Engineering Games Like Windmills: Built To Last
Our methodology draws from Dutch engineering traditions - mechanical precision, sustainable operation, and reliability over decades. Here's how we apply these principles to game development.
Back to HomeThe Principles That Guide Our Work
Like the windmills that have powered Dutch industry for centuries through careful engineering and maintenance, we build games on foundational principles that ensure long-term success.
Systems Thinking
Games are systems where every component affects others. We design with this interconnection in mind, ensuring that mechanics work together harmoniously rather than competing for player attention. Like gears in a mill, each element has its purpose and proper place.
Performance By Design
Optimization isn't something we add later. From initial architecture decisions through final polish, we consider how code will perform on real devices. This prevents the common scenario where games need expensive rewrites to run acceptably.
Player-Centered Mechanics
The best games emerge from understanding what players find satisfying. We design mechanics around genuine engagement rather than manipulative retention tactics. This creates games people enjoy playing rather than feel obligated to play.
Sustainable Development
We consider environmental impact in development decisions. Efficient code uses less server resources, optimized assets reduce download sizes, and thoughtful hosting choices lower carbon footprint. Quality and sustainability go hand in hand.
Why This Approach Was Developed
After years of seeing games fail due to poor performance, unbalanced mechanics, or unsustainable development practices, we recognized the need for a more systematic approach. The game industry often prioritizes speed over quality, leading to technical debt and player dissatisfaction.
Our methodology emerged from applying traditional engineering principles to game development. Just as Dutch windmills were engineered to operate reliably for generations through careful design and maintenance, games can be built to provide lasting value through thoughtful systems design and technical excellence.
The A. TETELA M. TETELA ERTEL Development Method
Our process is structured into distinct phases, each building on the previous one. This systematic approach ensures nothing falls through the cracks while maintaining flexibility for creative evolution.
Foundation Phase
We establish core systems architecture, define technical requirements, and create the framework that will support all future features. Like laying a mill's foundation, this phase determines long-term stability.
Mechanics Development
Core gameplay emerges through iterative prototyping and testing. We focus on creating mechanics that feel satisfying before adding complexity. Each system is tested for balance and player engagement.
Integration & Refinement
Individual systems connect into cohesive gameplay. We ensure mechanics complement rather than conflict, refining interactions until the game feels unified. Performance optimization begins here.
Polish & Launch
Final optimization, bug fixing, and user experience refinement. We ensure the game runs smoothly across target devices and meets quality standards before launch. Post-launch support ensures stability.
How Each Phase Builds Understanding
Early phases establish constraints and possibilities. Foundation work reveals technical limitations that inform design decisions. Mechanics development uncovers balance issues that need architectural support. Integration exposes performance bottlenecks that require optimization.
This sequential dependency means rushing early phases creates problems that become expensive to fix later. Like building a windmill, proper foundation work prevents structural issues that would require complete reconstruction.
Personalized Adaptation For Each Project
While the phase structure remains consistent, how we execute within each phase adapts to project needs. Resource management games require more economy balancing work. Performance-critical mobile games need earlier optimization attention. Sustainable projects integrate environmental considerations throughout.
Your project receives a customized development plan that follows our proven framework while addressing your specific requirements. We're systematic but not rigid, applying methodology where it helps rather than following it blindly.
Built On Proven Standards
Our methodology incorporates established software engineering practices, mobile performance standards, and game design principles backed by research and industry experience.
Software Engineering Standards
We follow established software development practices including code review protocols, version control standards, and testing methodologies. These aren't arbitrary rules but proven approaches that reduce bugs and improve maintainability.
- • Git workflow with feature branches and code review requirements
- • Automated testing for critical systems and user paths
- • Documentation standards ensuring future maintainability
- • Performance profiling integrated into development workflow
Mobile Performance Protocols
Mobile games must operate within strict performance constraints. We follow platform-specific guidelines from Apple and Google while applying additional standards developed through our own testing and experience.
- • Target frame rates maintained across device generations
- • Battery consumption testing on reference devices
- • Thermal management ensuring comfortable device temperatures
- • Memory management preventing crashes on low-spec devices
Game Design Principles
We apply established game design frameworks including flow theory, progression curve design, and player psychology research. These principles guide how we balance difficulty, pacing, and reward structures.
- • Flow state optimization through challenge-skill balance
- • Progression curves based on player learning patterns
- • Feedback loops designed for meaningful player agency
- • Resource economy modeling using mathematical frameworks
Quality Assurance Standards
Systematic testing catches issues before they reach players. Our QA approach combines automated testing with human evaluation, ensuring both technical reliability and player experience quality.
- • Device testing matrix covering target hardware range
- • Playtesting protocols for balance and engagement evaluation
- • Regression testing ensuring updates don't break existing features
- • Performance benchmarking against established baselines
Certifications & Professional Development
Our team maintains certifications in Unity and Unreal Engine development, mobile platform deployment, and performance optimization techniques. We participate in industry conferences and maintain relationships with platform representatives to stay current with evolving standards and best practices. This ongoing education ensures your game benefits from the latest proven methodologies.
Where Conventional Development Often Struggles
Many development approaches create predictable problems. Understanding these limitations helps explain why our methodology emphasizes different priorities.
Optimization As An Afterthought
Traditional development often treats performance optimization as something to add after features are complete. This creates situations where games need expensive rewrites to run acceptably, or worse, launch with poor performance that damages reputation.
Our approach integrates performance considerations from initial architecture decisions. By designing with efficiency in mind, we avoid the technical debt that makes optimization so costly in traditional workflows.
Feature Accumulation Without System Design
Adding features without considering how they interact creates games that feel disconnected. Players experience this as confusing mechanics or arbitrary rules that don't form coherent gameplay.
We design systems where features naturally complement each other. Like the interconnected components of a windmill, each element serves the whole rather than operating in isolation.
Unrealistic Timeline Promises
Aggressive schedules lead to cut corners, technical debt, and quality compromises. The pressure to meet impossible deadlines often results in games that need extensive post-launch fixing.
Our estimates include realistic buffer time for unexpected challenges. It's better to deliver quality work on schedule than promise aggressive timelines that create stress and compromise quality.
Ignoring Environmental Impact
Traditional development rarely considers the carbon footprint of games. Inefficient code, oversized assets, and energy-intensive hosting contribute to unnecessary environmental impact.
We integrate sustainability considerations throughout development. Efficient code, optimized assets, and thoughtful hosting choices reduce environmental impact while often improving player experience through faster downloads and better performance.
What Makes Our Approach Different
We've developed specific practices that distinguish our work from typical game development. These innovations emerge from real-world problem-solving rather than theoretical preferences.
Mechanical Balance Modeling
We use mathematical models to simulate resource economies before implementation. This catches balance issues during design rather than through months of post-launch tuning.
Performance-First Architecture
Our technical architecture decisions prioritize efficiency from the start. Code structure, data organization, and system design all consider performance implications.
Sustainable Development Integration
Environmental impact consideration is woven throughout our process, from hosting recommendations to code efficiency standards.
Modern Tools, Traditional Values
We use current game engines, frameworks, and development tools, but apply them with the careful consideration of traditional engineering. Technology serves the game, not the other way around.
This means choosing tools based on project needs rather than trends, and understanding the long-term implications of technical decisions rather than optimizing for short-term development speed.
Continuous Improvement Commitment
Every project teaches us something. We systematically review what worked and what didn't, incorporating lessons into future methodology refinements.
This commitment to learning means our approach evolves with industry changes and emerging best practices, keeping your project current with proven innovations rather than experimental trends.
How We Track Progress & Results
Meaningful measurement focuses on indicators that actually matter for game success. We track metrics that reveal real progress rather than vanity numbers.
Development Progress Indicators
We measure actual working features rather than lines of code. Progress tracking focuses on completed, tested functionality that brings the game closer to launch readiness.
- ✓ Core mechanics implemented and tested for player satisfaction
- ✓ Performance benchmarks maintained across development milestones
- ✓ Bug counts trending downward as polish phase approaches
- ✓ Documentation kept current with implementation changes
Player Experience Metrics
During testing phases, we measure how players actually interact with the game. These metrics reveal whether mechanics are creating the intended experience.
- ✓ Session length indicating engagement without manipulation
- ✓ Decision diversity showing meaningful strategic choices
- ✓ Learning curve appropriate for target audience
- ✓ Frustration points identified and addressed through design iteration
Technical Performance Tracking
Performance data informs optimization priorities. We track metrics that directly impact player experience across target devices.
- ✓ Frame rate consistency across device generations
- ✓ Battery consumption during typical play sessions
- ✓ Memory usage preventing crashes on low-spec devices
- ✓ Load times and asset streaming efficiency
Post-Launch Success Indicators
After launch, we track metrics that indicate genuine player satisfaction rather than manipulated retention.
- ✓ App store ratings reflecting technical quality
- ✓ Organic retention showing genuine engagement
- ✓ Review sentiment particularly regarding performance
- ✓ Word-of-mouth growth through recommendations
Realistic Timeline Expectations
Success doesn't happen overnight. Most games show their true retention patterns over weeks, not days. Performance issues may only appear under sustained use. Balance problems often emerge as players develop expertise.
We set realistic expectations for when different types of results become measurable. This prevents premature conclusions based on insufficient data and ensures optimization efforts target actual issues rather than perceived problems.
Expertise Built Over A Decade
A. TETELA M. TETELA ERTEL's methodology has evolved through ten years of game development experience across multiple platforms and genres. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, we apply Dutch engineering traditions of precision and reliability to modern game development challenges. Our systematic approach has delivered over 50 successful games while maintaining client satisfaction rates above 90%.
Our unique methodology combines established software engineering practices with game design principles and sustainable development considerations. We've developed specific techniques for resource management economy balancing, mobile performance optimization, and environmental impact reduction. These innovations aren't theoretical - they emerge from solving real problems in shipped games.
The A. TETELA M. TETELA ERTEL development method emphasizes systems thinking, where game mechanics are designed to work together harmoniously rather than competing for player attention. Performance considerations inform architectural decisions from day one, preventing the technical debt that plagues traditional development approaches. Player-centered design ensures games engage through genuine satisfaction rather than manipulative retention tactics.
We integrate sustainable development practices throughout our workflow, from code efficiency standards to hosting recommendations. This reduces environmental impact while often improving player experience through faster downloads and better performance. Our commitment to quality over speed creates games that launch reliably and maintain player engagement over time.
Whether you're developing a resource management game with complex economic systems, optimizing mobile game performance, or seeking to align development with environmental values, A. TETELA M. TETELA ERTEL's proven methodology provides the systematic approach needed for successful game development. Our Amsterdam-based studio works with clients worldwide, bringing European standards of engineering excellence to game projects of all sizes.
Ready To Work With A Proven Methodology?
Our systematic approach to game development has delivered consistent results over a decade. Let's discuss how this methodology can serve your project.
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