Outsourcing SIG

International Game Developers Association

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Outsourcing SIG was formed for content creators and service providers to share best practices about outsourcing.

Contents 1 Current Initiatives 2 Mission: 3 GDC 2008 Outsource SIG Events Review 4 How to participate:

Current Initiatives

• Analysis of cost benefits of Outsourcing
  • Stephen Gray estimated 33% savings utilizing "distributed development"
  • Next Step: Form committee to validate savings, please email with interest
• Analysis of industry wide pricing of Outsourced services
• Best practices for creating bid packages for vendors
  • Several clients and vendors discussed their interest in this
  • Related to standardization of terminology
  • Next Step: Form committee to validate savings, please email with interest
• Best practices for vendors to provide bids to developers
• Development of standards in terminology for deliverables so that communication is more effective across cultural, language and physical boundaries
  • Several clients and vendors discussed their interest in this
  • Next Steps: Standardize terminology (CG, cinematic, cut scene, FMV, etc.) and expected definition of requirements (anticipated run time, pre-rendered vs. in-engine, visual target/vtar/quality bar, etc.)
  • Please email with interest
• Vendor resource list
  • The Production SIG is also interested in exploring this
  • David Perry just launched: Game Industry Map does this cover our needs? Do we communicate with Dave to form an IGDA sub set?

Mission:

Provide game developers with more options and information about how to make great games by leveraging the advantages of Outsourcing. Provide vendors with feedback to design and invest in services that their clients want.

Reason for SIG:

• While outsourcing has been used in the game industry in the past, the scale to which it is now relied upon is new
• There are best practices that can be shared amongst Outsourcing professionals throughout the game industry
• The SIG provides Outsourcing companies with a forum to discuss best practices along with game developers and publishers so that better services can be developed and provided
• The SIG provides a platform to advocate for issues facing outsource vendors and their clients
• An officially sanctioned IGDA group is the best forum for this discussion

GDC 2008 Outsource SIG Events Review

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Game Outsourcing Summit - All day conference with evening reception

• Great turnout for the all day event, sessions were packed
• Trying to get copies of presentations to post or at least access through the Wiki
• Steve Gray from Vykarian gave a very convincing practical and economic argument for outsourcing and was equally convincing in his thesis that we should call this "Distributed Development" not "outsourcing."

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Outsourcing SIG Gathering - IGDA Booth, West Hall, Noon to 1 p.m.

• Over 40 people showed up to meet other professionals that were interested in advocacy and involvement in the group
• Session was focused on Meet and Greet and many cards and ideas were exchanged
• Next Steps are to translate this enthusiasm into some directed deliverables for the group

How to participate:

A mailing list is being kept by Munir Haddad until the IGDA site is updated to host