Scenario
Company Overview
Infinity Games is a British game development company based in central London. Alex Scott founded the company after he graduated with a degree in Game Design in 2018. As the sole Director of the organisation, he provides leadership but also plays an active role in conceptualisation of new games. For each project, he decides with the Project Manager, which employees should make up Development Teams. Since Infinity Games was set up, it has established a strong reputation in the industry.
The Project manager oversees the overall development process of games and manages the Development Team of Game Designers, Game Developers and Graphic Artists. The Marketing team creates promotional campaigns, maintains a social media presence, and collaborates with partners to promote new games. Sales representatives engage with potential distributors, negotiate deals, and manage relationships with distribution partners. A Player Support Specialist deals with player inquiries. Employee work structure includes a mix of remote and hybrid arrangements.
Current Information System
1. Game Development Software: The Game Designers and Developers are the primary users. The tools included enable the ability to design and build visuals, realistic physics, and character animations. The current information system integrates these tools, meaning that there is a seamless collaboration among the development team.
2. Project Management System: To effectively manage multiple game projects simultaneously, project management software is used, the Project Manager uses this daily to keep track of progress across projects, manage resources and facilitate task allocation. Development Teams can also access the software to coordinate efforts and meet deadlines.
3. Asset Management: Infinity Games' information system includes an asset management module that centralises the organisation and storage of game assets, such as 3D models, audio files, and animations. Its purpose is to allow easy access to modules and simplify collaboration among the Game Designers, Game Developers and Graphic Artists, improving productivity.
4. Customer Service/Issue Resolution: The Player Support Specialist uses this software. She is responsible for providing support to players, addressing their inquiries, troubleshooting technical issues, and resolving concerns. Liaison between the Player Support Specialist and Game Developers is frequently needed for reporting bugs and glitches. Player feedback on is frequently fed back to the Game Designers to allow for continuous improvement.
Concerns and Future Development
1. Increased Competition: Infinity Games is facing intense competition in the gaming industry. With the market flooded with numerous game developers and publishers, it becomes challenging for Infinity Games to stand out and differentiate its offerings.
2. Talent Retention: As Infinity Games continues to grow, retaining top talent becomes a critical challenge. The demand for skilled game developers, designers, and artists is high, and other companies may attempt to poach Infinity Games' talented employees.
3. Monetisation Strategy: Developing a successful monetisation strategy poses a challenge for Infinity Games. While the company aims to create immersive and enjoyable gaming experiences, it must also find effective ways to generate revenue. Balancing in-game purchases, subscription models, or advertising without compromising the player experience requires careful consideration and strategic planning.
4. Adaptation to Technological Advancements: Staying up to date with the latest hardware, software, and emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) can be demanding and resource-intensive but is necessary to ensure its games remain relevant and provide engaging experiences for players.
Infinity Games was set up with limited funds, meaning a mixture of bespoke and off-the- shelf software has been used in its Information System. The Director is concerned that the current Information System in place may not meet the company's expanding requirements.
Ensure that you have read the scenario several times before beginning these tasks. You should complete each task in its numerical order.
Task 1: Information Systems Analysis
Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of the FOUR (4) methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, Prototyping, and User-Centered Design) for creating a new Information System for Infinity Games.
