Optimization is such a crucial part of game development but sometimes it is given little importance or not optimized at all due to problems and time constraints during development. All the small optimizations add up and they can mean the difference between having a slightly slow, large sized game with a streamlined and fluid reasonably sized game. These optimizations can be done from both the programmers and the artists in charge of providing visual and auditory assets. An easy change for optimizations is through editing the project folder itself and removing all unnecessary files, organizing the project into manageable folders so it is easy to find what is needed and what is not.

Another change, specifically for programmers is reducing the amount of duplicate or unnecessary code, using appropriate design patterns, assigning and reassigning local and non local variables, among others. Another optimization that can be done is accessing and getting what ever components are necessary in the start function, managing what needs to be loaded on the scene as well as what should be drawn, etc. Adding to that some more specific optimization that can be done are with the physics of the game. The use of sphere colliders, as the collision detection is only a comparison between the distance between the objects and the circles radius, use layers to avoid an unneeded collision check, and use rigid bodies only when necessary.

In terms of graphics the use of more triangles than necessary should be reduced, the limit of the amount of light used, create light maps, overuse of real time shadows, and the use of culling to avoid having to draw what the player cannot see. Ultimately almost all assets can be further optimized but one should prioritize on what should be optimized what people should focus on, etc.

In terms of animation and visual assets it is to remove most of the extra vertices (although this varies from project to project), check what textures have to look the best, when creating a export for something like a map test if it better to export a map with everything already placed or another one where the pieces are separate and you have to build it, etc.

With our project we barely have any optimizations in place and instead we are still incorporating things together and still waiting for the assets to be delivered. But I feel there are many on here that have been listed that are quite simple to do which will then benefit the project. I’m unsure if the animation team is not aware of the small difference between making assets for games and making assets for recording a video.