Research is the investigation of certain fields to study materials and sources to reach new conclusions of the intended field in this case Games development. In games development, there are two types of research Primary and Secondary research (typically in most fields there is only these two types of research but Tertiary research does exist but is not really used if you are conducting proper research).

 

Primary research is conducted by an individual or a group to answer specific queries or issues that have not been sourced by others (in other words all research is conducted by the group/individual without using anyone else's research) the types of research that are conducted can by questionnaires, surveys, interviews pictures etc. This can be very helpful in the games industry when in the planning stage of development, you can get a feel of how people are going to react to a certain genre, environments, characters etc. as an example the creators of the Dark Souls trilogy went to the Vatican city to see how religious structures look and how religious people acted around said structures, which they then adapted to their version of a holy city. Within this course, I have taken pictures to use as primary research to use as reference images/textures.

 

Secondary research is the coalition, synthesis of research that already exists. Secondary research uses primary research as a source of data analysis. Many forms of primary research are used to fuel the secondary which can include textbooks, multiple types of articles, research notes, fictional/non-fictional books etc. these can all help with secondary research in multiple ways depending on what type research the person/group conducting. Within this course, I have used pictures and quotes as secondary research to either use as reference images/textures or to help get me with a particular genre.

 

In comparison, primary research may expand the time scale used for research making projects longer than expected, potentially affecting product release date or product quality. In contrast, secondary research enables the researcher to have quicker access to a range of resources, effectively shortening the research process.  However, it could be argued that more time spent in primary research could improve the final product due to the increased level of detail.

 

Secondary research allows the use of many different sources in collaboration, bringing ideas together effectively to contribute towards the final product. Despite this, researchers are limited to materials available, potentially making the task more difficult as there may not be enough reliable sources to work with. On the other hand, primary research enables the researcher to have more creative freedom in gathering data as there is a wider range available. These limitless possibilities may allow breadth and depth of creativity, but the streamlined range of sources in secondary research gives the researcher more of a focal point to work with. 

 

Due to the nature of primary research, researchers are able to gather information as their own without worry of copyright constraints. This enables the free flow of thought without worry of overlapping other research ideas. However, models of secondary research give more reliable tested ideas and therefore providing legalities are followed regarding crediting ideas, then the ideas of others may help contribute to a researcher's final piece. If both methods are used in conjunction, then primary research can find ways to improve on the limitations and ideas found in secondary research providing an expansive and creative media.

 

Using reliable sources in secondary research allows the researcher to have access to peer-reviewed materials ensuring that information is accurate and is as correct as possible. Given the wide range of secondary research source available, it can be difficult to determine the reliability of each source as many may appear more legitimate than they actually are. As primary research is carried out by the individual or group of researchers, the methodology may be more reliable as awareness of how it was conducted in clearly known. However, reliability falls to the individuals carrying out the research.

 

Both primary and secondary research allows the researcher to use many different creative textures to gather the information; quotations may inspire the development of different assets whereas pictures can be interpreted in different ways and used to produce something similar or different from the original source. Research materials can help direct thought where researchers can decide to use something or choose not to if it doesn't fit with the criteria. Creative interpretation is needed for all types of research and the researcher should look at sources with an open mind. The final product may or may not link to the research used as new directions may be found in the research process.

 

It is clear, that both research methods have their strengths and weaknesses in guiding the researcher; the two contrasting sides bridge the gap where the other lacks. Therefore, arguably both methods of research should be conducted together to enable a wide range of resources giving the creative processes different dynamics. This will positively affect the overall finished product.