better, faster, smarter, witcher. production tips from the witcher 3: wild hunt – hearts of stone
TRANSCRIPT
BETTER, FASTER, SMARTER, WITCHER. PRODUCTION TIPS FROM "THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT - HEARTS OF STONE”STAN JUSTPRODUCER
1. Gathering data 2. Identifying improvements
opportunities3. Designing improvements4. Executing on the design5. Control your est. landing dates6. Examples 7. Examples8. Examples
AGENDA
Gather the data
Analyse the data
ID improvement opportunities
Design improvements
Execute on the design
Control est. landing date
GOAL IS TO IMPROVE!
PRODUCTIONIMPROVEMENT
QUALITY SCOPE TIME COST EMPLOYEESATISFACTION
GATHER THE DATA
PERFORMANCE DATA
1. Do it for the closure2. Pick only FEW most important
points3. Remember about them!
POSTMORTEMS
OBSERVATION
QUESTIONS
Wrong Better
„Is it possible to…”„Would it be hard…”„Could we…”
„How much time would it require to…” [multiply answer by x2/x3 depending on a person]
„Is it done/finished?”„Is it ready?”
„When could I review this together with Game Director?”
„What will you be doing tomorrow?”
„When can we schedule a review of this?”
IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS OPPORTUNITIES
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED FOR THAT FEATURE?
WHEN WE WILL HAVE A FINISHED, SHIPPABLE VERSION OF THAT FEATURE
IN THE GAME?
ABOUT 3 DAYS.
IN 3 MONTHS.
ILUSTRATINGPROCESSES
Waiting for a script
Waiting for a draft
Draft WIP
Waiting for draft review Waiting for alpha
Alpha WIP
Waiting for alpha review
Waiting for beta Beta WIP
Waiting for beta review
Debugging/Polishing WIP
Approved/Closed
5 MD
5 MD
0,5 MD
1 MD 20 MD
1 MD
1 MD
30 MD 1 MD
1 MD
1 MD
0 MD
ILUSTRATINGPROCESSES
74%
19%
4% 4%
Process time distribution
Waiting to proceed with another stepStep WIPWaiting for a review Review, debug/polish, other
Blocked by other dept.
72%
Waiting for an artist28%
1. Pipeline optimisation2. Communication across
departments 3. Cross-departmental dependencies 4. Process automation 5. Tools upgrade
PROCESSIMPROVEMENTSOPPORTUNITIES
DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS
DESIGNIMPROVEMENTS
Problem Reason Need Methods
Animators are often blocked while waiting on proper monster models
Character artists first priority are the main characters for the game pushing monsters further down the line
Change the priorities to prepare monsters first
1. Convinve stakeholders that they don’t need main characters so urgently
2. Create proxy / placeholders models first
DESIGNIMPROVEMENTS
Problem Reason Need Methods
Reviews are forcing many cutscenes to be reworked or significantly altered even after mocap sessions
Scenes haven’t been properly reviewed before mocap sessions and right after it
More reviews on every step of the process
1. Create an animatic step between scenarios and mocap*
2. Review animatics and early integrations in the game not in Motion Builder
3. Use placeholders when possible (for props and VO!)4. Use automatic notifications to minimize slack
between stages and streamline communication
*Absence of storyboard step is intentional
DESIGNIMPROVEMENTS
Problem Reason Need Method
Dialogue sequences require a lot of adjustments throughout production
Multiple changes in locations, characters, props, anims, VOs, quest
Control, minimize, anticipate and plan for changes
1. Integrate uncleaned anims right from mocap2. Record placeholder VO’s and try to keep
timing3. Design VO postprocessing early4. Use automatic notifications about progres5. Request and integrate placeholder props
early6. Include larger buffers
*Placeholder VO recordings required a feature
EXECUTE ON THE DESIGN
EXAMPLESEXAMPLESEXAMPLES
MONSTERS INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKFLOW
Waiting for a quest request
Brief WIP
Waiting for a brief review
Waiting for a concept
Concept WIP Waiting for a concept review
Waiting for a model
Model WIP
Waiting for a model review
Model debugging
Waiting for final anim
pass*
Final anim pass WIP
Waiting for final anim pass
review
Anim debugging
Waiting for final VFX pass*
Final VFX pass WIP
Final VFX pass review
Waiting for final SFX pass*
Final SFX pass WIP
Waiting for final SFX pass
review
Performance optimisation
Closed / Approved
*Previous steps done before
PROCESSIMPROVEMENTEXAMPLES
Project Process change Consequences
W3 base game
Priority on main characters; quest items last
Animators don’t have models delivered on time and need to adjust gmpl animations and scenes later on
HoS expansion
Priority on monsters than main characters; quest items last
Animators start with a model already done (or at least high-poly) but cinematics still adjust scenes to final models
BaW expansion
Priority on monsters than quest items placeholders, than main characters
*Animators start with already done model and cinematics don’t need to do any further adjustments when final item/prop is delivered
MONSTERS INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKFLOW
CUTSCENES WORKFLOW
Waiting for a script
Waiting for an animatic
Animatic WIP
Waiting for animatic review
Waiting for alpha/integration
Alpha/integration WIP
Waiting for alpha/integration
review
Waiting for beta Beta WIP
Waiting for beta review
Waiting for facial animation
Facial animation WIP
Waiting for facial animation review
Debugging/Polishing WIP
Approved/Closed
PROCESSIMPROVEMENTEXAMPLES
Project Process change Consequences
W3 base game
Infrequent storyboards; no placeholders
Saved time on placeholders but lost more time because of changes done later in the process
HoS expansion
Essential animatics implemented in the game but without placeholders
Saved time on early reviews of animatics but lost some time on adaptation to final assets
BaW expansion
Essential in-engine animatics + integration requires placeholders
*Time saving on early reviews & on adaptation to final assets thanks to placeholders
CUTSCENES WORKFLOW
DIALOGUES WORKFLOW
Waiting for a script
Waiting for a draft
Draft WIP
Waiting for draft review Waiting for alpha
Alpha WIP
Waiting for alpha review
Waiting for beta Beta WIP
Waiting for beta review
Debugging/Polishing WIP
Approved/Closed
PROCESSIMPROVEMENTEXAMPLESProject Process change Consequences
W3 base game
Dialogue scenes adjusted significantly after animation and VO’s are recorded – very late in the procesWorking on any dialogue which is written
Lost of time because of anim + VO adjustmentScene change after assets are deliveredLocation changes forced a lot of adjustments
HoS expansion
Doubling the amount of people working on animations to deliver them earlierWorking on scenes which are ready from story and location side (adjusting blockout with quest designer)
Amount of custom anims caused same lost of time because of anims + VO adjustmentScene change after assets are deliveredLocation changes were not so often
BaW expansion
Implementation of raw anims (without cleaning)Implementation of placeholder VO’s Better mocap data quality (new cameras)Location blockouts adjusted by quest + scene teamNew PMS notifies us about any change instantly
Dialogues require less adjustments later in the processAnimation require less cleaningLocation changes are not so often and we know about them instantly
DIALOGUES WORKFLOW
CONTROL YOUR LANDING DATE
„BACKLOGCREATION
Geralt goes to a small fort where Olgierd resides. There, the witcher accepts a contract to kill a monstrous creature that lives and kills in the Oxenfurt sewers. After reaching his destination, Geralt runs into Shani, who is currently looking for a medicinal substance in the sewers.
Location | 22 MD
Secondary character | 28 MD8x custom bandit | 16 MDP1 dialogue | 7
MD
Custom creature | 35 MD
Custom bossfight | 80 MD
Level design | 8 MD
Secondary character | 28 MD
P2 cutscene | 11 MD
BACKLOGCREATION
Location | 22 MD
Secondary character | 28 MD8x custom bandit | 16 MD
P1 dialogue | 7 MD
Custom creature | 35 MD
Custom bossfight | 80 MD
Level design | 8 MD
Secondary character | 28 MD
P2 cutscene | 11 MDCINEMATICS | 18 MD
ENVIRONMENT | 30 MD
CHARACTERS | 107 MD
GAMEPLAY | 27 MD
ANIMATIONS | 53 MD
Buffered workload
Estimated absences
Amount of people available during the project
Estimated LANDING
DATE
LANDINGDATES
Department Landing DateEnvironment 13/02/2016Characters 24/02/2016Gameplay 15/01/2016Animations 28/01/2016Cinematics 15/04/2016!
Requires mitigation!
LANDINGDATES
Characters 13/03/2016!
Item name Initial Estimate [MD]
Remaining Estimate [MD]
Actual Cost [MD]
P1 dialogue 5 0 12P2 cutscene 10 9 1P5 dialogue 2 0 4P5 dialogue B 2 0 1P5 dialogue C 2 2 0P5 dialogue D 2 2 0P4 dialogue 3 3 0
Daily update!
Requires mitigation!
RESULTS
6 MLN COPIES SOLD IN 6 WEEKS
T H A N K YOU