Blog 3: Working with Scrum
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When we started working on this project we were told to use a method called Scrum. Scrum is an agile work method where the group breaks down the project and starts doing iterations. These iterations are supposed to take 1-2 weeks to complete and are often planned at the start of a so-called “Sprint”, another name for the 1-2 iteration. When we started working we chose to break down the entire concept including the userstories to so-called assets that were put in the product backlog, that includes all the things that need to be done for the product to be finished. Often many things have a chance to be cut from the product backlog depending on the time left for the “shippable product”.
In our first week we broke down everything and put it all in the product backlog and chose to work on the things that made the product work at a basic level. This meant that for the first week we focused on getting the idea of the game in a playable version so the first week was spent making a player that could move, a level that was playable and an enemy that could die. The following weeks we then continued to work in these iterations and add things that were vital for a basic product to work such as the player being able to die and enemies that chase the player.
On the left we have the prototype that was done after about two weeks and on the right we have the one that was done 4-5 weeks in. They look both very similar and that is kind of the point. One has all the basic mechanics to it and is a working product while the other one is a more refined yet it is still the same. Working in this form was really comfortable, we could easily plan what is needed to be done, what needs to be prioritized and what needs to be cut. In our case I could see what things I needed to prioritize and what things need to be done first, but since I am new to working in this I didn’t realize until it was too late. One of the problems that we encountered was the fog in our game and how it wasn’t prioritized. Since we didn’t prioritize the fog for the game, we couldn’t get it done in time for the play test session where we could have received a ton of feedback about it, but due to poor planning mostly by me, it was never finished before the play test and we had a spotlight with no fog. This was one of the points where I learnt the most, I could easily see what I could have prioritized right, it was almost like a revelation to me, but it sort of also made me angry since I couldn’t change it and just had to let it be. In general I really enjoyed working and using Scrum when developing our game, though I wish the project manages in our group had learnt a lot more about it in their minor since our, including all the others in the minor, were very confused when we started this project. Personally I wish we also got some information about it a bit earlier.
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