Top 5 Free Tools to Plan Game Dev Deliverables

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed by endless to-do lists and missed deadlines in your game development journey?

Many indie game developers fall into the trap of “deadline doom.” It’s that feeling of constant pressure, often stemming from setting deadlines without clearly defined deliverables. This creates a false sense of urgency, leading to burnout and ultimately hindering progress. You’re working hard, but are you working smart?

The key is to break down your game development process into manageable, well-defined tasks. Let’s look at five free tools that can help you plan your game dev deliverables, avoid common planning pitfalls, and reclaim control of your project.

1. Trello: Task Management Made Easy

Trello is a visual task management tool that uses a Kanban-style board to organize your workflow. Each card represents a task, and you can move cards between lists representing different stages of development (e.g., “To Do,” “In Progress,” “Testing,” “Done”).

Step-by-step:

1. Create a Trello board for your game.
2. Create lists representing your development stages.
3. Add cards for each task (e.g., “Implement player movement,” “Design level 1,” “Create enemy AI”).
4. Add descriptions, due dates, and assign members (if applicable) to each card.
5. Move cards between lists as you progress.

Example: An indie developer creating a platformer could use Trello to track the progress of individual levels. Each level has its own card, with subtasks for art, programming, and level design.

How it avoids pitfalls: Trello’s visual nature helps prevent scope creep by making it easy to see all the tasks involved in a feature. Breaking down large tasks into smaller cards promotes task granularity, making them less daunting and easier to estimate.

2. Google Sheets: The Versatile Spreadsheet

Don’t underestimate the power of a good spreadsheet. Google Sheets is excellent for creating roadmaps, tracking progress, and managing numerical data related to your game’s development.

Step-by-step:

1. Create a new Google Sheet.
2. Create columns for tasks, deadlines, status, and dependencies.
3. Fill in the rows with your game’s deliverables.
4. Use conditional formatting to visually highlight progress (e.g., green for completed, yellow for in progress, red for overdue).
5. Add a chart to visualize your roadmap and track overall progress.

Example: A solo developer making an RPG could use Google Sheets to track the implementation of different game systems (combat, inventory, dialogue).

How it avoids pitfalls: Google Sheets’ dependency tracking feature helps prevent starting tasks prematurely. Clearly defining dependencies ensures you focus on the right tasks in the right order.

3. HacknPlan: Dedicated Game Development Planner

HacknPlan is a project management tool specifically designed for game development. It offers features like milestone planning, task estimation, and risk management.

Step-by-step:

1. Create a HacknPlan project for your game.
2. Define your game’s milestones (e.g., Alpha, Beta, Release).
3. Create tasks and assign them to milestones.
4. Estimate the effort required for each task.
5. Track your progress and identify potential risks.

Example: An indie team developing a strategy game could use HacknPlan to manage the development of different factions, units, and game mechanics.

How it avoids pitfalls: HacknPlan’s focus on task estimation helps prevent unrealistic deadlines. By accurately estimating the effort required, you can set achievable goals and avoid overcommitting.

4. Miro: Visual Collaboration and Brainstorming

Miro is a collaborative whiteboard platform that’s great for brainstorming, creating mind maps, and visualizing complex systems.

Step-by-step:

1. Create a Miro board for your game.
2. Use sticky notes to brainstorm ideas for features, characters, and story elements.
3. Create a mind map to visualize the relationships between different game systems.
4. Use flowcharts to map out gameplay mechanics.

Example: An indie developer designing a narrative game could use Miro to map out the branching storylines and character arcs.

How it avoids pitfalls: Miro’s visual nature makes it easier to identify potential design flaws early in the development process. By visualizing the interconnectedness of different game elements, you can catch inconsistencies and design issues before they become major problems.

5. Notion: The All-in-One Workspace

Notion is a versatile workspace that can be used for task management, note-taking, and knowledge management. It’s highly customizable and can be adapted to fit a variety of workflows.

Step-by-step:

1. Create a Notion workspace for your game.
2. Create databases for tasks, features, and assets.
3. Use the Kanban board view to track task progress.
4. Use the calendar view to visualize deadlines.
5. Create pages for documenting game design, lore, and technical specifications.

Example: A solo developer making a roguelike could use Notion to manage all aspects of their game development, from task tracking to documentation to asset management.

How it avoids pitfalls: Notion’s documentation features help prevent knowledge silos. By documenting your design decisions, technical specifications, and development process, you ensure that everyone on the team (even if it’s just you!) has access to the information they need.

Common Planning Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Scope Creep: Avoid adding new features or tasks without carefully considering their impact on the project timeline. Use your chosen tool to document the scope of the project and any proposed changes.
• Lack of Task Granularity: Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable subtasks. This makes them less daunting and easier to estimate.
• Unrealistic Deadlines: Be realistic about the time required to complete each task. Consider your own skill level, available resources, and potential roadblocks.
• Poor Communication: Keep everyone involved in the project informed of progress, changes, and potential problems. Use your chosen tool to facilitate communication and collaboration.

Consistent documentation is crucial. Document your game design, your technical choices, and your development process. This not only helps you stay organized but also makes it easier to onboard new team members or revisit the project after a break.

Reflection is equally important. Regularly review your planning process and identify areas for improvement. What worked well? What could be done better?

By using these tools and adopting a structured approach to planning, you can avoid “deadline doom” and create a more sustainable and enjoyable game development experience. Tracking your progress will give you a sense of accomplishment, motivate you to keep going, and provide valuable insights into your own development process.

To truly refine your game development workflow and track your progress effectively, consistent journaling is key. Start documenting your daily wins, challenges, and learnings with our game development journal tool. Track Game Dev Progress Here