Keeping Scope Small: A Smart Approach for Finishing Your Game
No matter how long you’ve been making games, scope creep is a challenge that every developer faces. It’s easy to get excited about your game ideas and imagine all the possibilities, but expanding your project’s scope too much can quickly lead to unfinished projects and frustration. Here’s why keeping your game’s scope small is so crucial and how you can use this strategy to actually finish your game.
What Is Scope in Game Development?
In game development, scope refers to the overall size and complexity of your project. It includes the number of levels, features, mechanics, and assets that go into your game. While it’s tempting to add feature after feature, more isn’t always better. In fact, limiting your scope can be the difference between a completed game and one that gets abandoned mid-way.
Why Does Keeping Your Scope Small Matter?
- Focus on Quality, Not Quantity
When you limit your scope, you give yourself the chance to polish your core gameplay mechanics. Focusing on fewer features allows you to fine-tune what matters, creating a more satisfying and complete experience for players. - Prevent Burnout
Expanding your game’s scope without clear boundaries is a surefire way to get overwhelmed. By keeping the scope manageable, you make it easier to stick with your project and avoid the feeling that it’s spiraling out of control. - Finish What You Start
Developers who’ve been working on a project for years without releasing it often get stuck in an endless loop of iterations and additions. You should strive for a smaller, completed project, than a large project that’s stuck in production. The trick is to draw a line and finish what you’ve started — which is easier with a smaller, more focused scope.
How to Keep Your Game’s Scope Under Control
- Start with a Clear Core Concept
Whether it’s your first game or your tenth, the most important thing is to define your core gameplay mechanic early on. What’s the central experience you want to deliver to players? Focus on that one idea and avoid the temptation to layer on too many features or distractions. - Set Milestones and Deadlines
Break down your project into manageable chunks. If you’re working on a large game, create small, achievable milestones that push you toward completion. Make sure each milestone has a clear deliverable (e.g., prototype, basic mechanics, level design), and set deadlines to keep yourself on track. - Start Simple, Then Expand
If you have a lot of ideas for your game, it can be tempting to try to implement everything right away. Instead, build a basic version of your game first. Focus on getting the core mechanics right, then expand from there. This way, you can iterate on a working foundation instead of constantly reworking incomplete features. - Avoid Feature Creep
As your game progresses, new ideas and features will inevitably pop up. While this is part of the creative process, it’s important to evaluate each new idea in the context of your core vision. If the feature doesn’t directly improve the player experience or the core gameplay, it’s better to leave it out — at least for now. - Know When to Call It Done
One of the hardest things for developers with years of experience (but no releases) is knowing when to stop tweaking. Perfectionism is a common roadblock. Remember: a finished game, even if it’s smaller in scope, is always better than an unfinished one. Release your game, learn from the process, and move on to the next challenge.
Wrap Up: Small Scope, Big Impact
Keeping your game’s scope manageable is key to completing and releasing your project for all developers. Focus on a solid core idea, break your game into achievable chunks, and remember: less is more when it comes to development. If you’re wondering if you’ve overscoped, you probably have. By staying focused on what truly matters, you’ll make steady progress and, most importantly, finish the game you’ve always dreamed of releasing.
For more essential tips on game development, check out our other posts on best practices!