Imagine, if you will, a crowded bar

The Design Process

How do we decide what new features and fixes go into an expansion?

Do the features fit into the overall theme of the expansion?

(This also goes for bugfixes where we prefer to work by theme. For example Air or Naval).

(This also goes for bugfixes where we prefer to work by theme. For example Air or Naval). Do we hit a good mix of paid features and free features?

(A lot of this is decided on how difficult things are to implement and their impact on the game’s balance.)

(A lot of this is decided on how difficult things are to implement and their impact on the game’s balance.) Data we collect on player behavior.

That data is analyzed and lead to new features or fixes.

That data is analyzed and lead to new features or fixes. We have a database full of suggested improvements.

Not to mention bugs that we prioritize and work off, in priority order.

We also closely monitor mainly this forum, and (to a lesser degree) other HOI-communities, in case something pops up. Both bugs or inspired posts in the suggestion forum.

(For the love of God, YES! We saw the forum bug report.)



How do we choose which bugs to fix? (A bug’s journey from the bug forum to being fixed)

It might help to understand this, if you…

Think of the development process as a single work day...

Difficult judgement calls

The big time-stealers

(Btw, this is how I imagine a Steam Summer Sale going. If Steam was a physical store.)



The Breakdown & Estimation process

How are deadlines and release-dates determined?

Can we make the expansion-design happen within the deadline?

Splat!

What gets cut?

The desirability and priority of the feature.

What people we have available. How much, and what, each person can work on. While not being blocked, or blocking, someone else.

What features tie into other features.

(If there is anything independent enough to cut cleanly.)



In closing