Game Development: History, Industry, and Engine Design
SMRTR summary
Video game development has evolved from 1940s computer experiments through distinct eras, ultimately merging "arcade" (skill-based action) and "computer" (turn-based strategic) traditions by the 1990s. Modern studios operate on four funding models—self-funding, work-for-hire, publisher partnerships, or investors—while development practices have shifted from informal "clay shaping" to structured waterfall methods, and now to agile approaches emphasizing player feedback and live updates. Game engines have evolved from expensive custom solutions costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to accessible tools, progressing through five phases from basic "spaghetti code" to sophisticated general-purpose builders supporting any genre through visual editors and scripting systems.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to lobste.rs.
Read the original article