Job Roles In Computer Games

Games Designs:

Game designers decide how the game should look and how it should be played. Game design is very complex which the designers require a wide range of skills including, design management, Scheduling and researching. They also need to have good communication skills to be able to interact with others members of their team. 

 

There may be more than one game designer in very large projects, each one taking a responsibility for the overall design of the game. 

 

The job titles in this area include:

 

http://ygd.bafta.org/working-in-the-games-industry/industry-overview

 

Lead designer:

The lead designer is responsible for working with director and senior management to create and define the overall vision of the project. The lead designer also had to manage the creative and production direction which ensures the design demands are met on time. 

 

games designer:

The games designer devise new computer games and define the way the game is played. This includes the rules of the game, the setting, story and characters, props such as weapons and vehicles and the different ways the game could be played. The game designer works with the programmers, artists and animators and producers and audio engineers to turn the vision into the the finished product. 

 

Script Writer:

The scriptwriter works with the game design to take the original concept and develop the narrative.

 

Map Builder:

The Map builder works with the level editor to to create the game environment and make each level in a game. 

 

Level Editor:

The level editor uses computer software modeling tools to develop the gameplay. They then program the characters movements to build the environments. They also make sure there is no bugs with the characters.

 

GUI Design: 

The graphic user interface designer finds ways for the game to operate with visual images instead of written commands. This is how the player interacts with the game. 

 

Storyboard artist:

The storyboard artist must have a strong understanding of the narrative and the visual world of the game as well as how to use the software used to build the game affects. storyboard artists use computer software to create a series of drawings showing how the game progresses for the player. 

 

Illustrator: 

The illustrator defines the look and feel of the game. Depending on the audience of the game, The illustrator makes the drawing cartoons to the look fun or more cinematic for films. They make sketches to show how all the different elements look together.  

 

Graphic designer: 

A graphic designer will develop the illustrators work on the environments, characters and objects in detail. 

 

 

Art And Animation

 

The game artists are responsible for creating everything the player can see in the game such as the buildings, landscapes and characters. The animators are responsible for making them come to life and create their movement.

 

Most computer games are developed using a realtime 3D graphics and animation. The artists and animators have to be trained or experienced in using major 3D modeling packages such as 3DS Studio Max and Maya. 

 

Games artists combine most of their roles with other artists to combine concept artwork. These artists include Environment modeler, Object and vehicle Modelers, Character modelers and animators. The lead artist or Art director takes overall responsibility. 

 

The Job titles in this area includes:

Creative Manager 

PreVis Artist

Art Director 

Lead Artist 

Concept Artist

Environment Artist

Technical Artist 

Artist 

Animator 

3D modeler 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOFBseakqJc – I found this video from youtube following a short documentary from Holland College about the software they use to create and animate characters. 

 

Programming 

The programmers are responsible creating the code which makes the game work. There are various Sub divisions to this department including AI, Physics, Graphics, rendering, character control and gameplay programmer. All these people are overseen by lead programmer who is responsible for the technical specification of the game. The programmers need to be able to work in a team and help problem solving as well as have the programming ability. 

 

Job Titles in this area include:

lead programmer

software engineer

programmer

AI programmer

Middleware/tools programmer

graphics programmer

gameplay programmer

action scripter 

platform designer

information architect 

systems analyst 

database designer

engine programmer

server architect. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOAi7a-GK64 – I found this video from a college course of programmin where the students explain what programming is and the skill you need to be able to do it. 

 

Audio

The sound designers and audio engineers are very important within the making of the game development process. Depending on the size of the game company, the audio department may consist of of one or two people who are responsible for making the music, sound effects and voice recordings. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DwJTPNvSKU – I found this video about the main audio director for the Skyrim, He explains what he loves about the job and how to overcome challenges.

Job Title in this area may include:

Musician 

audio engineer

sound effects designer 

composer

 

Quality Assurance

QA is one of the most important roles in game development. This role include being a tester  which is a highly disciplined role as it involves playing the game and identifying any bugs and communicating about about them. The testers need to love playing games for long periods and the tester must have organizational skills, programming experience or knowledge and the ability to meet deadline. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I6DrKWmm_4 – I found this short video about a games tester where he says what he does and how rewarding it is.

Job titles in this area may include:

QA manager 

Quality assurance technician / tester 

lead tester 

localization tester 

localization manager. 

 

Production management and publishing 

The production management is usually split up between the developer and the publisher. The development schedule is in the responsibility of the produce or product manager. The external producer and publisher will be involved in marketing and selling the game. The external producer may have more creative input than a project manager but both are responsible for for budgets, schedules and reports.  

 

Job titles in this area may include:

Head of development 

executive producer

project manager 

art director 

programming manager 

assistant project manager 

production accountant 

production scheduler

production assistant 

creative director 

executive producer

external producer

project coordinator 

product manager

sales manager

licensing manager.