the Auroch Digitale. If it hadn’t been for our research trips, lectures and tasting sessions, our lead designer Matt would never have created the recipe for this beer in his kitchen and had the confidence to deliver it to ACTUAL brewers who then created a batch (which, to our surprise, sold out very quickly). We’re in a fortunate position at Auroch in that


we have the 100-per-cent backing of our studio heads when it comes to putting the hours into research, but I know that isn’t the case for all studios. It can be almost impossible to quantify the return on investment for research and for a team to fully embrace all of its benefits - it’s hard to justify it with numbers on a spreadsheet to a sceptical audience. If this sounds familiar, don’t panic! There


are creative ways you can undertake thorough research in your development process. I’d advise doing as much research as possible without requiring investment from leadership. You can discover free resources like audiobooks, lectures or podcasts online, consume media in that area wherever you can and identify common themes, or – if you think there’s a case to be made - put on your ‘cost saving’ hat when pitching for research investment and identify that money could be saved later down the line if research helps you get it right the first time. It’s a tricky business but getting your research


process down can help you create a game that feels authentic and players can feel the passion that went into it. Cheers!


“It doesn’t matter if your game is grounded in the world we live in or in a far-off universe with its own rules, the research process is crucial.”


February 2023 MCV/DEVELOP | 35


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