Teamwork

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Teamwork

• Game Design
• Vishnu Kotrajaras, PhD

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Team structures in industry today
QA
Marketing Team
Executives
Producer
Publishers team
All contribute to design
Developers team
Producer
Specialized Media
QA
Visual Artists
Programmers
Game Designers
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Publisher developer

• Sometimes the developer will do almost everything
  but sell and market.
• Sometimes the publisher will do the developing
  themselves, only using the developers in specific
  tasks.
• Typical tasks are summarised in the next table.

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publisher Developer
Chooses the title to produce Finances titles Provides QA testing Market titles Distributes titles Pitches creative ideas and demos to publishers Uses money from publishers to produce titles, including game design, programming, art, audio
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• Many publishers develop games internally
• EA
• We consider the internal team as developers too.
• The internal team usually has to manage its own
  cash flow, profit, schedules, and staffing, just
  like a real company.
• Some developers are owned by publishers
• Blizzard is owned by Vivendi Universal Games

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Publisher EA GamesDeveloper Lionhead Studios
Black and white
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Developers team

• We help each other but still have our own focus.

Battle for Middle Earth
Publisher EA Games Developer EA LA
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Game designer

• Gameplay linked with programming, art, music,
  etc.
• Game designer must collaborate with all teams.
• Brainstorms concepts.
• Creates prototypes.
• Playtests and revises prototypes.
• Writes concept and design documents, and updates
  them throughout production.
• Communicates vision of the game to the team.
• Creates levels or work with level designers.
• Acts as players.

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• Not all companies have designers.
• A person from some team may take this role.
• But skill is important.
• And its better to separate the team. See example
• If 1 man acts as designer and programmer, he may
  let 1 feature pass because hes too tired to
  improve it. This will cause problem in gameplay.
• So it is best to do the design as a full-time
  job.

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CyberBoard is free
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Peter Molyneux (Black White)
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Producer

• Deliver game to the publisher as promised.
• Create schedule, budget, resource allocation.
• There is one on the publishers team, and one on
  developers team.
• Work together to make sure both teams are acting
  on the same assumption.
• Make sure both teams communicate well.

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Mario Kart Double Dash
Director Mr Mizuki
Producers Mr Sugiyama Mr Takahashi
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Producers responsibilities

• Team leader for the developers team.
• Main communication link between developer and
  publisher.
• Schedule and budget the developers side
• Tracking, allocating, and forecasting resources.
• Hiring, firing, saying no to excessive spending
  request.
• Make sure the developer team finishes the work on
  time.
• Some tough decisions on the way.
• Motivate team and solve production related
  problems.
• Often have to be a representative to appear in
  the press.

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producer
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Executive producer

• Oversee multiple productions or an entire
  development group.
• Assistant or associate producers
• Help the producer.

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Game designers relationship with producer

• Sit down together at the start of any production.
• Talk through the design document.
• Explain all the concepts, visions, and ideas to
  producer.
• So he can craft realistic schedule and budget.
• This means a designer must also understand
  scheduling and budgeting.
• Read the scheduling and the budget, and be able
  to understand and offer opinion.

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programmers

• Coders, network and systems engineers, database
  programmers, hardware support.

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Programmers responsibilities

• Drafting technical specifications
• Technical implementation
• Software prototypes
• Software tools
• Game modules and engines
• Structuring data
• Managing communications
• Document code
• Coordinating with QA engineers to fix bugs

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Ataris Tempest (this is a good prototype example)
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NeoEngine
blender
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torque
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ogre
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• Most reviewed Commercial Engine
• Torque Game Engine -gthard to use, poor structure
  and docs
• 3DGameStudio -gt better than torque
• TV3D SDK 6.5-gt bad support
• C4 Engine -gtGood
• Unity -gtC, good but hard to debug, no source.
• Leadwerks Engine 2 -gtall lang. support may be
  lacking
• NeoAxis Engine -gtfrom Ogre, ok
• DX Studio
• Esenthel Engine
• Visual3D.NET Game Engine

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• Most reviewed Open Source Engines
• OGRE -gt not easy to make game or to learn but
  best rendering effect
• Irrlicht -gt easier to use but ogre is better in
  rendering
• Crystal Space -gt a little hard to learn
• Panda3D -gtpython, easy to start, graphics ok but
  not best
• jME -gt not sure about lastivity
• Reality Factory
• Blender Game Engine
• The Nebula Device 2
• RealmForge
• OpenSceneGraph

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• FREE-OPEN-SOURCE engines that you could play with
  for your projects..http//ode.org/
  http//www.crystalspace3d.org/http//irrlicht.so
  urceforge.net/http//www.talula.demon.co.uk/alleg
  ro/http//oomadness.tuxfamily.org/en/index.htmlh
  ttp//www.genesis3d.com/
• http//www.devmaster.net/engines/
• www.dimensionex.net/ (online servlet engine)
• http//lwjgl.org/links.php (java engine)

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Designers relationship with programmer

• Designer must at least learn programming
  concepts.
• So you can do a better design.
• Modular design is better for changes.
• So programmers wont have to change things much.
• Can describe game concepts more clearly to the
  technical team.
• Ask programmers about his work if you dont
  understand.
• Talk to the head of programmers first, do not cut
  corners. You must respect authority.
• Have good relationship with lead programmer, so
  that he respects your idea and is ready to help
  you communicate with the rest of the team.

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tips

• Avoid making huge changes.
• Prototyping an playtesting can help on this.
• Dont make them feel that the change is extra
  work.
• Let the programmers do playtest too, so they
  understand the reason for any change.
• Fun too, this will lead to good relationship.
• Or, at least, share the results with them.

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Artists

• Character designer
• Illustrator
• Animator
• Interface designer
• 3D artists
• Art director
• Lead animator
• You can see there are many specific tasks.
  Artists will be good in different things.

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Tetsuya Nomura
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Alan Lee
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John Howe
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Artists responsibilities

• Characters
• Worlds
• Interfaces
• Animations
• Cut-scenes

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Designers relationship with artist

• Artist may condense features to make things look
  better.
• You may tell them first to follow your
  specification exactly.
• Or you may re-think your features, and
  compromise.
• Just make sure the game feature does not change.
• If you want a medieval style, find artists that
  like the style.
• If you get the people who love different style
• Change your vision to utilize their skills to the
  fullest.
• Or, communicate your ideas clearly, so they can
  implement them.

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A totally different art style by Ron Spencer
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• Bring your own reference materials in to
  communicate.
• Such as creating visual palette for retro-style
  game
• The artists went to a 2nd hand market to collect
  fabric textures.
• They may have already extended your concept
  towards something incredible or something you
  dont like.
• Talk, and listen.
• Be specific on what you like and dont like.

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• Once the work start, designer should start giving
  criticism
• Find things that you like and dont like in the
  art.
• This is really nice, I really like it here. If
  we could expand on this
• Partner with the lead artist or art director.
• work together to set the tone of the project.
• Allow artists to bring their own ideas and
  passions to the project.

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QA Engineers

• Bug testers
• On both publishers side and developers side.

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QA responsibilities

• Create a test plan based on the design and
  technical specifications.
• Execute the test plan.
• Record all unexpected or undesirable behaviours.
• Categorise, prioritise, an report all issues
  found during testings.
• Re-test and resolve issues once they have been
  fixed.

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Designers relationship with QA

• Designer must give all information necessary for
  QA to make a test plan.
• Only the design document is not enough, offer
  them any help you can.
• They may want to start by playing the game alone.
  Do not be surprised by this.
• They are the last playtesters.
• Designer should sit down with them and observe
  their process.
• Go through the game element by element.
• They are expert testers, they will have extra
  information other testers do not have.
• Tips
• Let them see your design early.
• So they will start helping you in this early
  stage and prioritise your game above other games.
• They will be willing to put extra hours later.

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Specialized Media

• Writers
• Sound designers
• Musicians
• Dialogue coaches
• Fight choreographers

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Yuen Woo Ping
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Designers relationship with specialized media

• Define what you need from these professionals as
  clearly as possible before they start working.
• Otherwise you will lose lots of money, since
  these people usually charge you by hours.
• Interact with them and give them direction and
  support.
• They dont know about games, so you must
  communicate with them in terms they are familiar
  with.

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Writers

• Creating bits of dialogue where needed.
• If you are good, you may not need the writer at
  all.
• If you are not strong in writing, you may bring
  writer in early and start working together.

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Sound designers

• Create special effects or music when the game is
  nearly completed.
• Or, lay out the plan from the beginning and make
  sure that the music support the gameplay
  effectively.
• This is better.
• Sound can reach player at an emotional level, so
  it is very important.

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Level designers and their responsibilities

• Use level editor to develop new missions.
• Implement level design.
• Come up with level concept.
• Test levels and work with the designer to improve
  overall gameplay.

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Clean game library for 2D
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GtkRadiant is a level editor that supports Jedi
Knight Jedi Academy and Jedi Outcast.
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Designers relationship with level designers

• Work together.
• Fostering creativity in your level designers,
  just like what you do with the artists.
• When they have freedom, they will work better.

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Publishers team producer responsibilities

• Leader of the publisher team.
• In charge of marketing and making sure the
  executives continue to support the game.
• Main communication link between publisher and
  developer.
• Responsible for schedule and budget on the
  publishers side.
• Tracking, allocating and forecasting resources.
• Approve work by developer so milestone payment
  can be made.
• Coordinate with all teams for the publishers
  side.

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Designers relationship with Publishers teams
producer

• Listen to them.
• Do not think against them just because they do
  not understand your game as well as developers
  team.
• If you can incorporate their suggestions
• They will support you all the way.

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Publishers team marketing

• Find ways to sell your game.
• Feedback on game concepts.
• Hold focus groups for character designs.
• You must learn the trend in the market from them.
• They know about PC hardware that consumers have.
• They can estimate how many people will have 3GHz
  PC in 2006.

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Designers relationship with marketing team

• Bring in the marketing team early.
• Tap them for information.
• Invest them in the project.
• Give them credit for their insight.

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homework

• Design the game box.
• Will it show screenshot?
• Character?, artwork?
• Write top four features.

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Executives

• Founders of the company.
• Or they used to be a designer themselves.
• Some may come from marketing or other industries.
• Its good to know the background of your
  executives.
• If you still dont like them, learn from their
  mistakes to improve your own management
• Presentation?
• Ideas?
• attitude.?
• You must communicate your vision to them clearly.
  Its not their fault if they dont understand
  your game.
• Invite them to participate in the brainstorm of
  problems.
• You and him will be satisfied this way.
• This game may not be to his liking much, but
  hell think you respect him, and work with you
  better in later games.

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Publishers team QA

• They work the same way as QA in developers team.
• They decide if the build pass the payment point.

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Publishers team Usability Specialists

• Control tests
• Mostly third party hired in the later stage.
• Microsoft has its own usability labs, thus they
  integrate usability testing from the start.

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Usability Specialists responsibilities

• Evaluation of interface.
• Creation of user scenarios.
• Identify and recruit test subjects from target
  market.
• Conduct usability sessions.
• Record and analyse data from sessions.
• Report findings and recommendations.

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Average team size

• SNES 10
• PS 15
• Ps2/GameCube/Xbox 25
• Next generation console 40

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Average development time (months)

• SNES 7
• PS 15
• Ps2/GameCube/Xbox 20
• Next generation console 30

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Team profile

• SNES
• 1 designer
• 1 producer
• 3 programmers
• 4 artists
• Playstation
• 1 lead game designer
• 2 level designers
• 1 producer
• 1 associate producer
• 1 lead programmer
• 3 programmers
• 1 lead artist
• 4 artists

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• Ps2/GameCube/Xbox
• 1 lead game designer
• 4 level designers
• 1 producer
• 1 associate producer
• 1 lead programmer
• 2 engine programmers
• 4 game programmers
• 1 lead artist
• 10 artists

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• Next generation
• 1 director of game design
• 2 game designers
• 4 level designers
• 1 executive producer
• 2 producers
• 1 associate producer
• 1 lead engine programmer
• 3 engine programmers
• 1 lead programmer
• 6 programmers
• 1 art director
• 3 lead artists
• 14 artists

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All should contribute to the design

• Everyone must feel a sense of authorship of the
  final product.
• A designer must make sure everybodys input is
  heard.
• Set up weekly meeting between leader of each
  group to discuss the status of the project.
• Start a suggestion box.
• Take time for 1-on-1 creative talks with key
  members of the team.

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• Have open brainstorming during the design phase
  for anyone who wants to attend.
• If you get stuck, ask your coworkers.
• Ask members of your group if they have hobbies,
  talents, or knowledge that may aid in the
  production.
• Share authorship, use we instead of I.

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Building your team

• Examine their track record and talk to people who
  have worked with them before.
• Attitude positive people with optimism.
• Experience unless hiring at low level, you
  should use people with experience.
• Friends hire your friend if he is the best
  person for the job. Do not hire a friend
  otherwise.
• References talk to former employers. Phone call
  is better for you than recommendation letter.

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• Diversity combining people with different
  backgrounds will form a creative environment.
• Track record look for people with history of
  success.
• Maturity you want people who can control their
  emotions.
• Excellence
• school record.
• Can they deliver under pressure?
• What is their approach to problem solving?
• Creativity yes we need people who ask good
  questions, curious, and always have ideas.

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Team communication

• Respect the chain of command.
• Understand resources, time, and cost that you
  request.
• Be open to requests of others.
• Communicate decisions and changes to the design
  both up and down the ladders.

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meetings

• You need to structure the meeting.
• There must be a definite goal.
• Everyone knows the goal ahead of time so they can
  come prepared.
• If you are asked to join, make sure you prepare
  everything to contribute.
• If you are the leader, you lead the discussion
  and assign others to run certain parts of the
  meeting.
• It is still up to you to keep things on track and
  lead everyone to the goal.
• No one should be left out of the conversation.

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• No criticism of one another.
• If anyone makes a personal remarks, they should
  be warned. If it continues, throw them out.
• At the end, review the decisions and assignments
  given to each member (or team).
• Make sure everyone has enough time to prepare for
  next meeting.
• Send out notes and reminders of the decisions and
  assignments to everyone.

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Play games together

• Organize a game night.
• Forge stronger relationship with everyone.
• Pick a game which players can work together or
  express themselves.
• Online game
• Board game
• Sport
• Personalised game
• Game you make
• Try new game each week.
• Everyone has a chance to try new game.

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Set up the atmosphere

• Everyone belongs
• Especially new member.
• Fairness
• Cooperation
• Goals
• Set mini goals
• Publicise the success of these mini goals to
  boost confidence and re-energise the team.

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• Make everyone knows how they fit in the success
  of the company.
• Make sure each group knows its tasks and
  deadlines.
• Break down walls between groups.
• Make sure everyone can track progress of everyone
  else.
• So everyone can adjust schedule.

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• Make sure everyone knows his or her role.
• Everyone should know who to turn to for various
  functions
• Clarify overlapping duties.
• Set up evaluation process to evaluate groups and
  individuals
• Involve managers
• The evaluation rules must be clear, for fairness.
• Delegate
• Delegate decision and monitor results.

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• Diversity
• Encourage everyone to be themselves
• Find jobs that allow them to contribute most.
• Communication
• Schedule weekly and daily meeting between and
  within groups.
• Every group should know what every other group is
  doing and who to talk to if there is a problem.
• Support
• Get technical and any support you team needs.
• Honesty
• Make it an issue of pride to stand up and admit
  that you made an error.
• Praise people who take responsibility for their
  actions.
• Reward
• Small gift or recognition.