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Explore the interdisciplinary team structure in game design, emphasizing the roles and expertise of each team member to drive the game vision. From directors to programmers, learn how collaboration shapes successful game creation.
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Design Teams Team Structure Interdisciplinary Teams ITCS4010/5010
Game Design • The game design vision drives everything • Every team member contributes something vital Respect their expertise ITCS4010/5010
Team Structure • Director/Producer • The person who’s driving • Has the creative vision for entire project • Possibly an expert in some area ITCS4010/5010
The Game Vision • A game derives from a vision • The Visual, Audio, Graphics, AI, Networks derives from this vision • It’s a collaboration! • It’s probably not a dictatorship • No one person can do all the work ITCS4010/5010
Game Play/Storyboard Level Design Graphics Graphic Design Animators MoCap Actors Networks Multi-player Design AI Audio Audio Design Dialog Voice Talent Playtesting Marketing Technical Writers Team Components/Members ITCS4010/5010
Software Engineering • The Waterfall Model: • Design -> Spec -> Coding -> Testing • Better: • Programmers discover what the customer wants • Programmers implement prototype • Users test prototype • Tests feed back to design ITCS4010/5010
Game Software Engineering • Many team members are non-programmers • Eg. Graphic artists are sometimes semi-literate • Their mastery is pictures! • Audio people have some CS experience • Marketing people have limited CS experience ITCS4010/5010
Specifications • Game specifications will cover many bases • It’s not all about software per se ITCS4010/5010
The Bottom Line • The team members are there for a reason: • Each team member is an expert ITCS4010/5010
Eg. Audio Design • Like any design job, there must be a logic to the audio design • The logic drives • Instrumentation • Musical style • Selection of phrases ITCS4010/5010
Logic Source • The audio design logic arises from game logic • The driving vision comes from the game • It’s not about creating a hit record, for example • Team members… ITCS4010/5010
Game Play • Expertise: Games, Storytelling • Provide a compelling experience • Set up goals for player(s) • Script • Storyboard • Programmers • Control game logic • Formal Language Scripts, etc for game play • Formal Language Script interpreter ITCS4010/5010
Level Design • Expertise: Games, Storytelling, Creative writing • Provide compelling experience this level • Adjust difficulty appropriate to level • Subsidiary to game design • Design • Spatial layout • Composition of forces • Pacing ITCS4010/5010
Level Design • Expertise: Games, Storytelling • Programmers • Creating behavior of enemy agents in geographic space • Special-purpose features this level • Design tools ITCS4010/5010
Graphics • Expertise: CS -- Computer Graphics • Programmers • Create the graphics game engine • Customize engine components for particular game • Visual effects • Performance tuning • Until recently, used most CPU ITCS4010/5010
Graphic Design • Expertise: Visual Arts/Graphic Design • Providing the visual content • Design the look • Implement the look • Graphic design will generate a visual system • Main task is to make the system visually consistent, coherent ITCS4010/5010
Expertise: Visual Arts/Animation Create the animated characters Keyframes MoCap – Capture, Blending, Adjustment Programming simulation controllers to create good animations Programmers Animation control & playback system Scripting setup Simulation system Animators ITCS4010/5010
MoCap Actors • Expertise: Dance, Acting • Act out motion scripts • Create consistent character for each captured motion • Seamlessly join together motion segments • Programmers • Motion capture • Data management ITCS4010/5010
Networks • Expertise: CS Networks, Multiplayer • Programmers • Implement network components • Client-server system • Server creation • Create multi-player control for game • Prediction, Etc ITCS4010/5010
Multi-player Design • Expertise: Multiplayer, CS Networks • Design multi-player scheme • Resolve conflicts • Deal with lag • Programmers • Game-specific strategies ITCS4010/5010
AI • Expertise: AI Algorithms, AI Game Practice • Programmers • Create the AI engine • Could be just a general object suite • Customize to game components • Responsible for good AI enemy play • Details! ITCS4010/5010
Audio • Expertise: CS -- Digital Sound Filters/Effects • Programmers • Create System-level audio software • Environmental effects filters • Resource management ITCS4010/5010
Audio Design • Expertise: Music • Designers • Create audio space • Interact with other system elements • Player health, location • Time of day, environment ITCS4010/5010
Dialog • Expertise: Creative Writing, Play Writing • Create believable speaking characters • Create lines of dialog that will sound good • Get the point across (or obscure it!) ITCS4010/5010
Voice Talent • Expertise: Acting, Radio • Create a compelling animated voice character • Voice fits the body • Delivers the lines appropriately ITCS4010/5010
Playtesting • Expertise: Games, Dealing with people • Test the game with real users • Get feedback • Adjust game difficulty • Adjust explanations, back story, etc • Get organized! ITCS4010/5010
Marketing • Expertise: Game market, distribution • Get the game on the market • Figure out who your customers are • Generate demand • Get it reviewed favorably • Place ads • Hype ITCS4010/5010
Technical Writers • Expertise: Technical communications • Create documentation • Game manuals • API manuals • In house • External ITCS4010/5010