HA3 Task 2 - Job Roles

Why are development sectors and roles important?

Products made to professional standard within the game industry such as games or games consoles need to often be worked on extremely hard to finish, too do this, a company may need to compromise a team to work on different areas of the product so the release date is met, or so all the features are implemented to the best standard they can. For instance, if an audio Engineer was producing Foley artistry for a game it would be to a better standard than an indie developer because he has more experience in his field.

Creative Development

There are 7 primary roles that make up the Creative development side of the games industry these include jobs such as "Level Editor" and "Artist" and they are more about designing the visuals, graphics and effects that will take place in the game. The people involved work to produce the life like features a game can portray. 

Level Editor
Defining and creating interactive architecture for a segment of a game, including the landscape, buildings and objects.

Lead Artist
Being responsible for the overall look of a game. Devising the game’s visual style and directing the production of all visual material throughout the game’s development. Managing the art and animation team.

Animator

Being responsible for the portrayal of movement and behavior within a game, making best use of the game engine’s technology, within the platform’s limitations.

Audio Engineer

Being responsible for the portrayal of movement and behavior within a game, making best use of the game engine’s technology, within the platform’s limitations.

Artist
Creating the visual elements of a game, such as characters, scenery, objects, vehicles, surface textures, clothing, etc. Creating concept art and storyboards which help communicate the proposed visual elements during pre-production.

Games Designer
Devising what a game consists of and how it plays, defining all the core elements. Communicating this to the rest of the development team who create the art assets and computer code.

Technical Artist
Acting as a bridge between the Artists and Programmers working on a game. Ensuring art assets can be easily integrated into a game without sacrificing the artistic vision or exceeding the platform’s technical limits. Investigating new techniques, implementing them and training the team.

Technical Development

There are 2 specific roles in the technical Development side of the industry. They are responsible for writing the computer code and conducting methods of scripting that will bring life to a game through things like variables to movement.

Lead Game programmer
Leading the programming team responsible for creating all the computer code which runs and controls a game. Producing the technical specification of the game and managing the overall code development process.

Game Programmer
Designing and writing the computer code that runs and controls a game.




Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is ensuring a game's development is up to professional standard before release of a game or demo. This job role is consisting of one role, a Quality assurance (QA) tester.

QA Tester

Testing, tuning and debugging a game and suggesting refinements that ensure its quality and play ability. Assuring quality in a game and finding all its flaws before it goes public.




Project Implementation


External Producer

Ensuring the successful delivery of a game, while working externally from the game development team. Making sure the publisher has all the relevant information required to make the game as commercially successful as possible

Creative Director

Being responsible for the overall look and feel of a computer game. Overseeing any high-level decisions that affect how the game plays, looks or sounds. Ensuring the quality and style of the game play, artwork, music and audio assets

Project Manager
Ensuring the successful delivery of a game, on time and within budget. Overseeing all aspects of a game’s development and delivery

Assistant Producer
Working with a game's production staff to ensure the timely delivery of the highest quality product possible

Business Development

Public relations Manager

As a public relations officer, you would be responsible for managing an organisation’s image and reputation. If you like variety and challenge this job could be perfect for you. You will need to have excellent communication skills. You’ll also need to be good at managing your time and working with many different kinds of people.

Marketing Manager

As a Marketing manager you will be helping create and implement marketing campaigns to maximise the sales of games. You would need to be able to work well as part of a multi-disciplinary team, both in terms of being managing relationships and communicating within a company. Have strong negotiation skills in dealing with external partners and suppliers. Have a good working knowledge of the games market, in terms of market breakdown, targeted audience and competing products 

Marketing Executive
As a marketing executive, you would promote your employer's products, services or ideas. If you love using your communication skills in a creative way, this could be the ideal job for you. You would need organisational skills to plan product launches, market research and public relations events. Using your confidence and creativity you would also market your products across TV, radio and the press.

Marketing Manager

As a marketing manager, it would be your job to plan the best ways of promoting your employer's products, services or brand. If you’re organised and love communicating messages and ideas, this could be the job for you. You will need to have the management skills to lead and motivate a team. You would also need to handle pressure well when you're working to tight deadlines.