GAMEOPS03-BP01 Validate and test your existing core game systems and infrastructure before reusing it in your game
Organizations tend to reuse existing components and source code from previous games to save on development time and cost. These legacy components and code may not be subjected to a thorough review or have detailed integration testing and instead rely on their past performance.
Level of risk exposed if this best practice is not established: High
Implementation guidance
While reuse assists improving productivity, it can also introduce the risk of reintroducing past performance and stability issues into a new project. Therefore, when reusing existing components and source code from previous games, robust testing should be implemented.
Implementation steps
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Identify reused code and components: Catalog the source code, libraries, and components being reused from previous games. Clearly distinguish between actively maintained and deprecated code
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Document original behavior and known issues: Record the original performance characteristics, functional limitations, and known bugs or production incidents associated with the reused components.
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Perform a thorough code review: Conduct a detailed technical review of the reused components, especially those that had issues in the past or are poorly documented.
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Replace or refactor high risk legacy components: Prioritize replacing or updating legacy components that have a history of issues or are no longer maintainable, rather than relying on workarounds in production.
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Conduct integration and compatibility testing: Validate the reused components within the context of the new game's systems. Verify that they interact properly with new modules, tools, and APIs.
