- TITLE THIS BLOG POST: [NAME OF PROJECT] Postmortem Document
- PLACE A CREATIVE COMMONS IMAGE RELATED TO THE PROJECT
- FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS IN THE POST
- REVIEW THIS POST EXAMPLE:
- Coming Soon
- DELETE ANY TEXT THAT HAS THESE BRACKETS [stuff inside these brackets]
This document is a formal review of the game development project. Its purpose is to facilitate collective learning by analyzing the process, celebrating successes, and identifying key areas for improvement in future projects.
| Project Title: | [Insert Game Title Here] |
| Development Team: | [List All Team Members] |
| Development Duration: | [e.g., 6 weeks, 40 hours] |
| Engine/Software Used: | [e.g., Unity, Godot, Construct] |
| Date Completed: |
I. Team Analysis
This section analyzes the structure, communication, and performance of the development team.
Roles and Responsibilities
| Team Member | Primary Role (e.g., Lead Programmer, Artist) | Key Responsibilities |
| [Name] | ||
| [Name] | ||
| [Name] | ||
| [Name] |
Collaboration Effectiveness
Reflect on how the team worked together across the entire development cycle.
Communication:
How often did the team communicate?
What tools (e.g., chat, in-person) were used?
What worked well, and what was missing?
Conflict Resolution:
Describe any disagreements or creative differences that arose.
How were they resolved, and was that process effective?
Task Integration:
How smoothly did assets (art, sound) and code merge together?
What challenges arose when one person’s work depended on another’s?
Highlight any issues with version control.
Individual/Team Lessons Learned
Identify specific, actionable takeaways about the process of making the game.
Project Management & Time Estimation:
Which tasks took significantly longer than expected?
Which took less time?
What changes should the team make to its scheduling/timeline next time? (e.g., “We must double our estimate for UI polish.”)
Skills Development:
What new technical skills did individuals learn (e.g., advanced scripting, animation techniques)
General Teamwork Takeaways:
What advice would you give a new team starting this project? (e.g., “Define the core mechanic first,” “Don’t ignore documentation.”)
II. Game Analysis & Review
This section reviews the final product against the initial design vision.
Project Goals vs. Final Outcome
List the major goals set at the beginning of the project and assess their completion status.
| Goal (e.g., 3 levels, 2 enemy types, unique mechanic) | Status (Achieved/Partial/Failed) | Rationale/Explanation |
| Overall Assessment of Scope: | [Was the initial scope too large, too small, or just right? What percentage of the initial vision was completed?] |
What Went Right (Successes)
Identify the most successful elements of the project—the things that should be repeated in the future.
Core Mechanic / Gameplay:
What specific game element or mechanic feels the most fun, polished, or unique?
Why did it work?
Art, Sound, or UI/UX:
[Which visual or auditory elements look/sound professional?
Why was this area successful (e.g., good planning, strong individual skill)?
Specific Technical Achievements:
[Did the team successfully implement a complex piece of code or fix a difficult bug?
Describe it briefly.
What Went Wrong (Challenges)
Analyze the major problems and roadblocks encountered during development.
Scope Creep or Design Flaws:
Did the project get too big?
Did a core design idea not work out once implemented?
Explain the impact and how much content was cut.
Technical Issues:
Describe the single hardest bug or technical problem.
Why was it so difficult to solve? How much time was lost?
Asset Pipeline Issues:
Did missing or poorly organized assets (art files, sound files) cause delays or confusion?
Key Design Takeaways
Provide actionable advice for the next development project, focusing on best practices learned here.
| Focus Area | Future Best Practice (Specific Actionable Advice) |
| Design | [e.g., “Always prototype paper levels first,” “Only design features that can be completed in the first 50% of the project time.”] |
| Programming | [e.g., “Comment all code clearly,” “Use a separate branch for testing new features before merging to the main build.”] |
| Art & Production | [e.g., “Establish a mandatory asset naming standard on Day 1,” “Minimize the resolution of non-critical textures for better performance.”] |
