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Computer science: How long does it take to generate a massive open world game, then finalize the mechanics, systems, and logistics of the game?
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Dan Wolf
Retired Electrical/Software Engineer and part-time College Professor (BSEET and MS Engineering Management)
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Dan’s Answer
It can take anywhere from six months to four or more years, even 10 years. Some factors that affect the development are:
1) Exactly how big and complex the game will be.
2) How many developers and support staff will work on the project? Will it just be you or will there be a team?
3) How well the requirements of the game are defined before the actual development actually starts?
4) How many errors (bugs) are created during development that must be detected and fixed?
5) How many features are added to the game after development starts and before the game is complete?
6) How competent are the developers and how well do they know the technology? Are they experienced or new developers?
7) How well is the project managed?
It is important that a list of REQUIREMENTS be generated first. These identify all of the features of the game and are then used to estimate the completion date which is based on the size of the development team. The developers then write code ONLY for these requirements (i.e. do not add new features without extending the completion date or removing a different requirement). A good project manager is required for all but the smallest projects. The project manager will track the development progress, mitigate roadblocks, and make sure there are enough resources (people, supplies, computers, etc.), The project manager will also monitor the quality of the software as it is being developed. A lot of new developers or bugs will require increased attention to the team. In general a bug that was created (say in 10 minutes) could take 10, 100, or 1000 times that to find and fix so we want to avoid creating bugs at all times.
There are a few brilliant developers that can do amazing things, by themselves, in a short amount of time however they are rare. Most projects will require a good manager and a team of more than one or two developers.
1) Exactly how big and complex the game will be.
2) How many developers and support staff will work on the project? Will it just be you or will there be a team?
3) How well the requirements of the game are defined before the actual development actually starts?
4) How many errors (bugs) are created during development that must be detected and fixed?
5) How many features are added to the game after development starts and before the game is complete?
6) How competent are the developers and how well do they know the technology? Are they experienced or new developers?
7) How well is the project managed?
It is important that a list of REQUIREMENTS be generated first. These identify all of the features of the game and are then used to estimate the completion date which is based on the size of the development team. The developers then write code ONLY for these requirements (i.e. do not add new features without extending the completion date or removing a different requirement). A good project manager is required for all but the smallest projects. The project manager will track the development progress, mitigate roadblocks, and make sure there are enough resources (people, supplies, computers, etc.), The project manager will also monitor the quality of the software as it is being developed. A lot of new developers or bugs will require increased attention to the team. In general a bug that was created (say in 10 minutes) could take 10, 100, or 1000 times that to find and fix so we want to avoid creating bugs at all times.
There are a few brilliant developers that can do amazing things, by themselves, in a short amount of time however they are rare. Most projects will require a good manager and a team of more than one or two developers.
Updated
Matt’s Answer
It's easier to talk about the total development cycle, so that's what I'll do here. Tuning balance and mechanics is usually an ongoing process that continues after the game's initial release.
Dwarf Fortress has been under development by a very small team since 2002. It's an ongoing work in progress. It is, perhaps, an extreme example, both for the breadth and openness of its world, and the smallness of its team.
Consider that in that 20 years span, they haven't really had revenue to speak of. Some, perhaps, but not a lot. It's a bleak example, if this is to be a profession rather than a hobby.
On the other end of the spectrum (but still decidedly indie), Klei's Don't Starve was developed in under two years (2012 to April 2013), by a team of fewer than 35 people (so still small by industry standards). Likely somewhat under 100 person-years.
Skyrim was about a 3-year effort, for a team of around 100. So, it took a major studio something like 300 person-years to build that.
Another extremely small example is Stardew Valley, which was developed over the course of four years by a single developer. That's probably close to the lower limit, as far as labor investment goes, at something close to 4 person years (the developer had a day job, but I have no idea whether he averaged more or less than 40 hours a week on the project). So it's far from typical.
Dwarf Fortress has been under development by a very small team since 2002. It's an ongoing work in progress. It is, perhaps, an extreme example, both for the breadth and openness of its world, and the smallness of its team.
Consider that in that 20 years span, they haven't really had revenue to speak of. Some, perhaps, but not a lot. It's a bleak example, if this is to be a profession rather than a hobby.
On the other end of the spectrum (but still decidedly indie), Klei's Don't Starve was developed in under two years (2012 to April 2013), by a team of fewer than 35 people (so still small by industry standards). Likely somewhat under 100 person-years.
Skyrim was about a 3-year effort, for a team of around 100. So, it took a major studio something like 300 person-years to build that.
Another extremely small example is Stardew Valley, which was developed over the course of four years by a single developer. That's probably close to the lower limit, as far as labor investment goes, at something close to 4 person years (the developer had a day job, but I have no idea whether he averaged more or less than 40 hours a week on the project). So it's far from typical.