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Software Development Processes for Games: A Systematic Literature Review

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Systems, Software and Services Process Improvement (EuroSPI 2014)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 425))

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Abstract

This paper describes the methodology and results from a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of the software processes used in game development. A total of 404 papers were analyzed as part of the review and the various process models that are used in industry and academia/research are presented. Software Process Improvement (SPI) initiatives for game development are discussed. The factors that promote or deter the adoption of process models, and implementing SPI in practice are highlighted. Our findings indicate that there is no single model that serves as a best practice process model for game development and it is a matter of deciding which model is best suited for a particular game. Agile models such as Scrum and XP are suited to the knowledge intensive domain of game development where innovation and speed to market are vital. Hybrid approaches such as reuse can also be suitable for game development where the risk of the upfront investment in terms of time and cost is mitigated with a game that has stable requirements and a longer lifespan.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland

    Ann Osborne O’Hagan & Gerry Coleman

  2. Dublin City University, Ireland

    Rory V. O’Connor

Authors
  1. Ann Osborne O’Hagan
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  2. Gerry Coleman
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  3. Rory V. O’Connor
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Public Research Center Henri Tudor, 29, av. J. F. Kennedy, L-1855, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, Luxembourg

    Béatrix Barafort

  2. Dublin City University, Ireland

    Rory V. O’Connor

  3. Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, Germany

    Alexander Poth

  4. ISCN GesmbH, Graz, Austria

    Richard Messnarz

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Osborne O’Hagan, A., Coleman, G., O’Connor, R.V. (2014). Software Development Processes for Games: A Systematic Literature Review. In: Barafort, B., O’Connor, R.V., Poth, A., Messnarz, R. (eds) Systems, Software and Services Process Improvement. EuroSPI 2014. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 425. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43896-1_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43896-1_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-43895-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-43896-1

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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