Deciding what not to build.
WHY IT IS NECESSARY
Every project has more ideas than time.
WHAT TO ASK OF ANY FEATURE
Does the core loop need it? Would players notice its absence? What does it cost to finish, not to start?
WHY THAT LAST QUESTION
Features are cheap to prototype and expensive to complete.
WHAT TO CUT FIRST
Features serving no clear purpose Features you cannot finish well Features requiring content you cannot produce Systems interacting with everything else
WHY THAT LAST CATEGORY
They multiply testing and defects across the whole game.
WHAT TO KEEP
Whatever makes the game distinctive.
WHAT TO BE HONEST ABOUT
Features kept because of effort already spent.
WHY
Effort spent is gone regardless of the decision.
WHAT TO DO WITH CUT WORK
Record it, in case a later project uses it.
WHAT TO NEVER DO
Leave a feature half-implemented in the release.
WHY
An obviously incomplete system damages perception of everything else.
WHAT TO PREFER
A smaller game that is complete.
WHAT TO TELL PLAYERS
Nothing about what was cut.
WHY
They judge what exists.
