Brief overview of company

The production of Penumbra: Black Plague

Future of the company

Students → Co-founders

Frictional Games Main Server

-SVN-Time Stamp-Schedules & Tracking

Thomas Jens Employee 1 Employee 2

-Workforce when needed

-Industry standards for efficiency

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Technology Original Ideas

What is Penumbra?

Horror AdventureFirst person viewNo weapons (almost….)Physical interaction

How did it start?

1. Student Project

How did it start?

2. Internet “success”

1. Student Project

How did it start?

3. Commercial version

episodic (3 parts)

Personal funding

2. Internet “success”

1. Student Project

How did it start?

3. Commercial version

Episodic (3 parts)

Personal funding

4. Work on second episode starts

So do publisher problems…

1. Student Project

2. Internet “success”

A brief history of

Level work flow

1) Theme and basic story.

2) Basic puzzles and layout.

3) Top-view sketch with descriptions of major event and puzzles.

4) Write down description of entire level.

5) Model level and needed entities

6) Script level (Sounds, events, clean-up etc...)

Level work flow

Pros: Very simple to estimate time and keep schedule

Cons: If basic design does not work - you are screwed. Does not allow for major gameplay changes. Almost no iteration!

Project Duration

February 2007

February 2008

Total Time: One Year + some weeks

February 2007Mood: Tired but happy

Level design startedSome cash coming inStart looking for additional artist

March 2007Mood: Very Tired but happy

Modelling startsLevel designing continuesPlanning starts (but no deadlines)New artist hired.Salaries = Pros at last!

April 2007Mood: Frustrated

Level design continuesStory writing startsSerious publisher problems starts…

May 2007Mood: Unhappy and pissed

Legal issues taking up most timeArt continues to be madeNew artist let go due to lack of funds Anton (lead artist) leaving soon!Remake planning due to money shortage and Anton leaving.Story work put on hold.

June 2007Mood: Annoyed and depressed

Decide on two episodes onlyAnton will leave at end of month!Scripting starts slowlyWill game get finished at all?

July 2007Mood: Only tiny motivation left…

Get new artist asap!Cut down on levels (26 →20)List all resources needed

August 2007Mood: Starting to get happier!

Deal with ParadoxDeadline soon (February 2008)Scripting gaining speedProgramming starts!More (part-time) artists hired

September 2007Mood: A lot happier than past months!

Looking into outsourcingMore artists join.Anton gets time to help out!5 artists + outsourcing company working (spreading risk)All level design done!

October 2007Mood: Happy but getting tired

Looking for voice actorsA lot of time put into scripting

November 2007Mood: Happy but very, very tired

Works days starting to get very longEven more scriptingFirst tests!26th preview sent off

December 2007Mood: Totally exhausted

Previews are positive!Bug hunting starts20th = text deadline, barely manages

January 2008Mood: More dead then alive

Hunt bugs, eat, sleep, repeatA lot of additional works as well…30th final version handed overWE ARE DONE!

February 2008Mood: Tired but can not sleep… now nervous of reviews

FUTURE?

Additional all-around employees

Outsource as much as possible

-Programmer-Creative artist*Emphasis on all-around

Future projects

Penumbra: Requiem ?

Two projects simultaneouslySmaller – Creative Team Larger – Technical TeamSmoother & overlapping transition between projects

Future projects for computers

Black Plague Demo – Release on Monday!Penumbra: Requiem & unannounced project

THE ENDQuestions?