The last stretch.
WHAT POLISH MEANS
Refining what exists rather than adding.
WHAT IT INCLUDES
Fixing bugs Improving feel Adjusting balance Completing menus and settings Improving performance Handling edge cases
WHY IT TAKES SO LONG
The remaining work is many small items, each requiring attention.
WHAT PROPORTION OF THE PROJECT IT IS
Frequently as much as everything before it.
WHAT TO RESIST
Adding features during polish.
WHY
Each addition brings its own unfinished edges.
WHAT TO PRIORITISE
Anything the player encounters early Anything encountered frequently Anything that loses progress
WHY EARLY CONTENT FIRST
Most players who leave do so in the first minutes.
WHAT TO COMPLETE THAT IS OFTEN NEGLECTED
Settings and options Controller support throughout Pause behaviour Quitting and restarting Credits
WHAT TO TEST EXHAUSTIVELY
Saving and loading The first fifteen minutes Every menu path
WHAT TO ACCEPT
That the game will ship with known defects, and that choosing which is a judgement.
