Editing Video game development (section)

==== Prototype ====
[[File:Battle for Mandicor 0.0.5.png|thumb|Placeholder graphics are characteristic of early game prototypes.]]

Writing [[Software prototyping|prototype]]s of gameplay ideas and features is an important activity that allows programmers and game designers to experiment with different [[algorithm]]s and usability scenarios for a game. A great deal of prototyping may take place during [[pre-production]] before the design document is complete and may, in fact, help determine what features the design specifies. Prototyping at this stage is often done manually, (paper prototyping), not digitally,{{Citation needed|date=March 2016}} as this is often easier and faster to test and make changes before wasting time and resources on what could be a canceled idea or project. Prototyping may also take place during active development to test new ideas as the game emerges.

Prototypes are often meant only to act as a [[proof of concept]] or to test ideas, by adding, modifying or removing some of the features.{{sfn|Brathwaite|Schreiber|2009|p=189}} Most algorithms and features debuted in a prototype may be [[Porting|ported]] to the game once they have been completed.

Often prototypes need to be developed quickly with very little time for up-front design (around 15 to 20 minutes of testing).{{Citation needed|date=March 2016}} Therefore, usually very prolific programmers are called upon to quickly code these [[testbed]] tools. [[Rapid application development|RAD]] tools may be used to aid in the quick development of these programs. In case the prototype is in a physical form, programmers and designers alike will make the game with paper, dice, and other easy-to-access tools in order to make the prototype faster.

A successful development model is [[Iterative design|iterative prototyping]], where design is refined based on current progress. There are various technology available for video game development{{sfn|Bates|2004|p=226}}