The Silver Model
“Remember that all models are wrong; the practical question is how wrong do they have to be to not be useful.” - George E.P Box
The construction each of us has in our heads of how the world (supposedly) works is called a model. This is not a complete representation of reality, but models are necessary for humans to manage complexity and make decisions on a daily basis.
For example, in the past as a game developer, my model was “the More the Better”. After trials, tribulations, and (many) errors proved wrong (falsifiable). So today, I will present a decision-making model that I’m constantly updating, by subtraction.
The so-called “Silver Model” and heuristics stemming from it are based on the following premise — “I know with more certainty things that don’t work than things that work” or negative advice. This is a work-in-process methodology I put into practice to balance out the constant “positivism” (this writer is an optimist by nature) when working with internal stakeholders and external partners within the games industry.
Context matters as this article is written while donning the hat of a publishing producer. Game developers and publishers are different entities — size, business goals, product vision, power plays, expectations, financials, etc. — but both operate in an interconnected world. Even self-publishing will ultimately have you working with people and using a particular framework and model.
When working with games we are part of the whirlwind that is Art (shadows, colors, lighting, character and world visuals, game feel) and Tech the code and tools that help us experience the products. These 2 elements combined allow teams to reach business objectives like positive cash flow, investments, vision, and strategy. This mental model is concerned with win-win outcomes and long-term partnerships that are easier to write about than to achieve. That’s why I’m out on this thought experiment to search for a way to minimize harm, not simply maximize benefits.
The ” Silver Model” when working on games in the games industry with industry professionals of all levels.
Teams and Individuals
Don’t only focus on a team’s virtues, but identify the vices
Build a foundation of trust through verification, not speeches
Words need to translate into visible action, that leads to timely results
Don’t blindly trust individuals stuck constantly in the “discussion” phase
Don’t say “Sorry I just interrupted” and repeat it all over in the next discussion or meeting
That skill that your team lacks, can be outsourced but comes with additional risks (communication, payment structure, feedback loops)
When picking a topic for a Sprint, stick to it. Don’t talk about the “resources our players will spend in-game” and get to debates about “what mounts should we implement, that will help us get to a rare resource from a flying mountain area”
Clear hierarchies help, but fail because individuals implicitly and/or explicitly become “the ultimate authority”. Create a rules-based system of governance
Visionaries that are spread thin across multiple disciplines are far more confident in their opinions than specialized individuals, that focus on one domain
There is time for brainstorming ideas and limited time for their execution & delivery. Don’t mix and match the two
Avoid meetings for meetings' sake. You can just as easily say hello or provide an update via the communication tools your team uses
“Infinite regression” is when we talk about reaching a decision, but never decide — because… there is no (identified) root cause.
Your team does it because leadership “said so” or because they truly find it valuable. A lot of time is wasted on execution because we are overly polite and not sincere enough.
Don’t use difficult terms and language where simple words or descriptions are enough
When you have more knowledge — guide (not point). When you possess less, listen
Creative freedom comes within a bounded framework that leads to flow states
Tools, Tech and Development
More tools more costs. Lots of them are free at first but gradually can become a relevant cost
Minimum documentation that can support a project’s intent and evolves with the project: Creative Design document, Game design document, and Resource planner / Burn rate are enough to get you started. Don’t drown in docs
I haven’t (yet) met a team that started out with a set of tools and tech and hasn’t changed it through development
You will be constrained or liberated by the choice of tools used
Think from first principles. Asking for complex gameplay mechanics without understanding if your team can write the code, leads to bad code. Art follows a different set of principles, but you get the idea…lights, shadows, pixels, polygons, and RGB
Not doing a feature or asset is more important than generating a new production pipeline aka “look how many things we can achieve”
Budgeting and Incentives
Developing a game is never purely an artistic pursuit
Don’t think your plan is bullet-proof
As much as you try, pleasing everyone is impossible. Results generate hindsight, not the other way around
Budget and time constraints impact strategic vision…unless you’re running an unlimited budget
If it’s your team’s first game and you manage to secure an investment for one year of development it’s not going to take one year from the moment to start preproduction don’t release this means that you need to have a Plan B for what happens if you run out of money and if your game isn’t successful
Market researching and game-fit
Start by identifying your niche within the genre. Avoid the mass appeal mindset
What drives players into your game it can never be everything gameplay art narrative built upon one another but all of them do the fun one and branch out
Watching all the games industry videos and podcasts won’t provide expertise unless it is put into practice in real-time
Rigor in gathering data to support a claim is more important than a presentation that contains a lot of diagrams and numbers
Releasing
The release window needs to be carefully picked. You don’t want to wait indefinitely, but releasing a game alongside your competitors is not a good idea
Don’t follow easy-to-copy and market trends. You’ll burn out in the long run
More information doesn’t mean better informed
Conclusions
If you hear hooves assume a horse don’t jump to conclusions that it is a zebra
Don’t Platonify your mind, especially after reading something that ticks your models, worldview, temperament, and internal clock. Be skeptical of what the model posses — including this one.
It’s not about when everything is smooth sailing for your team it’s a bottle and things get worse that’s one of the true tests of culture, values, and vision behaviors will come into play you want to be prepared for when things are worth it, not sure they are better because if they’re better that means you’re doing everything right
Learn to become comfortable with not knowing, rather than spew a defensive “I have an opinion” statement
Tools for the right context: Occam’s and Hanlon’s Razor, Second-order effects, and Fat-tails — you are bound to find something that works.
The one positive advice of this post is that all models should be utilized cautiously with reason, good intentions, and proper action. Those that don’t work have already been falsified.
