Assignment 1 - Task 2 | Job Roles in the Industry

Task 2 - Job Roles in the Industry

Research the different roles in the Games Industry

Creative Development

Technical Development

Project Implementation

Quality Assurance

Business Development

Each sector has an influence on the type of games that are produced.

You are aiming to research about the different Job Roles in the Games Industry, see why they are useful and how they have an impact on the Games Industry. How do each of the Job Roles work together as a team? Find examples of different teams and if they are good for the industry or bad for the industry.

What is Creative Development?

Games Designer

Level Editor

Lead Artist

Technical Artist

Artist

Animator

Audio Engineer

What does Creative Development entail; there are Games Designers, Level Editors, Lead Artists, Technical Artists, Artists, Animators and Audio Engineers. Each play a specific role in making sure the team works together efficiently and effectively. 

Games Designers: 
They are extremely important as they need to be able to come up with an idea of a game and how it actually plays, they need to plan the game from the setting to the structure and all the way to the available characters. Once the blueprints have been laid out and the Games Designer has decided that they have everything included, they need to communicate with the rest of the development team to get their idea across so it can be made. The Development team code the blueprints to allow for the game to play. If anybody needs to ask any questions regarding the game and what needs to be done, they can check with the Games Designer to make sure they are doing the right thing. An example of a really successful Game Designer is Markus Persson, the creator of Minecraft as made the idea and basis of Minecraft really popular so that more and more people try and replicate or even make a better version of Minecraft themselves. 

Level Editors: 
They are the people who make the architecture of the game, they make the environment/map that the game will be played in based on what the Games Designer wants there to be. However they have a lot of freedom to do whatever they want just as long as it is in the guidelines of what the Games Designer intends there to be. They sketches ideas on paper or using 2D drawing software. They have to imagine the playing experience, putting themselves in the position of the player, mapping out all the possibilities an example of a Level Editor would be Joel Burgess, he is the Level Editor for Bethesda and he has helped with the production of Skyrim. 

Lead Artists: 
They are needed in the industry as they are responsible for the overall look of the game. Working with the Game Designer and Lead Programmer, the Lead Artist devises the game’s visual style and directs the production of all visual material throughout the game’s development. They produce much of the initial artwork themselves, setting creative and technical standards and determining the best tools and techniques to use. If the base artists need to check any art work they can go to the Lead Artist to see if they are following the task correctly, the Lead Artist is also seen as a more qualified and experienced artist. An example of a Lead Artist is Adam Adamowicz, he is the Lead Artist for the games such as 'The Elder Scrolls IV', 'Fallout 3' etc. and is a great example of a Lead Artist as both of those games are incredible.

Technical Artists:
Their job is to act as a bridge between the Artists and Programmers working on a game. They ensure art assets can be easily integrated into a game without sacrificing either the overall artistic vision or exceeding the technical limits of the chosen platform. The role is a relatively new one for the games industry, but is becoming increasingly important as consoles and PC hardware becomes more complex and more demanding meaning partially because the graphics of games are exceeding each other everyday so the Lead Artist needs to make sure that both the artistic side and technical side can keep up with each other. David Dalzell, is the Technical Artist who worked on the latest Black Ops game and has done a great job as the game is phenomenal to a certain extent.

Artists: 
They create the visual elements of a game, such as characters, scenery, objects, vehicles, surface textures, clothing, props, and even user interface components. They also create concept art and storyboards which help communicate the proposed visual elements during the pre-production phase. Some games try to look as realistic as possible while others aim for a more stylised look. It is the Artist's job to model and texture characters and objects to achieve the desired result. The look of a game is often a significant factor in its success, second only to its playability. The artists are the people who make the game look how it is whilst going to the superior (Lead Artist) for help/ideas and to see if they are doing the right thing or if they need to change their drawings, an example of an artist is Ryan Umotoy, he is an artist for EA so he will create the player models etc. 

Animators: 
They are responsible for the portrayal of movement and behaviour. Most often this is applied to give life to game characters and creatures, but sometimes animations are also applied to other elements such as objects, scenery, vegetation and environmental effects. The Animators make things come to life by having different player sequences, so a player moving forward would have their own walk style for example, or the clouds moving in the sky, little things like this can often be overlooked in the games industry but it is an essential part of games as they are what bring the game to life. An example of an animator in today's games is Dom Drozdz, he has done an incredible job of making the cinematics and characters come to life in Black Ops 3 which brings more value to the game itself.

Audio Engineer:
They create the soundtrack for a game. This might include music, sound effects to support the game action (such as gunshots or explosions), character voices and other expressions, spoken instructions, and ambient effects, such as crowd noise, vehicles or rain. Audio Engineers also work for specialist outsourcing companies and localisation services that re-version games for different territories. This can be linked back with Foley Artists as they make sounds in games more prominent than would actually be to bring more versatility to the game also making it more aesthetically pleasing, this is because without the sounds, the game would be boring and not as interesting. This is also another part of the games industry that can be really overlooked as nobody would think of the sounds of a game to be one of the more important things, people would look more at the art work and the graphics of a game rather than listen to the sounds. Aleksander Cherczynski, he was the Audio Engineer for the latest Witcher game - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and it is safe to say that he has done an incredible job as the game sounds amazing with each of the character sounds bringing the game to life.

Bibliography:(No Date) Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/331_game_designer (Accessed: 29 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) Art Editor. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/334_level_editor (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) Illustrator. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/332_lead_artist_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) Illustrator. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/339_technical_artist_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) Illustrator. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/330_games_artist (Accessed: 30 September 2016).
2016, C.S. © (2016) Producer (animation). Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/325_animator_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).
2016, C.S. © (2016) DCP author. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/327_audio_engineer (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

What is Technical Development?

Game Programmer

Lead Game Programmer

What does Technical Development entail; there are Game Programmers, Lead Game Programmers. 

Games Programmers:
Their job is to work at the heart of the game development process. They design and write the computer code that runs and controls the game, incorporating and adapting any ready-made code libraries and writing custom code as required. They test the code and fix bugs, and also develop customised tools for use by other members of the development team. Different platforms (games consoles, PCs, handhelds, mobiles, etc.) have particular programming requirements and there are also various specialisms within programming, such as physics programming, AI (artificial intelligence), 3D engine development, interface and control systems. They work with people such as the Games Designer and the Technical Artists to make sure that their ideas are being put to life and that there are no problems with making the artwork come to life as well as maintaining the quality of it. Marek Roefler was the Games Programmer who helped to program The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, he did a terrific job along with his fellow colleagues as the game runs and plays amazingly. 

Lead Games Programmers: 
They lead the programming team responsible for creating all the computer code which runs and controls a game. Programmers have various roles and specialisms including AI (artificial intelligence), game engine development, user interface, tools development and physics. The Lead Programmer oversees all of this. They are responsible for the technical specification of the game and manage the overall code development process. It is also their job to make sure that the team delivers on time and within budget. The Games Programmers will see the Lead Programmer if there are any issues to ask what to do an how to solve it. Also on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the Lead Games Programmer, also base programmer was Carl Granberg, he helped to code the game which has helped mold it into the game it is today, without the help of him and various other people, the game would not be as good as it possibly could be.

Bibliography:(No Date) Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/336_game_programmer (Accessed: 30 September 2016).2016, C.S. © (2016) DevOps engineer. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/333_lead_programmer_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

What is Project Implementation?
Project Manager/Producer

Assistant Producer

External Producer

Creative Director

What does Project Implementation entail; there are Project Manager/Producers, Assistant Producers, External Producers and Creative Directors. 

Project Manager/Producer:
Their job is to make sure the game is delivered on time and within the budget. They control the financial and other resources needed for a project and co-ordinate the work of the production team, making sure that the quality and vision of the game is maintained by regularly checking up on the progress people are making to see if there are any problems. They understand everybody’s contribution to a game and keep an overview of the entire process from start to finish - this way the game can be of a professional and high quality because it has been checked thoroughly. Guy Silliman was the Project Manager for the game Black Ops 3 which turned out to be a good game partially to the help of him, he helped to maintain the high quality of the game.

Assistant Producer (Junior Producer):
They work with the game's production staff to ensure the timely delivery of the highest quality product possible. Typically, they will focus on specific areas of the development process. This could involve handling the communications between the publisher and developer, or coordinating work on some of the project's key processes such as managing the outsourcing of art assets, it all depends on what is in need of looking at more where the Junior Producer focuses however it is common for the main attention to be on the communication between the Publishers and Developers. William Mills was the Assistant Producer for the production of GTA V, a game that has been played by many and credited as one of the best games ever to some people, without his help the game may not have been what it is today as he helped to ensure the production staff were on course.

External Producer:
They are responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of a game, while working externally from the development team. External Producers are almost always employed by a game publisher. Working out of the publisher's head office, they liaise between the publisher's sales, marketing departments and the game developer - which may be located hundreds of miles away. Hironobu Sakaguchi, he was the person who helped to produce the Final Fantasy series, a game that won the hearts of many people and it was his job to ensure the successful delivery of the game whilst also working externally from the development team.

Creative Director:
They are the key person during the game development process, overseeing any high-level decisions that affect how the game plays, looks or sounds. They will ultimately have the last say on how the game is as they can say if the game does not sound aesthetically pleasing, or if the game does not look got for example. Not all game companies employ Creative Directors. Some companies prefer to continue to split the duties between a game's Lead Artists, Lead Programmers, Designers and Producers as they feel that they can do the job themselves, they know their self if a game does not look good, sound good or play well, as fundamentally it is the job to make sure those things are as good as possible. An example of a Creative Director is, Corky Lehmkuhl, he worked on makimg sure the development process of Black Ops 3 stayed on track and ensured that the potential of the game was reached when released.

Bibliography:2016, C.S. © (2016) DCP author. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/337_project_manager_producer_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) DCP author. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/326_assistant_producer_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).
2016, C.S. © (2016) DCP author. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/329_external_producer (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) Art Editor. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/328_creative_director_games (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

What is Quality Assurance?
QA Tester

QA Tester:
Quality Assurance Technicians, or Testers, perform a vital role. They test, tune, debug and suggest the detailed refinements that ensure the quality and play-ability of the finished game. They play-test the game in a systematic way, analysing the game’s performance against the designer’s intentions, identifying problems and suggesting improvements. They test for bugs in the software, from complete crashes to minor glitches in the program. They act as the games first audience to they are the first indication of how the public will react to the game so it is ideal to make sure the testers enjoy the game in order for it to make it more likely that the public will like the game. For GTA V, the QA Tester was Aaron Robuck, he ensured that every little feature and bug was detailed to the point that the game was flawless as he checked it thoroughly making sure the game was as playable as possible.

Bibliography:2016, C.S. © (2016) DCP author. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/338_qa_tester (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

What is Business Development?
Public Relations Manager

Product Manager

Marketing Executive

Marketing Manager

What does Business Development entail; there are Public Relations Manager, Product Manager, Marketing Executive, Marketing Manager. 

Public Relations Managers:
They Plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization. They make sure that their fan base for a game are happy, so for example on the PC, you can have mods for the game, so there will be a relations manager for that to make sure mods are being made frequently to ensure that the public is happy with the game. They will also devise advertising and promotion programs. The Public Relations Manager for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is Fabian Mario Doehla, he ensure that the public's voice is heard and that Rockstar implements as many features that the public want in the game.

Product Manager:
Their role is to help create and implement marketing campaigns to maximise the sales of the games they are working on. Working in the marketing team, they support the senior marketing managers who organise international or global campaigns. Similar to other roles, the Product Manager needs to be able to work financially as they will be helping the Marketing Executives etc. Pete Hines was the Product Manager for the production of Fallout 3, a game that bless many people with how good it was and it was his job to create and implement marketing campaigns to maxamise the amount of sales the game made.

Marketing Executive:
They are involved in developing marketing campaigns to promote a service, product, event or campaign - they will promote the games and show off the best parts about the game to draw attention to it. The focus can be on selling a product, a service or raising awareness of an issue that affects the public. Jon Rooke is the Marketing Executive for SEGA after he recently acquired the role in February 2015 and it is his job to ensure the marketing campaigns are fully functional so that promotion of games goes ahead.

Marketing Manager: 
Someone who manages the marketing of a business or product. They can be responsible for several services or products, or be in charge of a single product. A marketing manager needs to have an outgoing, gregarious, and spontaneous nature. In concert with these traits, they need to be highly focused, detail-oriented, and very conscientious of meeting budget restraints and timelines, for example; they will need to make sure with games that the budget is taken into consideration and that they stick to the guidelines for the games release. The Marketing Manager for The Witcher 3: Wild is Tomasz Tinc, he ensured that the production team stuck to their budget and quality checked everything that everyone did to make sure the game was a good as possible.

Bibliography:LLC, T.P. (2012) Public relations manager. Available at: http://www.truity.com/career-profile/public-relations-manager (Accessed: 30 September 2016).

2016, C.S. © (2016) DCP author. Available at: http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/335_product_manager (Accessed: 30 September 2016).Made (2016) Marketing manager. Available at: https://www.sokanu.com/careers/marketing-manager/ (Accessed: 30 September 2016).Ruairi (2014) Marketing executive. Available at: https://gradireland.com/careers-advice/job-descriptions/marketing-executive (Accessed: 30 September 2016).