure that there are no loose ends, bugs, or any oversights that will impact the final build? In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:
To begin, Finishing the application will explore what is required to finish your application
Next, we will look at Optimizing the project for a mobile platform, where we will learn how to optimize our application in many different ways, such as screen resolution, devices, and so on
Then, before finishing up, Getting it ready to publish will cover the final things to consider before you press the publish button
Lastly, Where do I begin? and Towards new horizons will consider the different additions to implement to the application to extend its functionality
Now that we have the outline for the penultimate chapter...
Finishing the application
We are almost there: now it is time to add the finishing touches and to send our gamified application out there into the wilderness. But before we do just that, there are some things that we need to consider. Some of the main issues that we will cover later in this chapter includes a lack of optimization (graphics, assets, code), failing to test the application enough and diversely, and not having enough time to market it properly. The biggest issue is that a game designer discovers this all too late in the process and, as a result, delays occur, and resources, time, money, and energy are wasted. Here are some things to consider when getting your project ready for publishing. Of course, these can be applied to all levels of the development process.
Optimizing the project for a mobile platform
There are many different ways to optimize a game for a mobile platform. Whether it is for a mobile or tablet, there are a few key things to consider, which we will discuss here.
Let's look at the issues that can impede your gaming experience. Mobile devices (and computers in general) have limits on how much they can process at any one time, and ultimately, this impacts the performance of your game on a device. Some parts of your game can be extremely draining and, as a result, the running of your game is not as smooth as it could be. There are different things to consider for 2D and 3D games, and we're going to explore both in the following sections.
Some image formats can result in...
Getting it ready to publish
So, you have finally finished making your game, and it is now time to hit the publish button...but wait! There are a number of things that you need have done before publishing, despite how tempting it is to unleash your game out there in the wilderness.
Don't be modest, promote your game!
Don't wait until you have published your game before you start telling people about it. Think about a marketing plan early on and get the ball rolling and the conversation started. Social media such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even blogs if you don't have a website, are useful platforms to utilize.
While there is still time before you publish your game, starting early will make the most impact. This section will briefly explain a range of different social networking services and ways to utilize their features as part of your marketing strategies.
So, we have covered quite a large amount of content and ways to approach social media, marketing, and getting your application ready for publishing, so where do you begin?
In the short term, it is important to keep active. That way, even if your development process takes time, people are reminded about the awesome work that you are doing. Short posts about what you're up to, or an image during the development process, are all enough to maintain interest, but not to indefinitely keep it. Make sure that you have more detailed updates along the way so that there is a bit more context about what you and your team have been up to.
Create a timeline, such as in the following figure, from when you begin developing to when you will be finished. Ideally, you should already have a timeline, but if you don't, create one. In this timeline, include all the different stages, for example, iterations, testing, and so on, and approximate dates. Now, with this timeline,...
Just because we have finished the application in terms of what this book explains, it doesn't mean that there are no additional features that you can add at a later stage. To get an idea of other features to add, take a look back at the game elements list in Chapter 1, The Anatomy of Games! Think of different ways that you can incorporate the elements or mechanics to achieve the same result. For example, instead of a badge, give the player a higher status, or reveal another part of the story. Experimenting is the key when it comes to taking your ideas and evolving them!
This chapter covered different aspects of getting your application ready to publish. It included the marketing aspect, and different ways to engage your audience. It featured important things to consider before pressing Publish, such as making sure to adhere to the terms and conditions. We also discussed short- to long-term planning for the time leading up to publishing. Lastly, this chapter recommends considering new game elements to implement into the current application to give it some alternate gameplay features.
Our next chapter will be our last, and it will complete our journey. But of course, just because this book has come to an end, it doesn't mean your journey into the world of gamification has to, so get ready to find out how you can develop your skills in other ways and develop the skills that you have learned in this book. Exciting adventures await!
