Jefferson Development Milestones

 
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Rev. 1C, JDM, July 3, 1997.

THIS IS STILL A DRAFT.

Milestone Duration Delivery
M1: Integration
Integrate major subsystems and demonstrate the "software toy."
  April 24
M2: First Playable
Demonstrate a representative piece of the gameplay
  July 22
M3: Pre-Look-and-Feel Integration
All technology for look-and-feel milestone.
   
Look-and-Feel
All game play and UI components, with real art. Iterate until fun.
Iteration 1    
Iteration 2    
Iteration 3    
Demo 1
Tested, fun, publically distributed demo.
Start Alpha    
Start Beta    
Final    
Release 5 days  
Golden Master
To market.
   
Start Beta    
Final    
Release 5 days  

Milestone Descriptions

M1: Integration

This milestone pre-dates this document. The documents of the time should either be incorporated or referenced here, together with post-mortem highlights.

Goals

  • Major technical subsystem integration.
  • Validate character routing and interaction UI
  • Test the art pipelines
  • First hands-on play test

M2: First Playable

Goals

  • Provide the gaming experience, with challenge and failure states
  • Demonstrate autonomous simulator in NPC's and family idle state
  • Demonstrate the "economic model"
  • Upgrade graphics engine, character animation, and sprite animation sync.
  • Installer and uninstaller
  • Object editor tools suite ported to Windows (in its own framework)
  • TBD: Demonstrate conversations and relationship matrix

Marketing Goals

  • Use deliverable for "hands-on focus group" and structured playtesting
  • Demonstrate "Five features" for Preliminary Fact Sheet
  • System requirements partially determined (CPU, graphics, not RAM)

Deliverable Form

  • Automated build of self-installing .exe w/ uninstaller
  • Runs on either DirectX 3.0a or 5.0 beta (CONFIRM)
  • Readme file (in install and on web) explaining installation, current capabilities, basic how-to-use notes.

Features and Simulation Objects

  • Semi-autonomous family members (w/ "threshhold idle" scheme)
  • Autonomous NPCs arrive as visitors
  • Household funds, costs, and job with earnings
  • Complete object containment and carrying.
  • Each motive has two objects (w/o artwork) which service it
  • Cascading motivation advertisement (get food, cook, eat)
  • Broadcast environmental effect: alarm clock, stereo
  • Sample house lot layout has curbside, sidewalk, walkway (w/o real artwork).
  • Groceries (needs cooking and refrigeration)
  • Snacks (no cooking)
  • Refrigerator (add "Fridge o' Plenty")
  • Job object
  • Alarm clock (broadcasts)
  • Microwave oven
  • Coffee maker
  • Stereo (add broadcast)
  • Coffee beverage (mug)
  • Couch (add Sleep interaction)
  • Bathtub

Designs and Plans

  • New artwork content flow
  • "Full-screen" UI design
  • Programming design for construction, decoration, and landscaping
  • Plan for tighter integration of object tools and running game.

M3: Pre-Look-and-Feel

Goals

  • Final UI system in place (windows, toolbars, scrolling, pause mode)
  • First integration of new construction, decorate, and landscaping.
  • Object system complete (as defined in task plan)
  • Add-on objects complete and installable
  • Family selection, creation, custom personalities functional, mockup UI
  • Fully tunable
  • Doors open/close/greet
  • 3D Sound and additional laugh-track hooks
  • Final object, art, and animation tools and pipeline
  • Object version stamping, sensing

With Marketing

  • Preliminary screen shots and promo video clips
  • Functioning internal web site
  • RAM requirements established

Simulation Objects

  • Conversations
  • Guitar (learning, styles)
  • Others to be identified

Designs and Plans

  • Look-and-feel final art and sound lists
  • Digital authentication design

Look and Feel

Goals

  • Complete the major portions of the game's UI, tune scrolling
  • All artwork seen is final
  • Final construction, decorating, and landscaping
  • Game passes the fun test, or we know (and fix) what's needed
  • Remaining development schedule can be locked.
  • Deluxe sample homes

With Marketing

  • Final screen shots
  • Private previews
  • Web-site internal deployment
  • Our-hands-only demo w/ script

Simulation Objects

  • Lawn trash for failure, kudos for success

Designs and Plans

  • Demo 1 final art and sound lists
  • Network version game design
  • Test plan

Demo 1

Goals

  • Provide addictive experience and leave them screaming for more
  • Eliminate any remaining uncertainty in GM date
  • Complete neighborhood screen with thumbnails
  • Feng Shui
  • Maxis.com hooked in
  • Splash screens, credits, etc.
  • Valid licenses or rights to all content
  • Online help

Simulation Objects

  • TBD

With Marketing

  • Website go-live

Golden Master

Goals

  • Paydirt
  • Localization
  • Manual, complete help

Simulation Objects

  • TBD

Designs and Plans

  • Add-on packs, sequels, network
  • Next one
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