There are different jobs within the games industry all of which are under different departments in the organisation. Here is an explanation and several examples of the several job roles.
Creative Development
Creative development is basically the visual look of the video game. For example in this department the assets, background, animation plus a lot more is created depending on the role of the job.
Game Designer
Game Designers are usually employed by development either independent or publisher owned. One of the main job roles is to plan all of the elements in the game for example the Game Designer will plan and define what the setting, structure, rules, story, characters, vehicles, art description, environment/level, game play, sound, user interface/controls and a lot more. Sometimes even have to know knowledge about computer programming and writing software to show initial research and a concept document of an initial design treatment to convince the other members in the industry that the game is worth creating and developing.
This whole progress is usually shared with numerous amounts of people and then is over seen by the lead Game Designer. During development the Game Designer has to respond to any questions and communicate with the rest of the industry so there is a clear understanding on what the game setting, assets etc. is going to be created Also having to make adjustments to the original design to make the game respond to any technical difficulties which might have been identified which might result in incorporating new programming/equipment to resolve the problem.
Level Editor
The Level Editor defines and creates architecture for the games level for example they define the environment within the game, what the general layout of the game will look like for instance how much space And deciding on the texture/lighting which will be included in the level. Although they do also develop the game play of the level for instance the challenges which will be included within the game and how to overcome/defeat them challenges. This is because the Level Editor designs the obstetrical and places where the character can hide (safe spot) and a lot more which the character within the game will interact with. The level designers do this by following the specifications from the game prototype that the Game Designer has already made however the Level Editor does have freedom to adjust the look and feel of the level rather than sticking to the original plan.
For example in the image below is a design of what the game would look like for instance it shows where the enemy's are going to spawn and how the player is going to move and in the example you can tell it isn't planned out in detail and is just the basics of what the game would look like.
For example in the image below is a design of what the game would look like for instance it shows where the enemy's are going to spawn and how the player is going to move and in the example you can tell it isn't planned out in detail and is just the basics of what the game would look like.
Lead Artist
The Lead Artist works along with the lead programmer and with the Game Designer, this is because the lead Artist needs to decide on the devises on the overall visual style within the game. The Lead Artist also inspires, motivates and directs the production within the all the visual materials though out the games development, managing the team of Artist and Animators with most of the Art assets. They do this to make sure all the work is on schedule, within the budget and fits the theme/genre of the video game which is being developed. The Lead Artist has amazing communication skills due having to communicate to different member's and departments within the organisation for example the Lead Artist has to communicate with the programming team to see if the animation and the other art assets will fit in to the game and will be easily imported within the games engine.
In the class experiment where we had the class set out like it was in the game industry for example having different departments etc. I was part of the creative department doing the art assets and we had a lead artist who directed us in what style to do the assets and if we had a question we would direct it to him. here is an example of the games assets we created;
In the class experiment where we had the class set out like it was in the game industry for example having different departments etc. I was part of the creative department doing the art assets and we had a lead artist who directed us in what style to do the assets and if we had a question we would direct it to him. here is an example of the games assets we created;
Technical Artist
A technical artist job role is ensuring the art assets can easily be imported into the game without effecting/sacrificing the visual quality of the assets or exceeding the technical limits of the chosen platform. To do this a technical artist needs technical proficiency in areas such as rendering, programming languages, texturing etc. This also means that they need to have knowledge of different art packages such as texturing and special effects and how to customize each package. Despite having knowledge about console hardware architecture and having to keep up to date with technology including both hardware and software to help create custom tools to improve efficient of the team and be able to deal with any situations immediately. . A technical artist works in the creative development, working close with the Lead Artist, the creative director and the lead programmer. The technical artist has good communication and managing skills to be able to organize, monitor and train others within this job role to be able to maintain the production and making decisions including which packages the studio should be using As well as researching and rendering techniques such as normal and specular maps, particle systems and pixel shaders.
Artist
An Artist creates the look of the video game. For example an Artist will be imaginative and creative to be able do visual elements such as characters, scenery/setting, vehicles, surface, texture, clothing, props etc. This means an Artist has good instinct of colour, composition, perspective, modelling and texturing techniques, lighting and mood for the perfect texture and surface.
As well as creating concept art which is an idea of what an element will look like such as a character within the game which will then be developed. The Artist will also create a story board which is several drawings of what the drawing is going to look like throughout the game. This will help communicate what the visual elements are going to look like at the pre-production when the game designer is convincing other members that the game is worth producing.
Although the Artist creates several elements for the game there is various specialists throughout the art department which are responsible for their own art asset for instance there is the 3D modelling, Character design, textures and environments. However there are still a lot of movement/changes throughout the development so the Artist has to be able to work independently as well as working in a team and communicating with others.
The Artist are working under the supervision of the Lead Artist and will create assets according to what the game desired look is for example the look could either be realistic or could be a more stylized look and the Artist job will be to create assets which are textured and characterized like the specific look.
Below is an example image of an concept art drawing, this drawing was an idea of what the players sprite could look like.
When he artist is happy with the overall look of the concept image the artist will then work of the concept image for the visual look of the sprite.
Below is an example image of an concept art drawing, this drawing was an idea of what the players sprite could look like.
When he artist is happy with the overall look of the concept image the artist will then work of the concept image for the visual look of the sprite.
Animator
Animators are responsible for movement; behaviour and making the game become more alive by using specialist software to create the animation. For instance an Animators will have knowledge about full motion video to be able to animate elements such as characters, creatures, objects, scenery's, vegetation and sometimes environmental effects. A Animators should be able understand the timing and appearance of human and animal movement such as facial expressions and being able to lip sync the animation with the characters. To do this the Animators will need to have some knowledge of programming to make sure the animation is portrayed in the most efficient and effective way without going over the platforms limits this means that the animator will work closely with the programmers and Artist to be able to create the best, smooth, seamless movement on the target platform.
Here is an example of animation. The animator will have to create several images of the sprite but add a bit of animation per image. This will create a gradual look of the animation.
Here is an example of animation. The animator will have to create several images of the sprite but add a bit of animation per image. This will create a gradual look of the animation.
Audio Engineer
Audio engineer will operate the machines and the recording equipment to synchronize, mix and produce music and sound effects for the video game for instance the audio engineer might record someone’s voice and then edit in on a digital device to adjust the voice according to the character within the video game.
To do this the audio engineer will have to communicate with others members and the supervisor to be able to get others opinions and reactions to the audio because audio engineers have to fix complex problems instantly. Listening is important to the audio engineer because they have to give full attention on what the games industry is expecting from the audio and having to ask questions at appropriate times.
The audio engineer will work on equipment which could include a lot of different controls and wires. So this means that the audio engineer will have to know the correct equipment needed for the job for instance using props such as a car for an engine within the game. Being imaginative and patients is important to the audio engineer as the audio is one of the main assets that help improve the look and feel of the video game.
Below are examples of what an audio engineer would create within there department. In our games design test class our audio engineers worked on a digital software called reaper and used several plugins to create sound effects such as object collecting, boss music and so much more which you can see in the playlist below. Once these sounds was exported and rendered they was imported into the final game and used as the sound effects.
Below are examples of what an audio engineer would create within there department. In our games design test class our audio engineers worked on a digital software called reaper and used several plugins to create sound effects such as object collecting, boss music and so much more which you can see in the playlist below. Once these sounds was exported and rendered they was imported into the final game and used as the sound effects.
Technical development
Technical development is the progress of the video game. For example in this department the game computer codes are developed.
Game programmer
Programmers can also be employed by studios either publisher owned or independent just like the game designer.
The game programmer designs and writes the computer code which runs and control's the game for instance testing the code and then fixing the bugs and creating custom tools so members in a development can use the developed tools for example by the Artist or the level editors. This means that the game programmer has to be creative and be able to be problem-solving almost instantly as well as having good understanding of different platforms such as Wii, Xbox, PlayStation and be able to program in different languages such as c++. This is because different platforms have different programming requirements for instance there are various specialisms within programming, such as physics programming (e.g. programming movable objects so that they appear to obey the laws of gravity, etc.), 3D engine development, interface and control systems which is very complex which means involving large teams of programmers although some might be in a leadership role while others could be working on one aspect. Making it an important role to be able to take instructions, work deadlines and have good communication skills as well as being highly organised to be able to work effectively in the department.
Here is an example of what the core programmer will do on a software called construct. construct is a 2D program which allows programmers to input code to create a game however this image isnt of the completed game and is just an example of what the codes look like. For instance the first code in put basically tells constructs system to create an enemy object every 2 seconds.
Lead Game Programmer
The Lead game programmer manages the engineering of a game start to finish and the overall code development progress. For instance the lead game programmer is responsible for creating all the computer codes code which runs and controls the game which means that the lead game programmer will have to be advanced at programming and have knowledge of the requirements of the relevant health and safety legislation and procedures within the game industry.
Lead game programmers have several job roles for example artificial intelligence, game engine development, user interface and more.
Although the lead game programmer also has to be able to multitask, inspire and motivate, a team player, leader and be able to approach and listen to what other members want to be able to make sure the team delivers on time for budget such as they usually collect all the technical documents to ensure the quality and effectiveness of all the game code etc. is under expectations of the industry/organisation. And be able to support/guidance the technical development/programming team by making sure all programmers understand what skills are needed and the expectations of the game. The lead game programmer also manages the production of the game ensuring all the bugs are fixed and solutions are found on schedule this means that the programmer has to be able to resolve conflicts and solve problems while being able to meet deadlines.
Project Implementation
Project implementation is where the plans become reality for example by finding the financial resources.
Project manager/Producer
The project manager has to be able to manage people, time and resources because they are responsible for the control of the finance and other resources needed for the project and making sure that the work of the production team is up to standards with the quality and the vision of the game so the game has a successful delivery on schedule and within budget.
The project manager has an important job role because a game development is highly complex and usually lasts for up to 2 years with up to 100 people (programmers, designers, artists, writers and many different teams) so the project manager has be able to consider finance responsibly with budgets with over £5 million. As well as working out mile stones for the game development such as dates the industry is going to use for targets which the technical and creative managers have to agree with prior to the production.
Once the milestones are set the departments will work on schedule and decide what equipment is needed to be able to achieve the targeted dates as well as controlling the financial resources and negotiating contracts with supplies etc. They are the central point of contact for all aspects of a production, liaising with senior management, publishers, PR and marketing departments, QA, as well as the programming, design and art teams.
The project manager has a lot more job roles like overseeing the games aspects and localisation requirements which is then reprioritized when the deadline is a concern, manage risks. As well as checking the maintenance issues even after the game is launched such as updates, add-ons and customer support.
Assistant producer
The assistant producer is also known as the junior producers are employed by publishers as well as development studios and they work with the game production department to make sure that they get the highest quality product possible. Usually they will focus on the development progress and communicate between the publisher and the developer as well as co-ordinating work such as managing the out coming art asset. The assistant producer will have set plans ahead for example setting objectives and will expect to have high detailed work by paying close attention to the detail. Assistant producers usually support the work of the external producers and focus on liaising between sales and marketing departments.
Although the assistant producer roles and responsibilities will change during the development progress because of the different elements which are being created for instance the job roles might include planning the milestones for the development, planning and tracking, as well as handling review and being able to approve process. Another aspect of the role is handling any outsourcing required. The Assistant Producer will act as the main point of contact for outsourcing companies and track the quality and provide feedback to the companies. However as the game is entering the final stages of development the assistant producer will get more various job roles and have to organise press visits’, release game demos and organise photo shoots to help promote/advertised the finished game product.
External producers
The external producers work closely with the internal producer which is an onsite development team while the external producers work of site and focuses more main management tasks which is getting the game finished on time and within budget. The external producers will advise the developer instead of having to solve day to day problems like the internal producer job role.
The biggest challenge external producers have is making sure they don’t become too involved with the details of the game in production because the biggest job role that the external producers is responsible for is to make sure that the publisher has all the relevant information needed to make the games commercial as successful as possible for example co-ordinating the release of screenshots and demo disks with the game’s marketing manager, to handling the outsourcing of audio, cut scenes or language localisation which means that the external producer has to be able to handle multiple projects and have excellent communication and presentation skills.
Creative directors
Creative directors are mostly responsible for overseeing any high-level decisions that affect how the game plays, looks, sounds and the feel of the computer game. Although not ever game design industry will employ the creative directors and rely on splitting the duties between the Lead Artist, lead programmers, designers and the producers.
Creative directors responsibilities include making sure the quality is at professional standers such as the game play, style, artwork, music etc. They do this to make sure the finished game will fulfill their initial goal which means they will have to make tough decisions that could affect the games schedule and budget to increase the quality of the look and feel of the final game.
The creative directors do this by working in stages. At the beginning of the project the creative directors will work with a small core team explaining and defining the key frames of the video game with more attention to the artistic styling and the technical obstacles. Once that is settled the development will continue but more members will be added and the creative director will work more closely with the lead programmer, artist and designers to make sure all the art assets and codes are produced up to expectations and have high quality meaning they have to deal with issues rising such as new features and redesigning characters and scenarios which include understanding what makes a game appealing to different audiences, possess excellent imagination, creativity and knowing how to problem solve while still respecting the finance outcomes with the finished product.
However outside of the industry the creative directors will promote the games to the sales and marketing departments making it important to have a good understanding of the financial and managerial aspects of the video game development.
For instance in our games design test class out creative director shown everyone his ideas on what the aspects within the game should look like, how the game should be coded and what sounds will be within the game although the creative director didn't go through each asset in detail and just gave out simple ideas which the artist, audio engineer etc could work on. Afterwards the creative director communicated with all of the departments to tell them any improvements which could be changed.
For instance in our games design test class out creative director shown everyone his ideas on what the aspects within the game should look like, how the game should be coded and what sounds will be within the game although the creative director didn't go through each asset in detail and just gave out simple ideas which the artist, audio engineer etc could work on. Afterwards the creative director communicated with all of the departments to tell them any improvements which could be changed.
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance is checking the maintenance of the video games quality and checking if it meets the specification requirements for the game industry.
QA Tester
Quality assurance technicians aka testers have an important job role which includes testing bugs in software which could involve tiny glitches to complete crashes within the program. Other Job roles include tuning, debugging and suggesting improvements which could improve the quality, play ability. This is done by being the finished games first audience which will then play the game and analyse the games performance to find any flaw and to look for programming bugs for instance spelling mistakes, graphical or audio glitches and checking the copy right issues. QA testers will know what is important for a successful video game and will prioritize the faults for example putting the biggest fault which is causing the most issue first to be fixed. They do all this before the game is realized to the real audience aka the public so the quality assurance technicians need to be able to elevate games against the competition, have an understanding of how games are put together e.g. know the different elements, be able to be persistent, patient and pay close attention to the detail while still communicating to other members before meeting the deadlines or any of the schedules.
Business Development
Public Relations Manager
Public relations manager, manage the reputation about the game for example the PRM will gain understanding and support towards the customers and try to influence the behavior/ opinions. They do this by creating all different forms of media and communication to build up and maintain the reputation from the customers. The public relations manager will use third parties to define their target audience which will make it easier to establish a good reputation and understanding between the organisations to the public.
Product manager
The product manager helps create marketing campaigns to improve/maximize the sales of the developing game. For instance the product mangers work in teams with the Market managers which will organise either international or global campaigns to help awareness. Although the product manager will also work close with the brand manager who is responsible for developing long term plans instead of short term ones such as saying how the game should improve or change over a certain time. This means that the product managers work as a multi-disciplinary team for example being in a managing relationship and communicating within a company.
Project managers either work independent or for the game publishers and will have to manage the marketing budget in responsibly and have an effective return of an investment although the project managers tasks will change as the development is progressing for instance in early stages of development they will provide input/opinions about the decisions of the characters and scenarios within the as well as focus testing the games concept and then providing with the feedback. They have a good working knowledge of the games market and know what the targeted audience will want as well as knowing how to compete with similar products. Also being able to have strong negotiate/deal with external partners and suppliers while manging the marketing budget.
To do the marketing the job is highly team oriented and has many different departments for example publicity, sales and outside contractors are involved in creating a complete and successful campaign. However this will include having to do different tasks ranging from the design, creation and distribution of packaging and marketing materials such as cover images, posters, websites etc.
Marketing Executive
Marketing executive plan and direct marketing policies and programmes. This includes being responsible for networking with a range of stake holders such as customers, Target audience, colleagues and suppliers which the marketing executive will have to give full attention on what the stake holders are requesting which then the executive might have to do some critical thinking and negotiation to find a logical and reasonable solutions, conclusion or approaches to the problem/requests.
Although the marketing executive main job role is managing the marketing for example the marketing executive will manage the production and proof read leaflets, newspapers, flyers, newsletters etc. and then arrange distribution in marketing and organize attending events such as conferences, receptions etc. to try and gain more popularity about the developing video game. This can also be done by finding more advertising souring opportunities such as an advert on the television or the radio. The Marketing executive will do these job roles as well as monitoring competitors and assessing other members to make improvements although supporting the marketing manager and other members within the games industry is just as important. Another job role the marketing executive has to do is conduct more market research by holding focus groups, customer surveys etc. and consider the relative costs and benefit of potential actions.
Marketing Manager
The marketing Manager is similar to the marketing executive. The marketing manager has to research and manage marketing trends for instance review which markets are having the highest trend and then choosing the most appropriate one while at the same time having to plan and organise the marketing. For example organizing the production of posters / brochures and organizing media strategies for example doing an ad on an appropriate YouTube video. The marketing manager also has to monitor and report the most effective strategy and making sure the campaigns are all on budget. And the team of marketing executives and assistants are up to schedule and to the games industry standards by motivating and assessing the team.