The Deceptive Promise of Iterations in Game Development

When iteration becomes the game development guillotine

Game design, like most forms of design, is an iterative process. That means that the game is quickly prototyped, played, and refined again and again before it is finalized.

From Challenges for Game Designers by Brenda Brathwaite & Ian Schreiber

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The Seductive Myth of Iteration

In many creative fields, iteration is a sacred incantation — the magic spell we invoke to explain how masterpieces are born. Yet this word can often serves as smoke and mirrors, obscuring the messy reality behind the creation, or lack thereof. In reality, iterations, while a power tool if used properly, can also be messy, daunting and sometimes, completely unnecessary.

The Hidden Traps of Late Changes

Imagine this: Your team has spent twelve painstaking weeks crafting a character. Every polygon placed with purpose, every animation frame meticulously timed. Then comes the dreaded phrase: “Let’s make some changes.”

What sounds simple on paper — rotating an object or adjusting a color — can trigger a catastrophic chain reaction. That…